How Can We Use Traditional Knowledge in Viewing Drought?

The purpose of this talk is to hold a conversation about the use of traditional knowledge of our ecosystem to help with understanding and the communication of drought. We often use ecological indicators such as vegetation health, vegetation drought response index, and other satellite derived health products to describe ecological drought. There are other quantitative and qualitative data that describe a healthy environment that deserve a closer look that could be co-produced with community members. In this talk I will discuss some ideas from traditional or indigenous ecological knowledge from the literature and through personal knowledge gained in the southwestern US that could be developed for use in decision making.