Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) hold immense potential to support marine ecosystems and sustain livelihoods in the face of climate change. Achieving climate-resilient MPAs requires the inclusion of diverse knowledge systems, such as Indigenous and local ecological expertise, alongside Western scientific approaches. By combining these complementary perspectives, management strategies can be strengthened with unique, place-based insights and traditional practices. Two projects—one in Aceh, Indonesia, and another off the coast of the Northeast United States—are demonstrating the value of this collaborative approach in addressing climate challenges.
Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), Great Bay NERR, Waquoit Bay NERR, and Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary are four MPAs critical to the health of Atlantic Ocean ecosystems. They are also situated on or adjacent to the ancestral lands of the Wampanoag Nation and the Wabanaki Confederacy. Long overdue, project collaborators are bringing together Indigenous Ecological Knowledge (IEK) with Western scientific methods to make these MPAs climate ready.
Western science emphasizes rigorous sampling, monitoring, and data analysis to provide objective, measurable outcomes. Certainly, this is essential for assessing climate impacts, but it often operates within frameworks that don’t fully accommodate Indigenous perspectives and practices.
"We're learning a great deal about the diversity within Indigenous communities and the importance of understanding the different perspectives they bring,” says Jake Kritzer, one of the project’s leads with NERACOOS. “Inclusivity is critical to our discussions on management and stewardship. The process is helping us to engage more thoughtfully and collaboratively as we move forward."
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) offers a rich understanding of the co-existence with nature and humanity over millennia, providing insights into environmental changes and traditional practices. Including both IEK and TEK helps create a more comprehensive view of marine environments and informs more holistic management strategies.
"The project is assessing MPA management plans through an IEK lens,” says David Weeden, project lead and Tribal Council Member and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, “We are researching and documenting culturally significant areas and traditional food sources to guide and inform restoration efforts and to also uplift Indigenous stewardship as a core principal among our Tribal youth and to meaningfully address climate change within our ancestral homelands to ensure these gifts are there for future generations.”
Working with Indigenous leaders is helping to establish a new foundation for partnership and understanding. Kritzer, Weeden and team are also working closely with the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook-Abenaki People, other Indigenous communities in the Northeast, the NOAA Tribal Community of Practice, and the Northeast Regional Ocean Council to co-create research priorities. Through these efforts, they are elevating traditional aquatic food sources and fostering connections between Tribal youth and nature.
Meanwhile, in the Kepulauan Banyak and PiSiSi MPAs in Aceh, Indonesia, researchers are actively addressing climate change impacts and sustaining local livelihoods through an on-the-ground in-community approach. Established in 1996 and 2018 respectively, the Kepulauan Banyak and PiSiSi MPAs were set up to safeguard marine environments but have yet to fully incorporate climate adaptation measures. This project will fill that gap by assessing ecosystem vulnerabilities. They hope to then empower local communities along with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) and Local Government to develop their own adaptation strategies.
According to Dedi Kiswayadi, Aceh Programme Manager at Fauna & Flora Indonesia, “by incorporating local knowledge and actively engaging communities, we are not just assessing vulnerabilities but ensuring that these communities are part of the solution to safeguard their coastal environments."
As of now, the researchers are using citizen science data to assess coral health, evaluating how sustainable ocean livelihoods are, and positioning local knowledge to be incorporated into zoning and management plans. "Our climate change impact assessment workshops have been instrumental in refining our methodologies and empowering communities with the knowledge to tackle climate challenges head-on," notes Cahyo Nugroho, the Country Director at Fauna & Flora Indonesia.
With each step forward, the researchers go back to communities with their progress, ensuring their approach is continually well-informed and relevant. Such engagement has helped identify hazardous conditions such as coastal erosion and coral reef damage and is allowing resource managers to develop solutions in line with traditional practices.
“Eventually these MPAs will update their zoning and management plans,” says Rakhmat Dirgantara, the Marine Coordinator at Fauna & Flora Indonesia. “Through collaboration, we aim to set a precedent for how to incorporate climate adaptation measures. If the phrase ‘knowledge is power’ is to mean anything, research can be a platform to uplift communities and heal the environment.”
Embracing Indigenous knowledge shoulder-to-shoulder with Western science, while honoring local expertise are key ingredients to help communities and managers turn a corner in MPA management – from a feeling of being overwhelmed by the threats posed by climate change to one of hope, inspiration, and action. These projects exemplify how collaborative approaches can enhance the resilience of marine ecosystems and support the communities that depend on them. As these initiatives continue to evolve, they offer valuable lessons for future climate-ready MPA management.