2017 Fall Meeting

11-15 December

Indigenous communities worldwide experience effects of environmental changes. Many indigenous communities also possess traditional knowledge that can reduce disaster risks, alleviate vulnerability, and promote sustainability. Indigenous perspectives can bring deep insight to study and management of complex environmental systems through holistic approaches to problem solving and ways of knowing. These perspectives inform and enrich western scientific research and discussions of policy in sustainability, human-environment interactions, ecosystems, climate adaptation, geohealth, and more. Although western science recently acknowledges the importance of indigenous knowledge, voices of indigenous peoples are largely absent from scholarly discourse. This session gives voice to indigenous perspectives while focusing on collaborations with indigenous peoples in science and policy. The session emphasizes meaningful collaboration between western scientists and indigenous peoples for community-based decision making, and it includes indigenous scholars’ experiences walking in both worlds. Presentations cover topics including adaptation, community based participation, ethics, mutual understanding, and respect for sacred knowledge.

• B - Biogeosciences
• GC - Global Environmental Change
• H - Hydrology
• NH - Natural Hazards