The importance of traditional communities in biodiversity conservation

More than one-third of the world’s high-biodiversity areas are inhabited by traditional communities, which possess deep knowledge and a unique relationship with the environment, resulting in sustainable management of natural resources. However, the importance of these communities is not always highlighted; therefore, this study conducts a mapping of scientific literature on the importance of these communities in biodiversity conservation, identifying trends, gaps, and areas of focus. A total of 519 articles from the Scopus and Web of Science databases were analyzed. The highest scientific productivity was recorded in 2022 (n = 59; 11.36%), and the Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine was the most prolific on the subject. Brazil (n = 128; 24.66%) and India (n = 94; 18.11%) were the countries with the highest scientific output, while India (n = 80; 15.41%) and Brazil (n = 58; 11.17%) were the most studied. However, the USA leads in scientific collaboration networks. The main contributions of traditional communities to biodiversity conservation included management and sustainable use of natural resources (71.29%) and cultural and traditional practices (46.43%). The results reflect the growing recognition of the importance of traditional communities in nature conservation. Conservation policies and strategies should recognize and incorporate the knowledge and practices of these communities to strengthen environmental preservation and promote social justice and equity. Only by acknowledging the value of these communities’ actions will it be possible to combat neocolonialism, where they are viewed or considered merely as subjects of study or as labor to be exploited for data generation, without due recognition of their importance.