BC3. Basque centre for climate change – Klima aldaketa ikergai

Short CV

I am Violeta, a researcher passionate about biology and anthropology. During my course in the biological sciences career, I have been curious about many areas of biology, including ecology and the study of complex systems. Therefore, in my research work, I always try to take the problems from different perspectives, contrasting different approaches in science. This has led me to specialize in the study of socio-ecosystems and training in both biological sciences and anthropology.
I worked with family agriculture in urban and rural contexts of Argentina since 2009. Within the National Council of Scientific and Technological Research, I developed my tasks at the Institute of Anthropology, together with a trans-disciplinary team on topics of interrelation between humans and their environment. At the same time, due to the type of problems worked on, I have focused my most recent research from a gender perspective. I have done internships in Europe and Latin America, where I have been able to complement the knowledge provided by the National University of Córdoba, Argentina.
I worked on this matter in different biogeographical areas of Argentina, learning about the relationship among different cultural groups with nature. Particularly, working with local communities that live inside or in the surroundings of natural protected areas. In my PhD thesis I worked with local horticulture producers, mostly women, who are settled between an urban area and a Conservation Area with restricted uses, in the border among Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil (Atlantic Forest Biome). These women and their agroforestry systems were acting as a buffer area to the National Park. My research work showed the importance and improvements that local women made to the Conservation of plant species with multiple uses (food, fodder, medicine). As well, the study showed that the management practices applied by farmers to the species had a direct impact on natural conservation of the Atlantic Forest. Similarly had a positive impact on local food sovereignty and cultural values.
In parallel to conducting my research study, I lectured in Misiones National University in Argentina at the Conservation Biology Specialty career. In this position I taught professionals to work and research in socio-ecological systems. Furthermore, I developed a postdoctoral study about plant species understood as natural-cultural heritage in the Atlantic Forest, using participatory methodologies to promote a better understanding among stakeholders. To broaden my scientific knowledge, I made international stays in Europe and Latin America studying ancient environmental management practices. Also took part in a transdisciplinary study group focus on food anthropology and gender studies in Cordoba National University (Argentina).
To bridge the relation between the academics and the community that I was working with, among other researchers and NGO, we decided to make outreach and dissemination projects to ensure that the results of our job were a tool for the local communities to improve their current living situation. This led me to acknowledge the importance of working together with different stakeholders to promote inclusive conservation policies.
Living in the Basque Country I developed research and dissemination projects within the Basque Seed Network. There I leaded and developed research projects to recover local ecological knowledge of Basque peasants and preserve local seed varieties. As well, I worked in dynamization/facilitation of the Network to amplify its objectives and put in contact different stakeholders to accomplish SDG at territorial level.
Nowadays, I am starting a project on Nature based solutions in urban contexts from a transformation perspective. This work is held under a UE-DUT consortium and exploring the social aspects of NbS and how to accomplish them in an integrative way.