Ethnoecology of Soil Classification in Burkina Faso (2023)

Undergraduate: Natalia Madison

Faculty Advisor: Colin West
Department: Anthropology

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The Sahel Desert has been considered highly degraded since it was subject to significant drought in the 1970s. However, recent analysis of satellite data suggests increased greening. This project seeks to understand greening and soil conservation from the perspective of local farmers in Burkina Faso. Data was collected by Colin West, Alfredo Rojas, and Koffi Nomedji through transect walk and participatory mapping methods in the summer of 2019. Environmental analysis using local knowledge in addition to high-quality satellite imagery yields an increased understanding of conservation and ecology. This paper will concentrate on local soil classification.

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