Biocultural Approaches to Conservation and Environmental Management

Biocultural approaches recognise that biological diversity and cultural diversity are deeply intertwined, such that loss of one undermines the resilience of the other. Rooted in principles of ecological anthropology, environmental science and Indigenous rights, these approaches bring together traditional ecological knowledge, local practices and scientific methods to inform policies and on-the-ground action. Central to this perspective is the concept of biocultural diversity, which emphasises the maintenance of language, rituals, land-use customs and spiritual associations alongside habitat protection and species conservation. Practice ranges from community-led mapping of sacred sites to the co-management of protected areas under shared governance models. Such initiatives foster adaptive stewardship, reconciling customary tenure systems with statutory regulations and generating win-wins for livelihoods, food security and ecosystem health. Globally, biocultural strategies have been applied in tropical forests, arid rangelands and island ecosystems, demonstrating how inclusive decision-making underpins successful restoration and climate resilience. By embedding cultural values into conservation targets, this paradigm shifts away from exclusionary preservation and towards partnerships that uphold human rights, equity and intergenerational knowledge transmission. The result is a more socially just and ecologically effective framework for safeguarding both living heritage and biodiversity at multiple scales.

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Biocultural Approaches to Conservation and Environmental Management publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in biocultural approaches to conservation and environmental management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Biocultural diversity: The combined variability of biological species, ecosystems and human cultural expressions within a given area.

Traditional ecological knowledge: Place-based understandings of natural processes and resource management passed down through generations.

Cultural keystone species: Species that hold exceptional significance for the identity, subsistence or spirituality of a cultural group.

Co-management: A shared governance arrangement in which local communities and statutory bodies jointly plan, implement and monitor conservation actions.

Eco-cultural landscape: A spatial entity shaped by the reciprocal relationship between cultural practices and ecological processes.

References

1. Indigenous Peoples' Lands are critical for safeguarding vertebrate diversity across the tropics. Global Change Biology (2023).
2. Locally Based, Regionally Manifested, and Globally Relevant: Indigenous and Local Knowledge, Values, and Practices for Nature. Annual Review of Environment and Resources (2021).
3. Cultural Keystone Species: Implications for Ecological Conservation and Restoration. Ecology and Society (2004).
4. A critical perspective on the concept of biocultural diversity and its emerging role in nature and heritage conservation. People and Nature (2019).
5. Recognizing Indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ rights and agency in the post-2020 Biodiversity Agenda. Ambio (2021).
6. The importance of Indigenous Peoples’ lands for the conservation of terrestrial mammals. Conservation Biology (2020).