Indigenous Knowledge and Forest Succession Management in the Brazilian Amazon: Contributions to Reforestation of Degraded Areas

Abstract

The indigenous systems of agricultural and forest management in the Amazon are characterized by a deep knowledge of ecological processes, biodiversity, and the use and management of fire. The influence of these systems on the distribution of biodiversity includes semi-domesticated and domesticated species and landscapes, which have led to extensive anthropogenic or cultural forests. However, in many places, the livelihoods of indigenous peoples are being transformed by the intensification of agriculture and social, ecological, and economic changes, putting at risk the sustainability of production systems and food security and sovereignty of these peoples. In the last years, in the Xingu Indigenous Territory (XIT), the food production systems and the form of occupation of territories have changed, affecting the recovery of secondary forests, which now demand a too long period. The increase in the number and frequency of fires has aggravated this situation, due to a drier climate that has become predominant in the region. Changes in climate are attributed to deforestation in the neighboring municipalities, especially in the headwaters of the Xingu river basin. This study was conducted among the Kawaiwete (Tupi-Guarani) and the Ikpeng (Carib-Arara) peoples in the XIT, in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The main objective was to develop alternative techniques of forest management based on indigenous and scientific knowledge more adapted to the new livelihood contexts, aiming to favor forest regeneration in areas dominated by shifting cultivation. We sought to answer the following questions: (I) How do forests regenerate during the fallow period? (II) How can local management improve forest regeneration? (III) Are there indicator species for secondary succession, soil recovery, and vulnerability to fires? (IV) Is the increase in the number of fires affecting the sustainability of the shifting cultivation systems? Our results show that some local practices based on indigenous knowledge have the potential to facilitate natural regeneration, such as choosing forest areas that have been recovered for agricultural use, limiting the number of cultivation cycles, protecting and selecting of individual trees during cultivation period, and attracting seed dispersers. Assisted natural regeneration strategies grounded on indigenous knowledge are promising ways to restore degraded lands of the XIT.

Intensification of fire regimes and forest loss in the Território Indígena do Xingu

“…Second, as the fire regime intensifies (i.e. more frequent, intense fires) it has increased the time needed for secondary forests to recover after abandonment from slash-and-burn agriculture, as found in a recent study conducted at the Kawaiwete and the Ikpeng villages in the TIX (Schmidt et al 2021). Deforestation outside Indigenous lands can also increase fire ignition sources and contribute to regional climate changes (Silverio et al 2015), which may overwhelm the inhibitory effect that tropical forests have historically played in reducing sources of ignition and acting as firebreaks in the region (Staver et al 2011, Brando et al 2014.…”

“…First, many Indigenous peoples used to live a semi-nomadic lifestyle centered around small, temporary settlements across the landscape. As these groups have transitioned to living in fixed villages, they have also intensified subsistence agriculture near the villages (Schmidt et al 2021). This process relates partly to limited availability of suitable lands for new villages as the TIX population expands, but also to the fact that some of these groups were resettled in the TIX in the early 1970s.…”

A Systematic Review on the Local Wisdom of Indigenous People in Nature Conservation

“…Trees will be cut down in accordance with indigenous peoples' customary law, which states that only mature and large trees will be cut down. According to Schmidt et al [83], it is also important in modern logging to determine the size and age of a tree before it is cut down. This is done to ensure the long-term viability of timber production as well as the conservation of the forest ecosystem [27].…”

Nature-Based Carbon Sinks: Carbon Conservation and Protection Zones

“…Assisted natural regeneration strategies based on indigenous knowledge are promising ways to restore degraded lands (Schmidt et al, 2021). Formal recognition of indigenous people's rights over their forested lands can slow deforestation (Ricketts et al 2010;Ceddia et al 2015).…”