Changing human–nature relationships: Insights from Guinea‐Bissau woodlands
Abstract The ecological impacts of landscape changes resulting in significant simplification of natural systems have been extensively studied worldwide. Yet, few studies have examined how such biophysical changes affect the value local communities place on nature and their relationships with it. In...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-12-01
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| Series: | People and Nature |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10737 |
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| author | Ana Leite Luís Catarino Sambu Seck Quintino Mbunhe Aida Cuní‐Sanchez |
| author_facet | Ana Leite Luís Catarino Sambu Seck Quintino Mbunhe Aida Cuní‐Sanchez |
| author_sort | Ana Leite |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The ecological impacts of landscape changes resulting in significant simplification of natural systems have been extensively studied worldwide. Yet, few studies have examined how such biophysical changes affect the value local communities place on nature and their relationships with it. In this study, we delve into the case of Guinea‐Bissau, where woodland cover has been increasingly replaced by commercial cashew plantations. Using a sociocultural valuation approach, our empirical research provides a comprehensive assessment of the woodlands' contributions to local communities as well as the potential disruptions caused by the ongoing biophysical changes on the woodlands. We focused on 20 villages of four different ethnic groups—Manjack, Balanta, Mandinka and Fulani—and used a combination of focus group discussions and walks‐in‐the‐woods. The study's participants identified 19 nature's contributions to people from the woodlands, which revealed a combination of instrumental, relational and intrinsic values in ways that reflect their subsistence needs and social–cultural contexts. We also found that these values are being impacted, mostly negatively, by the ongoing biophysical changes in the ‘natural’ landscapes tied to regional and global dynamics. Moreover, our study reveals that local communities are aware of ongoing biophysical changes in their woodlands and perceive them as having negative ecological and psychological consequences for them. Synthesis and applications: Our study highlights the significance of using a sociocultural perspective to investigate how changes in the landscape affect local peoples' values of nature and their relationships with it. This information can help shape policies and management decisions towards creating better futures that are meaningful for both humans and non‐humans. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d6e7e241b32f429e82df25e6522bbba7 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2575-8314 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | People and Nature |
| spelling | doaj-art-d6e7e241b32f429e82df25e6522bbba72025-08-20T02:38:32ZengWileyPeople and Nature2575-83142024-12-01662587260110.1002/pan3.10737Changing human–nature relationships: Insights from Guinea‐Bissau woodlandsAna Leite0Luís Catarino1Sambu Seck2Quintino Mbunhe3Aida Cuní‐Sanchez4International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric), Faculty of Landscape and Society Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) Ås NorwayCentre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) & CHANGE ‐ Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Sciences University of Lisbon Lisbon PortugalFederação Camponesa KAFO Bissau Guinea‐BissauLusophone University of Guinea‐Bissau Bissau Guinea‐BissauInternational Environment and Development Studies (Noragric), Faculty of Landscape and Society Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) Ås NorwayAbstract The ecological impacts of landscape changes resulting in significant simplification of natural systems have been extensively studied worldwide. Yet, few studies have examined how such biophysical changes affect the value local communities place on nature and their relationships with it. In this study, we delve into the case of Guinea‐Bissau, where woodland cover has been increasingly replaced by commercial cashew plantations. Using a sociocultural valuation approach, our empirical research provides a comprehensive assessment of the woodlands' contributions to local communities as well as the potential disruptions caused by the ongoing biophysical changes on the woodlands. We focused on 20 villages of four different ethnic groups—Manjack, Balanta, Mandinka and Fulani—and used a combination of focus group discussions and walks‐in‐the‐woods. The study's participants identified 19 nature's contributions to people from the woodlands, which revealed a combination of instrumental, relational and intrinsic values in ways that reflect their subsistence needs and social–cultural contexts. We also found that these values are being impacted, mostly negatively, by the ongoing biophysical changes in the ‘natural’ landscapes tied to regional and global dynamics. Moreover, our study reveals that local communities are aware of ongoing biophysical changes in their woodlands and perceive them as having negative ecological and psychological consequences for them. Synthesis and applications: Our study highlights the significance of using a sociocultural perspective to investigate how changes in the landscape affect local peoples' values of nature and their relationships with it. This information can help shape policies and management decisions towards creating better futures that are meaningful for both humans and non‐humans. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10737cashewethnicitynature's contributions to peoplesocial–cultural valuationsustainabilityvalues |
| spellingShingle | Ana Leite Luís Catarino Sambu Seck Quintino Mbunhe Aida Cuní‐Sanchez Changing human–nature relationships: Insights from Guinea‐Bissau woodlands People and Nature cashew ethnicity nature's contributions to people social–cultural valuation sustainability values |
| title | Changing human–nature relationships: Insights from Guinea‐Bissau woodlands |
| title_full | Changing human–nature relationships: Insights from Guinea‐Bissau woodlands |
| title_fullStr | Changing human–nature relationships: Insights from Guinea‐Bissau woodlands |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changing human–nature relationships: Insights from Guinea‐Bissau woodlands |
| title_short | Changing human–nature relationships: Insights from Guinea‐Bissau woodlands |
| title_sort | changing human nature relationships insights from guinea bissau woodlands |
| topic | cashew ethnicity nature's contributions to people social–cultural valuation sustainability values |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10737 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT analeite changinghumannaturerelationshipsinsightsfromguineabissauwoodlands AT luiscatarino changinghumannaturerelationshipsinsightsfromguineabissauwoodlands AT sambuseck changinghumannaturerelationshipsinsightsfromguineabissauwoodlands AT quintinombunhe changinghumannaturerelationshipsinsightsfromguineabissauwoodlands AT aidacunisanchez changinghumannaturerelationshipsinsightsfromguineabissauwoodlands |