At science writers national conference, panel on Indigenous ecological knowledge coverage underscores value of relationships and time

Fish populations in Arctic rivers have been decimated by offshore fishing and climate change, threatening Alaska Native and First Nation communities who subsist on salmon and other river species.

The Arctic Rivers Project, funded by the National Science Foundation, aims to investigate how climate change is impacting Alaska by combining river and fisheries monitoring with traditional Indigenous ecological knowledge. Now, scientists and decision makers from Western and Indigenous knowledge bases are collaborating on research questions, fisheries management, data collection and how to share and communicate their findings. But making these scientific collaborations successful — and respectfully covering them as science journalists — requires slowing down and taking the time to cultivate relationships and cultural understanding.

At the ScienceWriters2023 national conference, the “Knowledge Co-Production and Co-Management of Arctic Rivers” Science + Science Writing session dove into these recommendations. Convened by CASW, panelists representing scientists, Indigenous fishery leaders and journalists gathered to discuss what it takes for these collaborations to succeed.

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