Inter-Tribal Ecosystem Restoration Partnership Peer-to-Peer Learning Summit: A Recap and Key Takeaways

Written by: Saraya Hamidi

In November 2023, Lomakatsi Restoration Project (Lomakatsi) and the Inter-Tribal Ecosystem Restoration Partnership hosted the first Inter-Tribal Ecosystem Restoration Partnership Peer-to-Peer Learning Summit, bringing together Tribal leaders, federal and state agencies, and nonprofits to increase partnerships with Tribal Nations for landscape-scale restoration initiatives and center Tribal leadership in restoration projects.

As Blue Forest’s Indigenous Partnerships Manager, I was excited to support Lomakatsi in planning the Summit alongside individuals from Lomakatsi, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Indigenous community.

The three-day Summit took place in the homelands of the Hunipuitoka Band of the Northern Paiute – Numu (the people). It hosted nearly 300 Tribal leaders, elders, and cultural practitioners, leaders from federal and state agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Seventeen Tribes from within and adjacent to Oregon endorsed and participated, and 50% of attendees were Indigenous, with over 45 different Tribal affiliations represented.

Blue Forest team members shared their greatest takeaways from the Summit, including:

• The Power of Language: Shifts in language, such as “land management” vs. “land stewardship,” can drastically shift the way we understand our responsibility to the land, approach restoration work, and give respect to Indigenous values.

• Guidance from Indigenous Knowledge: Indigenous Peoples have always stewarded their lands through traditional knowledge passed down from generation to generation. Leadership from the first, best stewards of lands is critical in restoring balance to our ecosystems. Rejecting Indigenous Knowledge has resulted in so many environmental issues today. We must follow the lead of Indigenous Peoples and knowledge holders to correct years of poor practices.

• The Importance of Youth Leadership: A Tribal Youth Voices panel featuring members and alumni of the Lomakatsi Restoration Project’s Tribal Ecological Forestry Training Program highlighted the importance of youth leadership in restoring balance to our ecosystems. We must support our youth as they grow into their role as the next generation of stewards.

Overall, the Summit was a powerful space for learning, making new connections, and forming new friendships. It was also a collective reminder that for Indigenous peoples, stewardship work is not just ecological but cultural, spiritual, and ancestral.

The Blue Forest team was grateful to attend and thanks the Lomakatsi team for creating this space to bring together Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners working together to restore ecosystems.

To learn more about the Summit, visit this page and check out photos here.