Abstract
This study attempted to retrospectively investigate the conservation insights embedded in the traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of shifting cultivation practices in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. Focus group discussions were conducted in 3 remote tank villages in Anuradhapura district with farmers who had experience in shifting cultivation. The main aspects of TEK included farmers’ awareness of the quality and distribution of land and forest resources, weather conditions, and ecology and the threshold level of pests; practices; customs and traditions; and rituals and dietary patterns. This approach mainly contributed to minimizing soil and water degradation, maintaining the forest resilience, avoiding persistence effects on the environment, conserving biodiversity, increasing environmental concern, and controlling resource competition and consumption behaviour.
