Bees have always been extremely important for the Yucuna Indigenous peoples of Colombia because of their contribution to nature and humanity. However, deforestation and the widespread use of pesticides, such as glyphosate, have largely affected the region’s biodiversity. Since 2020, a team of 36 Indigenous Yucuna women from 12 reserve communities has engaged with elders from various areas to document and preserve the remaining oral knowledge on bees and their roles in the ecosystem, along with the traditional classification system of diverse bee species. The information collected will be compared with a team of biologists and printed in Spanish and Yucuna languages to share it with broader communities. The project highlights the role of local action in the protection of the environment, while showing how Indigenous traditional knowledge is a powerful instrument for environmental protection and restoration.
