Ecological Knowledge Day

Traditional Ecological Knowledge, also called by other names including Indigenous Knowledge or Native Science, refers to the evolving knowledge acquired by indigenous and local peoples over hundreds or thousands of years through direct contact with the environment. This knowledge is specific to a location and includes the relationships between plants, animals, natural phenomena, landscapes and timing of events that are used for lifeways, including but not limited to hunting, fishing, trapping, agriculture, and forestry.

By the mid-1980s a growing body of literature on traditional ecological knowledge documented both the environmental knowledge held by diverse indigenous peoples and their ecological relations.

Working together with Native American Liaisons and officials from among the Federally recognized Tribes nationwide, the Office of the Native American Liaison identifies areas where both Federal and Tribal conservation efforts can most effectively conserve fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats.