Across California, First Peoples are reclaiming their roles as expert stewards of land, water and resources through cooperative Native land trust partnerships. These mechanisms can help re-integrate traditional lifeways and empower marginalized Native Californians. Working with foundations, state parks and conservationists seeking connection with Traditional Knowledge holders and land-based stewardship ethics, they’re blending traditional and modern ecological and botanical sciences for optimal management strategies.

With: Beth Rose Middleton (Afro-Caribbean/Eastern European), Associate Professor of Native American Studies at UC Davis; Valentin Lopez (Amah Mutsun Tribal Band), Director of the Mutsun Land Trust; Ken Holbrook (Maidu), Maidu Summit Consortium Chairman; Matthew Leivas, Sr. (Chemehuevi), Native American Land Conservancy board member.

Recorded Friday, October 16, 2015 at the National Bioneers Conference in San Rafael, California.