Abstract

The study has explored the adoption of indigenous knowledge systems of local populations living at the margins of
protected areas to promote community conservation education. It assessed the ethno-ecology and ethno-biology
knowledge of valuable wild and cultivated plant species by local people inhabiting the ‘support zone’ of the Cross
River National Park, South-Eastern Nigeria. It explored paradigms for the successful convergence of ‘insiders’
local knowledge with the ‘outsiders’ professional/ scientific knowledge as tools for promoting community based
conservation education and achieving nature conservation objectives. Participatory research methodologies are
adopted in eliciting information from the study communities. The results indicate a broad indigenous knowledge
base of the ecology and biology of the valuable species in the region. The implications of the convergence of this
knowledge with scientific information, to further community based nature conservation education are harmonized
for effective conservation of natural resources.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.