Land, sea, spirit, and community are inseparable and therefore will be discussed throughout each session. A range of perspectives will be presented reflecting variations in beliefs, practices, traditions, and visions. Morning sessions will include a symposium in Economic botany and contributed papers on Economic and Ethnobotany, Practical Applications in Non-Timber Forest Products, and Pacific Ethnobotany. Small and large businesses may be based upon traditional knowledge, practices, and resources. Business leaders who are able to use this knowledge respectfully and equitably are constructing bridges between cultures.
Agriculture is the basis of the stability and sustainability of almost all cultures.
Continuing education sessions for teachers will highlight the educational implications of indigenous science curriculum and instruction from the perspectives of educational equity, cultural relevance, and scientific value. Science programs incorporating indigenous knowledge, values, and practices may be more relevant to sustaining societies, maintaining diversity, and protecting ecosystems. Primary and secondary school teachers find themselves in the role of either encouraging or rejecting the cultures and traditional knowledge of their students. Global experts in science, culture, business, ethics, conservation, and law will discuss five key issues with the goal of producing recommendations and statements about appropriate usage of and respect for knowledge, cultures, and the earth. A range of perspectives will be compiled.