Traditional knowledge matters

Mario Tagliari from the Municipal College of Education and Environment and colleagues from Brazil measured the socioeconomic impact of the trade of Araucaria nut-like seeds and the ethnoecological knowledge about climate change and generated an ecosystem services network. Combining these data with projected forest loss due to climate change quantified the risks of disruption of the socioecological system. The study finds that smallholders contribute to the provisioning of ecosystem services and cultural aspects. While climate change may reduce the Araucaria tree’s habitat, valuing traditional knowledge, safeguarding the socioecological interactions and promoting conservation measures may protect the Araucaria Forest system.