Associate Professor Anneli Ekblom from the University of Uppsala, Sweden, will present the Department of Biological Sciences seminar with a talk entitled, "Biocultural Heritage". 

Anneli Ekblom is Senior lecturer at Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, Uppsala University with long experience of interdisciplinary studies, crosscutting environmental history, historical ecology, archeology, paleoecology, community interaction and conservation.

Abstract

Local low intensity and customary practices may hold the key to strengthening, adapting and re-innovating forms of land-use that accommodate biodiversity and cultural heritage and promote adaptive management and resilience. Building on and reinvigorating such local practices is important given that the effects of climate change are accelerating and climatic insecurity and its effects on food production and security are increasingly pertinent issues. Biocultural heritage is an emerging concept drawing on local knowledge, land-use practices and heritage values to define sustainability and resilience from the perspective of local inhabitants. In the presentation a framework for biocultural heritage is presented and examples are given from various parts of Africa.