Indigenous and local knowledge in land use planning: a comparative analysis

Based on interviews and practical experiences with land use planning officials and local residents, the challenges and best practices in incorporating indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) into land use planning were studied in Finland, Sweden and Greenland. Our research indicated that it is remarkable, that in Sweden and Greenland almost thirty years after the Convention on Biological Diversity (1992), ILK remains difficult to define and in many ways is still an unknown concept to many people. Neglect of Sami reindeer herding rights and Sami traditional herding systems was a significant part of the Swedish and Finnish cases. A lack of true co-management of resources was reported from both Finland and Greenland. Improvements in legislation and international guidelines have, however, taken place, as for example in Swedish legislation and international guidelines on indigenous rights, planning legislation in Greenland, and the application of the Akwé: Kon Guidelines in Finland.