We just got finished with the 37th Annual Intertribal Timber Symposium co-hosted by the Menominee Tribe and Stockbridge Munsee Tribe. I am always impressed by the dedication and work done by tribal forest managers. They have a perception of sustainability that integrates social, cultural, environmental, and economic values in service to their tribal communities. It was an honor to attend this year and help organize the pre-symposium workshop on adapting forest management to climate change. The highlights for me included a powerful Keynote Speech by Robin Kimmerer that situated climate change within the context of Indian Removal. Robin argued that we must learn from the many tribal communities–including our Potawatomi community– that have successfully adapted to new climates, species, lands after relocation far from our ancestral homelands. Our Potawatomi people, for example, were moved to Oklahoma from Lake Michigan and now climate models suggest that the climate in our ancestral homelands will become more like Oklahoma. Kimmerer gave us all a lot to think about while painting a picture of hope. We will be able to navigate future changes if we build upon our experiences as our landscapes once more shift around us.
ITC recorded the conference so you will be able to view Robin’s talk once they get it up on the web. For more information about the 37th Annual Symposium please visit the ITC website: http://www.itcnet.org/issues_projects/projects_2/symposium.html .
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