Ecological wisdom: Reclaiming the cultural landscape of the Okanagan Valley

The bucolic Okanagan Valley, located on traditional territory of the Syilx/Okanagan Peoples in British Columbia (Canada), is a region in transition, the outcome of climatic and hydrological changes related to global warming and over a century of development-driven land use management practices. Land use decisions and public policy continue to be driven by an unfettered hunger for land, not necessarily in the long-term interest of delivering sustainable or socially equitable development models, while ongoing planting of new vineyards represents one of the most severe threats to biodiversity within the Valley. Respect for Indigenous expert knowledge–Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Wisdom (TEKW) – and maintaining their values in the land, is a land use topic often excluded from settler expansionism development practices and policies. This prospectus paper calls for a shared vision, developed in partnership with local expertise, to ensure a productive and experientially rich cultural landscape that protects the long-term viability of the region. Establishing a comprehensive policy framework for the natural and built environment grounded in the concept of investing in ‘place’ is proposed as a potential step forward in developing sustainable and adaptive communities to secure the well-being of the Valley. TEKW provides a base from which to connect ideas about cultural landscape, beauty, experience, and environmental policy, to support the conservation and sustainable management of natural capital for the benefit of future generations. Keywords: Cultural landscape, Nature’s contributions to people, Okanagan Valley, Traditional Ecological knowledge and wisdom, Urban ecology, Ecological wisdo