Paper short abstract:

Explore the ecological and livelihood outcomes of Indigenous cultural burning practices in the Rupununi, Guyana. By integrating community perspectives with ecological data, we aim to inform sustainable fire management policies that enhance biodiversity, resilience, and local livelihoods.

Paper long abstract:

Indigenous practices help protect biodiversity, mitigate climate change, and promote ecological resilience. However, Indigenous voices and Traditional Ecological Knowledge have been largely ignored in national fire management and land use policies, with fire suppression often leading to more intense wildfires in fire-prone regions. This research explores the role of Indigenous cultural burning practices in land management in the Rupununi, Guyana, amidst the challenges of rural tropical regions facing environmental degradation, economic instability, and social inequities. Using ecological data on vegetation recovery and insights from Indigenous communities, the study evaluates the effectiveness of cultural burning in improving biodiversity, supporting livelihoods, and enhancing ecological resilience. This research aims to integrate Indigenous knowledge into sustainable fire management policies, addressing both ecological recovery and community needs. Key objectives include understanding the impact of fire intensity on vegetation structure and regeneration, and identifying community indicators of effective burns, such as improved hunting, crop growth, and wildfire prevention. By co-developing recommendations with Indigenous communities in Guyana, this research seeks to promote fire management strategies that respect local cultural values and ecological balance in the context of global crises.