This book explores how Indigenous Ecological Knowledge (IEK) and scientific conservation systems detect, interpret, and respond to environmental change, and how their interaction can lead to more inclusive and resilient conservation practices. It integrates perspectives from Science and Technology Studies (STS) with conservation practice, offering a novel framework for recognizing and operationalizing the value of multiple knowledge systems. Rather than treating Indigenous knowledge as a supplement to science, the Plural-Epistemic Signal Recognition Model (PESRM) positions Indigenous and scientific epistemologies as equal partners in conservation decision-making. This approach addresses urgent needs to move beyond tokenistic inclusion and toward epistemic justice, cognitive pluralism, and ethical collaboration in environmental governance. By weaving together ethnographic fieldwork, case studies, and policy analysis, this book demonstrates how bridging these knowledge systems can improve conservation outcomes, reduce human–wildlife conflict, and build more equitable and resilient governance models.

Rachan Daimary is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at Manipal University Jaipur, India. His interdisciplinary research bridges Science and Technology Studies (STS), science communication, biodiversity conservation, and Indigenous ecological knowledge.

Roopak Kumar is an Assistant Professor in the Institute of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Amity University Jharkhand. His scholarship engages with cognitive cartography, environmental humanities, indigenous knowledge systems, and ecological narratives in mineral-rich and forested regions of central India, particularly Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.