Guardians of the landscape: Yörük lifeways, indigenous knowledge, and disaster risk reduction in Southern Anatolia

This study examines how indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) embedded in Yörük pastoral lifeways contributes to environmental resilience and risk-sensitive landscape management in the Girdev Lake region of southwestern Anatolia. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted between June and October 2025—including semi-structured interviews, on-site observations, and thematic content analysis—the research analyzes how everyday pastoral practices function as spatially embedded systems of environmental stewardship. Findings reveal that rotational grazing, slope-based settlement placement, and communal land-use ethics collectively shape a landscape logic that regulates human–environment interactions and influences wildfire and flood exposure. While these practices are not formally articulated as disaster management strategies, they operate as adaptive mechanisms that sustain ecological balance and support cultural continuity. The study also identifies an ongoing decline in ritual practices and transhumant mobility, raising concerns about the long-term transmission of ILK in the region. Situated within contemporary discussions on cultural landscapes, climate adaptation, and heritage governance—including international frameworks such as the Sendai Framework, the Paris Agreement, and ICOMOS–UNESCO charters—the Girdev case demonstrates how ILK systems can inform heritage-sensitive landscape planning and disaster risk reduction. The results underscore the importance of recognizing pastoral mobility and vernacular spatial practices as living heritage systems that contribute to place-based resilience and disaster preparedness.

Keywords: Indigenous and local knowledge, cultural heritage, disaster risk reduction, transhumance; yörük communities.