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The Conservation Ethnobiology Field School is all about solving problems. These are real-world problems and they need to be solved in a challenging environment. The Field School provides an opportunity to practice the use of basic conservation ethnobiology "tools" in the context of these problems.
We Study "Problems"?
A problem is a statement of concern. It is a question for which there is no ready answer. It is an inquiry that starts the process of investigation. It is the situation, in the "real world," that researchers encounter and which provokes the process of scientific investigation.
Our problems don't come with a pre-defined set of steps leading to an answer. And, in the broadest sense, there is no single correct answer.
Good problems lead to interesting investigations. The problem-solving process includes the need for debate, resource management, leadership, and a host of activities that are part of the set of scientific skills.
We Practice a Set of Basic Skills
A well-qualified Conservation Ethnobiologist knows how to do a number of things. These are skills that have been acquired and practiced so that they are familiar. A competent researcher will find that the application of these skills is intuitive.
The Field School is organized around an understanding that the participants have learned the basic set of skills. The objective of the Field School is to provide opportunities to practice the use of these skills. Skills are generally learned in a controlled environment. We intend to practice their use under a challenging conditions.
Preparation is essential. If you are not prepared, you put yourself -- and likely other people -- at risk.
Example Problems
Note that this set of problems may change, for a lot of reasons. Treat this list as a set of examples, not assignments. We also have many more problems which will similarly serve as ways to practice the tools of conservation ethnobiology.
1. Biodiversity Threat
One of my colleagues wanted to show me what he considered a desperate situation. A hillside appears to be eroding and destroying the habitat of a rare species. "They won't be here in a few years," he predicted. Indeed, looking at the site causes immediate concern. However, I'm not sure that he is correct in his assessment. But if he is, we shouldn't ignore this situation.
We Emphasize Three Critical Concerns
Safety
Accidents happen. Hopefully, accidents are rare events that have few, if any, negative consequences.
Achieving a goal of being essentially "accident free" while working under unfamiliar conditions is difficult. Good preparation is important. So are the procedures which must be followed in case a dangerous situation arises.
Mike Huddleston holds a Wilkesia gymnoxiphium plant, a species which is closely related to the famous Hawaiian Silverswords. The plant's habitat in this area appears to be eroding.
2. Coastal Access
The coastlines on the island are fantastic. They provide a connection between the land and the sea for the local people, as well as visitors who come from around the world to see the breathtakingly beautiful vistas. The community has banded together to create a walkway along the ocean. This started as a modest stretch of coastline walkway. This proved sufficiently popular that they walkway has been extended and there is work underway for further extension. This is a very popular project. Or is it? A group of friends gathered recently. Some were from an area which is not yet linked to the walkway. They expressed their concern that if the walkway is extended along their shoreline, it would be a threat to their community. What do we really know about the existing walkway that might be important to this discussion?
We take safety training seriously. And we are strict in the application of our safety standards and protocols.
Leadership
Field safety and productivity requires organization. Students in the Field School are organized into teams. These teams work on specific problems. Team organization requires that each student is periodically responsibility for leading the team. This leadership comes with a set of responsibilities for guiding the planning of research projects, checking for safety requirements, maintaining the schedule, assigning work tasks, and ensuring that the project is completed.
Outdoor Living Skills
All students are required to live outdoors in tents. Relatively primitive toilet facilities are available, along with a simple shower. There is potable water. Electrical facilities are very limited, allowing for no more than periodic battery recharging.
A small portion of Phase 2 of the Kaua`i Path. This phase is 4.1 miles long and borders the west side of the island in the general region of Kapaa.
3. Botanical Gardens
A visit to a botanical garden is, in many ways, an almost pure expression of ethnobotany. An individual has paid an entrance fee to experience plants. A skeptical acquaintance wondered why people would do this. "Plants are all over. Isn't that enough?" he asked. If we knew the motivation of the botanical garden visitors, we might better understand the mission of such gardens.
Please note that the weather conditions may be wet and sometimes cool. Trail conditions and many camp areas will be muddy.
Research studies are not cancelled due to bad weather. Our limited time requires that we keep to our schedule.
Preparations for these conditions and "enduring" them is an essential component of the Field School.
A view of a portion of the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kaua`i. This botanical garden has extensive research collections as well as gardens for visitors who are more interested in landscaping and horticulture.
4. A Rare Walk
I was walking along a trail on which many of my old friends live. By "old friends," I mean a few individual plants which are exceedingly rare species. I know exactly where these individuals are located as a result of many years of walking along this trail. When I stopped to visit one of these old friends, I overheard a nearby discussion between a mother and her teenage son. "Do you want to come back here?" asked the mother with some enthusiasm. "No, I've seen all this stuff before," replied the son. I was shocked. Here we were, in one of the most unique places on the planet. And this young man thought it was just like everywhere else. What is wrong with this situation?
The gathering area in the camp near Kokee, Kaua`i, where participants will pitch their tents during part of the Field School.
This section of the Pihea trail is on a ridgeline, high above the Kalalau Valley. The cliff on the left drops almost straight down about 4,000 feet to the valley floor. When this photo was taken, Kalalau Valley was filled with clouds which spilled over the trail and flowed through the native vegetation. Less than 24 hours later, this location was inundated with rainfall arriving at 3 to 4 inches per hour. This trail is both a study site for the Field School as well as an access trail to other study sites. Needless to say, it gets muddy.
5. An Experimental Forest
I was shown an experimental forest that was jointly designed and planted by a number of conservation groups some years ago. My host said that a lot of effort went into the decision on what to plant. There has also been a lot of effort applied to maintain the forest. "It is a shame," my host said after we had admired the forest, "that we have made very little use of the information that can be collected here." How can this Agro Forestry Demonstration" become more useful to the community?
A view of the Agro Forestry Demonstration are showing one of the nineteen tree species which were planted.
6. Mentorship
Saving rare species is a critical task. There are many species whose population has been reduced to just a few individuals. Without some sort of propagation, it is likely that these species will go extinct. Unfortunately, there is no book that tells you how to propagate rare species of plants. Learning the delicate art of growing and multiplying these species must be mastered by mentorship. How is knowledge passed among these people who are on the front line in saving biodiversity? Are there any critical people in this system of knowledge transfer that might result in disaster if they are no longer available?
The plant propagation facility at the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kaua`i.
Last Updated: September 22, 2011
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