Feb 18, 2020
EP 2: Building Smart Environmental Research Collaborations
What is Human Ecology? What are Sacred Forests? How can we lessen our carbon footprint without becoming overwhelmed? All of this, and much more, is discussed with University of North Carolina, Asheville Professor, Researcher, and Human Ecologist, Alison Ormsby.
Sacred Forests are Dr. Ormsby’s research focus, with publications linked below. These Forests are found in many cultures across the world, serving various purposes, spiritual and otherwise, and tend to be locations for shrines, meditation, and other ritualistic matters; One example being female circumcision, also described as female genital mutilation. Practiced in various African, Asian, and Middle Eastern cultures, this usually serves as a right of passage into adulthood, but is being recognized as a debate of human rights.
As the local communities typically oversee the forests and their maintenance, it becomes a uniquely protected, community driven, conservation space. Government involvement in these areas may threaten th…