Sven Kock has successfully defended his MSc thesis!
We are delighted to share that Sven Kock has successfully defended his MSc thesis “Characterizing Tree Diversity Patterns in Indigenous Peoples’ Lands: Addressing Often-Overlooked Data Limitations and Biases”, developed within the framework of the IEK-CHANGES project and co-supervised by Jorge C. Llopis and Álvaro Fernández-Llamazares. A student in the MSc programme in Interdisciplinary Studies in […]
The house of the IEK-CHANGES Project is now built!
We are thrilled to share that the IEK-CHANGES project now has its home in the heart of the Bolivian Amazon! Built by our Tsimane’ friends using locally-sourced materials such as Geonoma deversa leaves for the roof and Gynerium sagittatum culms for the walls, this house is more than a shelter: it is a space of […]
Pilot-testing research, honouring knowledge
The IEK-CHANGES team is now deeply immersed in the Amazon, working hand in hand with our extraordinary Tsimane’ co-researchers to pilot-test our research protocols. Every method is carefully crafted to be culturally appropriate, ensuring that each and every question is fully understandable in Tsimane’ language, and that the research we do truly reflects local perspectives. […]
Documenting Tsimane’ mushroom knowledge
No one has ever written about the relations the Tsimane’ have with the realm of fungi! We’re excited as we are now starting to document the Tsimane’ knowledge of mushrooms, a topic so far has been overlooked by the scientific community. Interestingly, only few Tsimane’ people seem to know the names of mushrooms or their […]
Advancing our botanical collections
In August 2025, the IEK-CHANGES team visited the Estación Biológica del Beni to launch the next stage of our botanical collections. Plant samples are now being carefully prepared in the field and sent to the National Herbarium of Bolivia for taxonomic identification. This work is a cornerstone of our analysis of Tsimane’ ethnobotanical knowledge systems, […]
A special encounter in the Bolivian Amazon
During our time in the Bolivian Amazon, we had the unexpected pleasure of meeting Dr. Ricardo Godoy, one of the anthropologists who has worked the longest with the Tsimane’ people. For decades, his research has provided invaluable insights into the social transformations experienced by Tsimane’ communities over the last three decades. Spending time together was […]
PI of the IEK-CHANGES Project Visits the Team in the Bolivian Amazon
Álvaro Fernández-Llamazares, Principal Investigator of the IEK-CHANGES project, recently visited the team in the Bolivian Amazon. His visit was an opportunity to assess the progress of the ongoing fieldwork, meet with all team members on the ground, and provide support during this critical phase of the project. Drawing on over a decade of experience conducting […]
Field Course on Tropical Botany with Professor Mónica Moraes
We had the immense privilege of being joined in the field by Professor Mónica Moraes, from the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia, for a two-day field course on tropical botany. Held within the breathtaking landscapes of the Pilón Lajas Biosphere Reserve and Communal Lands and Madidi National Park, the course offered an extraordinary opportunity to learn […]
Visiting the Petroglyphs of San Miguel del Bala
The IEK-CHANGES team had the unique opportunity to visit the ancient petroglyphs of San Miguel del Bala, located within the Pilón Lajas Biosphere Reserve and Communal Lands. This visit held deep symbolic significance for our team, as the project seeks to engage with both the material and immaterial cultural heritage of Amazonian Indigenous communities. Standing […]
Visit to the Estación Biológica del Beni
The IEK-CHANGES team visited the Director of the Estación Biológica del Beni, Rolando Sánchez de la Vega, to explore possibilities for collaboration and joint work in the region. The Estación Biológica del Beni, a biosphere reserve in the Bolivian Amazon, is home to several Tsimane’ communities that the team will be visiting as part of […]
