Workshop

Connecting Inner and Outer landscapes to contribute to the conservation of the tropics

Organizer(s):

Tropical researchers around the world have not been able to stop the rapid loss of biodiversity, the escalating impacts of climate change and the exacerbation of societal conflicts. In an effort to advance sustainability science, a recent shift from outer to inner landscapes has been proposed. Inner landscapes refer to the myriad of emotions, cultural, cognitive, psychological, and philosophical dimensions of the interactions between individuals and collectives with nature. These interact with outer landscapes, those where land use change and management decisions occur in ways that can either exacerbate the environmental and societal crisis, or contribute towards more sustainable futures.

In this workshop we will explore the interactions between outer and inner tropical landscapes to explore the opportunities for shifting the role and focus of tropical research in addressing the current environmental and societal crisis. In this workshop we will (1) provide a brief overview of the key concepts of inner and out landscapes and their implications for tropical conservation, (2) explore the positive and negative feedback loops between inner and outer landscapes occurring in the study sites of ATBC attendees, (3) experience the role of meditation in fostering positive feedbacks between inner and outer landscapes that contribute to sustainability, and (4) discuss how these explorations and experiences lead to reflections about how best to undertake tropical conservation research across contexts. The workshop is aimed at any interested ATBC attendees. An informal, welcoming, and secure environment will be created to allow for in depth and personal explorations. A brief presentation will be followed by personal explorations and experiences, with a final group discussion.