Solenne CORREARD
12/06/2025 10:30 - 12:00
Emplacement: Aurigny Room
Wise Ancestors, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Earth Biogenome Project, is dedicated to conserving biodiversity through the braiding of biotechnology, Indigenous science, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge. Each project is co-developed with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPs & LCs) and includes biotechnological efforts such as sequencing and biobanking, as well as funding for local initiatives aimed at species conservation and capacity-building.
Projects begin with a community engagement phase. If consent is obtained and communities decide to proceed, the projects are posted on a decentralized, collaborative online platform. Funds are collected for each project, and collaborators who can perform the technical work—such as labs, sequencing facilities, and biobanks—are recruited to complete Conservation Challenges.
To date, Wise Ancestors has launched two sets of conservation challenges: one in Colombia focusing on two endemic bird species, and another in Bermuda centered around a critically endangered tree. Engagement with many more communities is ongoing.
In this seminar, I will introduce the Wise Ancestors model and pilot projects. Additionally, I will discuss topics such as data sovereignty and the impact of international policies on research, with a particular focus on Digital Sequence Information (DSI) in the context of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Stickers may also be available, so join in person if you can!
For internal attendees.