How to know about waters? Finnish traditional knowledge related to waters and implications for management reforms
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH
How to know about waters? Finnish traditional knowledge related to waters and implications for management reforms Tero Mustonen . Noora Huusari
Received: 26 May 2020 / Accepted: 4 September 2020 The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Finnish lakes, rivers, the Baltic and wetlands–our aquatic ecosystems–are surveyed, assessed and studied using natural sciences and ecological data. We argue that this approach is leaving out a key repository of information–the traditional knowledge of waters. By reviewing aspects, qualities and depth of knowledge across Finland from mid-boreal ecosystems in Eastern Finland to large Saimaa lake system to Western Finnish lakes we demonstrate a potentially reformative approach to aquatic assessments. Cultural indicators, baseline data from oral histories, linguistic diversity and behaviour of species on lakes based on traditional knowledge observations have the potential to greatly enhance our understanding of ecosystem health. Of special importance are the spawning locations of fish known through traditional knowledge, but often ignored by science-based assessments. Keywords Climate change Ecosystem assessment Finland Jukaja¨rvi Lakes La¨ngelma¨vesi Puruvesi Traditional knowledge
T. Mustonen (&) N. Huusari Department of Geography and History, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistokatu 2, 80100 Joensuu, Finland e-mail: [email protected] N. Huusari e-mail: [email protected]
Introduction Traditional (and Indigenous) knowledge, including biocultural assessments (Maffi 2005; Harmon 1996; Loh and Harmon 2014) and oral history research (MacDonald 2000) have emerged over the past 30 years as ‘‘set’’ mechanisms of braided (Tengo¨ et al. 2014) and multiple-evidence -based ways of understanding ecosystems. These advances have often their historical roots in the North American collaborative management and equity solutions for nature conservation (Berkes 2008). A large body of established methods and literature (see summaries for example in MacDonald 2000, Berkes 2008) exists from those regions, communities and practitioners who have already shared their crucial knowledge in this paradigm. Yet, much more needs to be done. This is true both in geographical terms and in levels of engaging with these braided knowledges. Large gaps remain. Those areas which have not been investigated respectfully or extensively are located in the non-Indo-European spaces or at their margins. Perhaps one way of summarizing this realisation is that for these areas, most of the historical and ecological information embedded in local knowledge systems contains the potential of major new discoveries of co-produced and co-designed environmental investigations, monitoring and ultimately, solutions. Therefore in this paper we will explore traditional knowledge of Finnish waters (Lehtinen 2000;
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Rev Fish Biol Fisheries
Mustonen 2014a; Saiha and Virkkunen 1986). Finland remains in many ways an under-investigated geography in terms of bor
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