On Monday, April 19, Director of the Turkana Basin Institute Dr. Dino Martins gave the Earthstock Keynote Address in the Charles B. Wang Theater. The title of the address, “Hope Comes From the Little Things”, centered on entomology (the study of insects) and his focus on connecting with local and indigenous knowledge in science and conservation efforts.
Dr. Martins shared stories detailing his research to illustrate his perspective on the future of conservation. For example, he recounted observing beekeepers in both Tanzania and the Amazon who lived in harmony with the stingless bees they cultivated; in some cases, the beehives were in the beekeepers’ own homes! He also worked with local farmers in Kenya to study how pollinators affected the various crops.
For example, by working with a coffee farmer named Esther, Martins learned more about how pollination affects the quality and yield of the coffee crop. Further, on a student’s mango farm, he found that the mango trees had a thousand different pollinators, while the pigeon pea, a wholly edible and local protein-rich staple, relies entirely on a specific bee population to pollinate it.
Martins shared these experiences with the audience of students and visitors to impart new understandings to them. But to go a step further, Martins’ experiences show how we can learn from each other in making decisions about conservation.
More recently, Martins has shifted his focus from pollinators to African grasses, a crucial resource that shapes rangeland ecosystems. In recent years, many species of grasses have disappeared, a pattern in part noticed by comparison with herbaria created decades ago, containing preserved plants from the same region.
This decrease in grass biodiversity is an alarming discovery alluding to ecosystem damage that must be combated. However, sharing a success story of sorts, Martins discussed one case of a group that semi-cultivated grasses — successfully harvested at the end of the season, and served as habitats for varieties of birds and bugs as they grew. As a result, locals were able to support themselves by selling seeds and using the grasses for hay. And, while the grasses grew, they still supported the ecosystem as a whole, exemplifying a less extractive way of coexisting with nature.
This more sustainable and harmonious relationship with the land is often overlooked in favor of intensive farming or the clearing of natural areas. Learning how to exist with nature from indigenous, folk and traditional knowledge was a major theme of the talk. This was also reflected in Dr. Martins’ discussion of the symbiotic relationship between camels and a population of people in Kenya.
Martins concluded his address by stressing the importance of closing the gap between public understanding and scientific discoveries, citing the importance of public access to knowledge spur conservation efforts. He recounted confronting this issue with the publication of his book “Our Friends the Pollinators,” which aimed to spread knowledge about pollinators and offer practical information on practices that support pollinators.
Once the book was made available on a cell phone app used by Kenyan farmers, he received in-app traffic in the millions, along with countless questions and messages from farmers trying to implement the sustainable practices. Through the anecdote, Dr. Martins emphasized the way people can truly implement change when they can access scientific discoveries and knowledge.
Martins’ stories did not shy away from the environmental devastation in our world. In doing so, he left an inspiring impression thanks to the pockets of optimism and the strong vision of the future of conservation he shared, setting the stage for another successful Earthstock week.
