International Society of Ethnobiology (ISE)

06/24/2026

🌿 From edible and medicinal plants to climate resilience and food security, ISE Congress 2026 will explore the vital role of Indigenous and local knowledge in supporting healthy communities and ecosystems.



Check out the full porgram -

ISE 2026 Congress Program Please note that this program is subject to change without notice. Click on each presentation title to view presenter details and abstract WEDNESDAY 22 – SATURDAY 25 JULY 2026 – ISE 2026 STUDENT PRE-CONGRESS STUDENT EVENT SUNDAY 26 JULY 2026 – Field Trips (optional) a...

06/24/2026

Wonderful news...

For 46 lessons, Kaurna Warra was the language of the room.

On Friday 19th June, the delivery of content for our inaugural Warra Pari Level 1 Kaurna Language course came to an end. This Friday, learners will complete their final assessment before we celebrate our inaugural Warra Pari Level 1 Language Graduation.

Across Terms 1 and 2 this year, learners worked through 46 immersion lessons, delivered through weekly full-day Friday classes. They covered language for everyday life: family, food, feelings, introductions, numbers, places, colours, actions, body parts, health, animals, weather, clothing, shopping, home, occupations, household chores and more.

Across the Level 1 course book, this includes approximately:
435 vocabulary and word-group items
330 phrases and sentence patterns
More than 760 language items in total
But Warra Pari is not about memorising words.

In each lesson, learners hear and speak each word 70+ times and each phrase 50+ times.
Everyone listens in Kaurna.
Everyone speaks in Kaurna.
Everyone asks in Kaurna.

To our knowledge, this is currently the only space in the world where Kaurna language immersion dominates and English takes a back seat.

This first cohort came together through an open community callout, with learners ranging from their 20s through to their 70s. Each person has brought commitment, courage, care and a shared vision for Kaurna warra.

Warra Pari has never been just a language class. It is part of a bigger journey of Kaurna language reclamation, cultural continuity, family, community and intergenerational transmission. The program has been built carefully and intentionally, drawing on evidence-informed immersion language revitalisation methodologies, including learning from the Salish School of Spokane , Children of Taku Society, Indigenous Fluency Now and our connections made during our Winston Churchill Trust - AU Fellowship travels abroad last year.

And we are continuing to build. We are growing our capacity to further expand the delivery of Warra Pari, while continuing to develop the next levels of learning

As EOFY approaches, this is the kind of work your tax-deductible donation supports.

Donate before 30 June to support Kaurna language reclamation.
https://warrawangkatitya.raiselysite.com/

06/22/2026

Traditional science often overlooks Indigenous knowledge of the land. Learning from Traditional Owners, when respectful and culturally appropriate, offers valuable insights.

Gerry Turpin, uniquely positioned with one foot in each world, is Australia's only formally trained Indigenous ethnobotanist and won the 2013 Deadly Award for Science. He manages the Australian Tropical Herbarium at James Cook University's Tropical Indigenous Ethnobotany Centre.

This talk was given at a TEDx event, organized locally.
Learn more - https://youtu.be/hE7KKBC1vMM?is=VvZAqO2hgaxm2Ct3

isecongress2026.org

Traditional science often ignores the wealth of knowledge that Indi...

06/21/2026

🌿 Indigenous and Local Knowledge Connections: Honouring Heritage and Innovation 🌿

This year’s Congress theme recognizes that traditional knowledge systems continue to shape solutions for today’s environmental, social, and cultural challenges.

Be part of the conversation in Cairns, July 2026.

➡️ isecongress2026.org

06/21/2026

🌿 Indigenous and Local Knowledge Connections: 🌿
Honouring Heritage and Innovation

This year's Congress theme recognizes that traditional knowledge systems continue to shape solutions for today's environmental, social, and cultural challenges.

Be part of the conversation in Cairns, July 2026.

➡️ isecongress2026.org

06/17/2026

What if one of the most effective conservation strategies has been in front of us all along?

A major new study from UBC reviewed 111 scientific papers from around the world and found that Indigenous-managed lands often protect forests, biodiversity, and carbon storage as well as, or even better than, government-designated protected areas. In fact, three-quarters of the studies found a positive relationship between Indigenous stewardship and conservation outcomes.

The research highlights what Indigenous communities have known for generations: caring for the land through long-term relationships, traditional knowledge, and stewardship can produce remarkable environmental results.

As countries work toward protecting 30% of lands and waters by 2030, the study points to a clear path forward: recognize Indigenous land rights, support Indigenous-led governance, and invest in stewardship initiatives.

This is an important reminder that conservation and Indigenous self-determination go hand in hand.

Read the article:
[https://news.ubc.ca/2026/05/indigenous-lands-outperform-protected-areas-on-conservation/](https://news.ubc.ca/2026/05/indigenous-lands-outperform-protected-areas-on-conservation/)

UBC researchers reviewed 111 studies and found Indigenous-managed lands match or outperform government protected areas on forests, biodiversity and carbon storage — yet remain under-resourced and under-recognized.

06/15/2026

What can Indigenous and local knowledge teach us about a sustainable future?

At ISE Congress 2026, researchers, practitioners, Elders, activists, and community leaders from around the world will come together to share knowledge, experiences, and innovative approaches to stewardship and conservation.



Photos from past ISE Congresses: Brazil (2018), Jamaica (2022), Morocco (2024).

06/15/2026

Reminder 📢
Only a month and a half left until we open the 19th International Society of Ethnobiology (ISE) Congress in Cairns, Australia!

Join the global ethnobiology community! Together, we'll explore Indigenous and Local Knowledge Connections: Honouring Heritage and Innovation while building meaningful collaborations across cultures, disciplines, and generations.

Hosted by the International Society of Ethnobiology in partnership with the Ecological Society of Australia.

When: 📅 July 26–29, 2026

The ISE Congress 2026 will be held in Cairns, Queensland, Australia! 26 to 29 July, 2026 Pullman Cairns International The theme of the ISE Congress 2026 is “Indigenous and Local Knowledge Connections: Honouring Heritage and Innovation” Photo credit: Emilie EnsPhoto credit: Noel PreecePhoto credi...

05/04/2026

FREE WEBINAR: May 5, 2026 at 1 pm US Eastern Time

People and Plants International and partners invite you to the upcoming webinar "Ethics in Community and Biodiversity Research: Sharing experiences and learnings." A recording will be posted on the People and Plants International website.

REGISTRATION LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kFPdsC9cSCmDlVouhrgaWw #/registration

This webinar will share stories and insights from researchers, practitioners and Indigenous peoples on equitable and ethical research practices. The purpose of the webinar is to open a conversation on research ethics by exploring a diversity of experiences and approaches of individuals from different cultural, geographic, institutional and disciplinary contexts. It will include exploration of how thinking and practice have evolved in recent decades, including with the International Society of Ethnobiology’s Code of Ethics, and other forms of guidance.

This webinar will lay the foundation for future webinars which will more comprehensively address this important, broad and challenging topic. The webinar will be interactive, offering learnings, exchanges and exploration. For those who have not worked deeply in the area of equity and ethics in research, it will also provide an introduction to some of the recent thinking and practice through the lens of specific research partnerships and institutional approaches.

This webinar is produced in partnership with the Rethinking Biodiversity-Based Economies program. This is also the fourth in a People and Plants series of webinarsexploring tools and methodologies associated with knowledge exchange, drawing upon People and Plants' decades-long experience.

People and Plants International and partners invite you to the upcoming webinar Ethics in Community and Biodiversity Research: Sharing experiences and learnings. This webinar will share stories and insights from researchers, practitioners and Indigenous peoples on equitable and ethical research prac...