Traditional Knowledge and Rural Livelihoods and Practices for Nature Conservation and Environmental Sustainability

Traditional knowledge systems have long played a crucial role in nature conservation and environmental sustainability, particularly within rural communities worldwide. These systems have demonstrated remarkable resilience in preserving sacred groves and specific biological diversities, even amidst the challenges posed by climate change and other environmental pressures. Despite their proven effectiveness, modern conservation strategies often overlook the rich biocultural heritage of these communities. This oversight neglects the potential of traditional belief systems, cultural practices, rural livelihood strategies, and agronomic methods to contribute significantly to biodiversity management and climate change mitigation. Recent studies have highlighted the enduring success of these traditional practices in maintaining ecological balance, yet there remains a gap in integrating these insights into contemporary conservation frameworks. Addressing this gap is essential for developing a more comprehensive approach to environmental sustainability that leverages both traditional and scientific knowledge.

This research topic aims to explore the integration of traditional knowledge systems with modern scientific conservation practices. The primary objective is to investigate how the time-tested methods of rural communities can be effectively incorporated into current sustainability models. By examining the innovative ways in which traditional knowledge has been utilized to enhance environmental resilience, this research seeks to identify strategies for synergizing these practices with scientific approaches. Key questions include how traditional and scientific knowledge can complement each other and what frameworks can be developed to unite conservation efforts between rural communities and modern conservationists.

To gather further insights in the integration of traditional and scientific conservation practices, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• traditional knowledge systems and nature conservation
• traditional events and cultural practices for environmental sustainability
• traditional agronomic practices and sustainability of the environment
• synergy between traditional and scientific knowledge systems
• rural livelihood strategies and climate change
• rural community participation strategies in environmental sustainability projects
• efficient ethnobotany practices and environmental sustainability.

Keywords: Traditional Knowledge, Rural Development, Rural Livelihood, Nature Conservation, Environmental Sustainability

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.