Loading...
LEK as an Avenue for River Herring Restoration in the Rappahannock River
Shrimali, Malvika Dicenta, Mara
Ogburn, Matthew Legett, Henry
Shrimali, Malvika
Ogburn, Matthew
Legett, Henry
Abstract
As underrepresented communities continue to fight for an equal voice in conservation, environmental organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of Indigenous and local ecological knowledge (LEK) in restoration and management projects. This literature review explores how institutions such as the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center can build more respectful and equitable partnerships with local communities in river herring restoration efforts in Virginia’s Rappahannock River. Drawing on literature from conservation, Indigenous studies, fisheries co-management, and political ecology, as well as archival research and interviews with scientists and local fishers, this report offers guidelines for developing collaborative relationships that acknowledge historical and ongoing colonial power dynamics within environmental science. The report argues that scientific institutions must recognize how Western scientific ecological knowledge (WSEK) has historically marginalized or compartmentalized local knowledge systems. Indigenous and local ecological knowledges are often holistic, relational, place-based, and shaped through long-term interactions with the environment, while Western conservation approaches frequently prioritize reductionist and managerial forms of expertise. Through examples from fisheries management and oral histories connected to river herring in Virginia, the report examines how conservation projects can unintentionally reproduce colonial hierarchies when local communities are treated as stakeholders rather than equal partners. To address these challenges, the report outlines four stages for building respectful conservation partnerships: understanding historical and colonial contexts, recognizing different research paradigms, designing collaborative management structures, and developing long-term relationships grounded in reciprocity, accessibility, and mutual respect. Ultimately, this report is intended as a practical guide for scientists and conservation organizations seeking to develop more equitable and collaborative restoration partnerships.
Description
Date
2022-01-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Institute for Integrative Conservation
Collections
Download Dataset
Rights Holder
The author
Usage License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Embargo
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Keywords
Citation
Shrimali, M., Dicenta, M., Ogburn, M., & Legett, H. (2022). LEK as an Avenue for River Herring Restoration in the Rappahannock River. Institute for Integrative Conservation, William & Mary.