Event
Decolonizing Restoration
How can we realign our projects and ourselves to form better relationships with the land and its First Peoples?
What are examples of projects that acknowledge this history of the land, its peoples, and include not just ecological restoration but cultural and spiritual restoration?
In this half-day workshop, we will have a dialogue about the history of native peoples and white supremacy in the northwest and how it intersects with ecological restoration. We will be using the example of the Shwah Kuk wetland enhancement project which includes ITECK (Indigenous Traditional Ecological and Cultural Knowledge) as well as Western methods. We will compare ITECK approaches and western approaches and look for common ground, including themes of healing through reciprocity, respect, and relationships. We will share learnings and challenges faced in our project when creating a co-created and co-managed project between the urban native community (including Portland State Universitys Indigenous Nations Studies program) and the City of Portland, that will support your future projects with a wider and more inclusive spirit.
Course objective and anticipated skill transfer: The objective to show the importance of partnering with Indigenous community members in a respectful manner and steps that can be taken to foster relationships. You will learn how projects can meld ITECK and western knowledge systems
Material to be covered: General history of native people in the US. ITECK and western knowledge systems that are applied to land stewardship.
Target audience and recommended prerequisites: Anyone interested in partnering with Indigenous people in a land stewardship project.
Instructor biographies: (ideally a paragraph each with background and related experience to course)
Serina Fast Horse (Lakota & Blackfeet) is an emerging leader in the Indigenous community of Portland. She is the program coordinator for the Institute for Tribal Government at Portland State University and the co-chair for the Native American Community Advisory Council. She is also the owner of Kimimela Consulting, whose mission is to cultivate synergies between Indigenous land stewards and various agencies and organizations, especially around land-based restoration projects. She is driven by her passion to embrace Indigenous knowledge and empower Indigenous voices to help create a holistic path to healing our ecological and social communities for our future generations.
Toby Query is a father, husband, and ecologist. As part of the City of Portlands Revegetation Program since 1999, he stewards natural areas for all Portlanders. He most values his teachings from the ITECK project where he sees the possibilities of land and community healing through collaboration and co-management with Indigenous peoples. He founded the discussion group Portland Ecologists Unite! which created spaces to learn, discuss, and connect over current ecological issues. He is a certified Senior Ecologist from the Ecological Society of America. Besides plants, he loves to learn about slugs, worms, and fungi.
Recommended pre-symposium reading and/or web site:
https://www.confluenceproject.org/library/
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Original Instructions by Melissa K. Nelson
On the role of traditional ecological knowledge as a collaborative concept: a philosophical study
by Kyle Whyte
https://ecologicalprocesses.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/2192-1709-2-7
Instructors: Serina Fast Horse and Toby Query
Serina Fast Horse (Lakota & Blackfeet) is an emerging leader in the Indigenous community of Portland. She is the program coordinator for the Institute for Tribal Government at Portland State University and the co-chair for the Native American Community Advisory Council. She is also the owner of Kimimela Consulting, whose mission is to cultivate synergies between Indigenous land stewards and various agencies and organizations, especially around land-based restoration projects. She is driven by her passion to embrace Indigenous knowledge and empower Indigenous voices to help create a holistic path to healing our ecological and social communities for our future generations.
Toby Query is a father, husband, and ecologist. As part of the City of Portlands Revegetation Program since 1999, he stewards natural areas for all Portlanders. He most values his teachings from the ITECK project where he sees the possibilities of land and community healing through collaboration and co-management with Indigenous peoples. He founded the discussion group Portland Ecologists Unite! which created spaces to learn, discuss, and connect over current ecological issues. He is a certified Senior Ecologist from the Ecological Society of America. Besides plants, he loves to learn about slugs, worms, and fungi.
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Location2023 River Restoration Symposium Short Courses - Skamania Lodge (View)
1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way
Stevenson, WA 98648
United States
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