Traditional knowledge often plays an integral role in informing and shaping action. However, the voices of those who hold such knowledge are seldom heard at the international level. Research can learn from them and, in particular, from
societies that have strong connections with ecology. Many alternatives envisage a new nature-society relationship, based on recognizing interconnections and interdependence, with major implications for both economic and environmental policy choices. A better understanding of how this knowledge has been put into practice (and the challenges in doing so) is key for linking natural and social sciences, breaking down boundaries and perhaps creating a new science altogether.