Keywords

Everglades Restoration; Interdisciplinary analysis; Ecological restoration; Indigenous Ontology

Abstract

This study uses interdisciplinary methods to analyze ecological restoration of the Florida Everglades (Everglades Restoration). Everglades Restoration is considered one of the largest ecosystem restoration projects in the world, relying on complex intergovernmental and sociopolitical relationships. Framing Everglades Restoration as a quintessential “wicked problem”, a problem that is inherently complex and unsolvable, provides grounds for interdisciplinary analysis. This study analyzes two epistemological approaches to Everglades Restoration: Western-scientific knowledge, the epistemological foundation of Everglades Restoration, and Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge, which challenges the foundations of Everglades Restoration. Interdisciplinary analysis within a decolonial framework identifies limits to integration of knowledge, a core concept of interdisciplinary methods. The approach of “two-eyed seeing”, in which knowledge is co-produced by co-developing insights based in Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western-scientific knowledge, is a potential method for interdisciplinary co-development of knowledge in Everglades Restoration. This study applies interdisciplinary analysis and pluralist approaches to issues of law and policy in Everglades Restoration, focusing on inclusion/exclusion of Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge.

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Fall

Committee Chair

Dr. Richard Plate

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Graduate Studies

Department

Graduate Interdisciplinary Studies Program

Format

PDF

Identifier

DP0029768

Document Type

Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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