The many faces of knowledge: Do science and traditional ecological knowledge coexist in federal assessments?

Abstract

Traditional Ecological Knowledge is officially recognized as a legitimate source of information when legislating on wildlife management at the federal level. This study assesses the extent to which this kind of information is mobilized by administrators when writing regulations. Analyzing the use of traditional knowledge in classifying endangered species shows that although Indigenous individuals and organizations are systematically consulted, traditional knowledge is rarely a factor in impact assessments. However, for scientific examinations conducted before these regulatory impact assessments, traditional ecological knowledge does appear to be considered a reliable source of information, even if it is not widely used.