Indigenous Ecological Knowledge Documentation Guide

Introduction

This guide provides a standardized, ethics-first framework for documenting Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral. It bridges the gap between community-held ecological wisdom and formal climate governance structures.

Ethical Principles

1. Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) — Always. No exceptions.
2. Community Ownership — Data belongs to the community, not the researcher.
3. Attribution — Knowledge holders must be credited by name and community.
4. Benefit Sharing — Research outcomes must demonstrably benefit source communities.

Documentation Protocol

Step 1: Community Entry

Establish trust through existing community structures — village councils, elders' committees, and women's organizations.

Step 2: Knowledge Mapping

Use participatory tools (seasonal calendars, resource maps) to identify TEK domains relevant to climate adaptation.

Step 3: Validation

Cross-reference TEK observations with available meteorological and environmental data.

Step 4: Integration

Translate validated TEK into actionable inputs for Local Adaptation Plans.

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Available in Urdu, English, and Burushaski translations.