Integrating tribal perceptions and traditional ecological knowledge into ecosystem services management: A case study from the Barind region, Eastern India

Ecosystem services (ES) must be incorporated into adaptive management to sustain socio-ecological systems, especially in tribal landscapes where culture, livelihoods, and biodiversity are closely intertwined. This study investigate the importance and performance analysis of ES and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in adaptive management in the tribal-dominated landscape of the Barind region in Malda district, eastern India. Using structured questionnaires, the field survey was conducted and data was collected 391 households (HHs) in 5 clusters, which were subsequently analyzed to measure the importance and performance (IP) of ES. The result shows that food is the most important service with an importance and performance of 3.86 and 3.04, respectively, followed by drinking water (importance 3.84, performance 3.12), and fuel wood (importance 3.79, performance 2.61) as these are essential for livelihoods. The Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) revealed large gaps in Provisioning and Regulating ES, which calls for urgent conservation measures. By integrating TEK with modern scientific approaches to conservation, this study provides practical insights into increasing ecosystem resilience, conserving biodiversity, and supporting of sustainable livelihoods. The findings of the study are consistent with global sustainability frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs: 1, Zero Hunger; SDGs; 11, Sustainable cities and communities; SDGs: 13, Climate action and SDGs 15; Life on land), making it a replicable model for policy makers in developing culturally responsive strategies. Therefore, this study, highlights the opportunity to integrate traditional and modern knowledge to address socio-ecological challenges and ensure long-term sustainability in tribal-dominated regions worldwide.