The Native Advisory Council at Pepperwood

Pepperwood is grateful to be partnered with local tribal leaders through the Native Advisory Council. Council members provide important insights into cultural and land stewardship practices that inform our research and education programs. The Council brings with them a legacy of environmental stewardship that stretches back for millennia, and share traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) that is just as relevant – and perhaps even more critical – today as it was a thousand years ago.

The purpose of the Native Advisory Council is to foster open communication between Pepperwood and local Indigenous communities, to ensure appropriate stewardship of cultural resources on-site, and to foster collaborative projects that advance mutual goals.

Objectives of our partnership

–  To engage volunteer council-members in quarterly gatherings focused on updates and exchanges regarding current and proposed projects in order to support and maintain information flow between Pepperwood and our local native communities.

–  To develop joint projects that explore application of Native land stewardship practices as a resource for contemporary adaptive management of our natural resources.  The role of the Council is to review and prioritize proposals and to help provide connections to native peoples, knowledge, and resources to help strengthen Pepperwood’s programs.

Native Advisory Council Work at Pepperwood

  • Advising on the stewardship of cultural resources on site
  • Integrating traditional ecological knowledge into the adaptive management of the reserve
  • Hosting local native community members in educational events and cultural celebrations
  • Sharing cultural perspectives by serving as leaders in community outreach and public engagement

Clint McKay leads local teens from North Bay Met Academy and Windsor Oaks Academy on a hike looking at native plants and sharing Traditional Ecological Knowledge with them, focusing on food sovereignty. Photo courtesy of Rose Hammock.

 

Meet the Native Advisory Council

Clint McKay

Member Bio

Lucy McKay

Member Bio

Josephine McKay

Member Bio

L. Frank

Member Bio

Pepperwood highly values the wisdom of the Native Advisory Council and we look forward to our continued partnership.