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Local Ecological Knowledge Indicates Pathways Towards Equitable and Sustainable Management of the Sudano-Guinean Savanna

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Abstract

Strategies for equitably managing savannas are urgently needed as these ecosystems undergo significant social and ecological changes that threaten their sustainability and the livelihoods of those that depend upon them. Using snowball sampling, we interviewed 28 key informants in Velingara, Senegal, to quantify the relative socio-cultural importance of savanna species and understand the drivers and impacts of environmental change as experienced by local people. We identified 43 species of particularly high socio-cultural importance, only eight of which are considered highly important in other areas of Senegal and West Africa, which underscores the need for local-scale ethnobotanical studies of how livelihoods and cultural values intersect with biophysical changes in West African savannas. Respondents identified a drying trend associated with declines in tree and grass biodiversity. Biodiversity loss was further associated with changing market forces, fire regimes, and an invasive herb. We situate our results within a broader West African ethnobotanical context, and propose four guiding principles to facilitate equitable and sustainable management of Sudano-Guinean savanna: (1) Monitor migration as an adaptation strategy for both humans and plants, (2) Pursue a biocultural approach to savanna restoration, (3) Co-create collaborative strategies for governing the commons, and (4) Develop international, market, and policy-based strategies for curbing local timber harvesting.

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Availability of Data and Materials

The data that support these findings are available as supplementary materials.

Notes

  1. Thus far, we have referred to savannas rather than forests. In Senegal, most people refer to forests as ‘dense’ or ‘thin’ based on the extent of tree cover, and do not use the term savanna. In subsequent sections, we often switch to referring to the forest rather than the savanna as a more accurate translation of the Pulaar language.

  2. For example, eloko (Guiera senegalensis) is considered highly important in Velingara for its medicinal properties, but has no other uses.

  3. In Ethiopia, Duguma and Hager (2010) estimated five times more timber was needed compared to traditional thatched roofs.

  4. For example, the movement of Fulɓe sheep herders into Velingara has been associated with increased tree mortality during fire due to their tree pruning practices. Similar challenges have been reported by Fulani in Benin (Gaoue & Ticktin, 2007). Patterns of Fulɓe movement into the Sudano-Guinean zone have been developing for decades (Stenning, 1957), driven by a combination of climatic, political, socio-economic, and ecological changes (Bassett & Turner, 2007; Brottem, 2014). Considering the long history of the Firdu (Upper Casamance) as a migration destination and refuge, it is likely Velingara will continue to host herders from the north for the foreseeable future.

  5. For example, through the Nā Kilo ʻĀina program in Hawaii (Morishige et al., 2018), community planning processes for marine conservation in Colombia (McRuer & Zethelius, 2017), and the Cultural Conservancy’s food sovereignty program in Oregon (Nabhan et al., 2010). These types of in situ approaches will be inherently place-based, fostering the relationships of specific people and lands (Kimmerer, 2011).

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the many Velingara residents who shared their experiences and values with us. We thank Samba Boiro, Aliou Boiro, Diennabou Balde, Seykou Sow, Idrissa Boiro, and Mouhamadou Seydou Tall for their research assistance and logistical support during fieldwork. We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Dr. Gray Tappan to this manuscript, as well as the helpful insights of three reviewers.

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation SBE Postdoctoral Research Fellowship under Grant No. 2104611.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA

    Cara Steger

  2. U.S. Peace Corps, Kolda, Senegal

    Samba Kande

  3. Institut Fondamental d’Afrique Noire, Dakar, Senegal

    Doudou Diop

  4. Centre de Suivi Ecologique, Dakar, Senegal

    Moussa Sall & Cheikh Mbow

  5. Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA

    Aby Sène

  6. The Nature Conservancy and Yale School of the Environment, New Haven, CT, USA

    Stephen Wood

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Contributions

CS and SK designed and conducted the methodology; CS performed data analyses and drafted initial manuscript text, figures, and tables; all authors contributed to project conceptualization, writing, and revision.

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Correspondence to Cara Steger.

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Steger, C., Kande, S., Diop, D. et al. Local Ecological Knowledge Indicates Pathways Towards Equitable and Sustainable Management of the Sudano-Guinean Savanna. Hum Ecol 51, 1217–1238 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-023-00456-3

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