Decline in local ecological knowledge in the Colombian Andes may constrain silvopastoral tree diversity

Abstract

Local ecological knowledge (LEK) can play an important role in ecological restoration by guiding landholder decision‐making towards more ecologically oriented land management. Silvopastures are a promising option for restoring ecological function to degraded landscapes because they increase tree cover and diversity, moderating the impacts of cattle production on ecological processes. Some silvopastoralists possess considerable LEK that can shape silvopastoral tree communities, but little is known about the temporal trends of this knowledge base. We followed up on a survey of workers, managers, and owners of silvopastoral farms in the Colombian Andes 6 years later and found that the ability to identify native trees and describe their uses, and interest in tree planting, were significantly lower. Importantly, the likelihood that an individual would plant a species was linked directly to the number of uses they listed for that species. Furthermore, the utility of species became more important for influencing the probability of planting native trees over time, as general interest in planting trees declined. We show that knowledge about the uses of native trees is critical for promoting cultivation of diverse tree species in silvopastoral systems, and that multipurpose trees are most likely to be planted. Moreover, our results suggest that the socio‐economic changes driving declines in ecological knowledge elsewhere, including outmigration and limited transmission of knowledge to younger generations, appear to erode LEK among Colombian silvopastoralists. Preserving LEK is therefore a critical factor for ensuring silvopastoral and other agro‐ecosystems can contribute to efforts to restore ecological integrity to degraded landscapes.

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