Reframing Native Knowledge, Co-Managing Native Landscapes: Ethnographic Data and Tribal Engagement at Yosemite National Park

A collaborative ethnographic database, comprising over 13,000 georeferenced entries from historical accounts and tribal oral histories, has been developed to document Native American land use and cultural significance within Yosemite National Park. This tool, already utilized by the National Park Service and tribal communities, facilitates the identification of culturally significant places and resources, fostering potential co-management opportunities. While the database offers a dynamic representation of cultural traditions, it also risks reinforcing hegemonic discourses. The study argues for critical engagement with these contradictions to meaningfully integrate Native voices into park management, serving as a model for broader conservation collaboration.

Bloom, R., & Deur, D. (2020). Reframing Native Knowledge, Co-Managing Native Landscapes: Ethnographic Data and Tribal Engagement at Yosemite National Park. Land, 9(9), 335. https://doi.org/10.3390/land9090335