Paper short abstract:

A case study from high Arctic Svalbard explores how different ways of knowing (scientific and experiential) entangle and enrich our understanding of changing environments. How can bridging and acknowledging different kinds of knowledge help us navigate uncertainty in landscapes of constant change?

Paper long abstract:

The Arctic archipelago of Svalbard is both a climate change hotspot and a vibrant hub for environmental research and monitoring. Scientific knowledge dominates public discourse and decision making with regard to climate-change adaptation and nature conservation. Earlier research demonstrates that other knowledge systems have limited influence and legitimacy in the management of Svalbard. This paper presents a synthesis of a three-year long interdisciplinary project (SVALUR) mapping how different forms of knowledge contribute to understanding processes of change and shaping Svalbard's environmental memory. Scientific research and long-term monitoring, as well as local/experiential/everyday knowledge of those who live, work and travel in Svalbard play a role in how people navigate Svalbard's changing environments. Accounts shared by technicians working in science logistics, tour guides, long-term residents and visitors shows that uncertainty is inevitable in landscapes of constant becoming. Environments are made sense of through performed activities that differ but also partly overlap for various communities of practice that coexist in Svalbard (such as science, management, tourism, trapping, and recreation). Different ways of knowing and remembering meet, entangle and perform different functions in navigating uncertainties. Generational thinking is under-represented, which is possibly linked with the population's transience as well as a non-existent Indigenous population. Emphasis tends to be placed on subjective and individual time scales, as well as the constructed time scales of different scientific disciplines. Our case study from Svalbard demonstrates how different forms of knowledge overlap and interact, helping us understand the meanings of changing environments.