Traditional Climatic Knowledge: Orchardists' perceptions of and adaptation to climate change in the Campania region (Southern Italy)

Abstract

Climate change is projected to have severe changes in the Mediterranean area, however, few studies have investigated environmental resource managers’ perceptions and adaptations to climatic change in the area. Our research investigates the use of orchardists' observations for bioindicating climate variations and of their experience for defining possible coping and adaptation strategies. Interviews were conducted with orchardists cultivating apple orchards for at least 30 years in the Campania region (southern Italy) to obtain observations on climate, which were then compared with climate data analyses. Orchardists reported a more unpredictable seasonality and shifting climate conditions, perceived as beginning 20–30 years ago. Climate data analysis seems to corroborate orchardists' perceptions. Traditional Ecological Knowledge specifically addressed to climate and weather is here defined as Traditional Climatic Knowledge (TCK). TCK is a key factor in environmental management.

Keywords::

• Climate variation
• Malus pumila Mill
• Mediterranean climate
• Traditional Ecological Knowledge

Acknowledgements

Authors are grateful to all informants for their participation, to Prof. Giulia Caneva (University Roma Tre), Alfonso Musio, and Salvatore Pepe for their help and support.