December 06, 2024

Landowners focus of Stewardship event

BY KATE RUSSELL — Local landowners will hear about ecological land classification and stewardship planning as part of the next public circle at Kimberley Hall on December 8.

Indigenous youth with the Aki Guardians have spent the spring, summer and fall seasons learning from ecologists and biologists and assessing a private property near Kimberley. This special year-end event will offer their process, findings and forward actions for the landowner in a shared knowledge format.

“We’re so impressed with these young people and their enthusiasm about looking at the land with a two-eyed approach through an Indigenous and science-based lens,” said Peter Mitchell, who worked for many years as a research associate with Dr. Stewart Hilts at the Centre for Land and Water Stewardship, University of Guelph. “I look forward to hearing the report and sharing this process of seeing and being with the land with other area landowners.”

Hosted by Beaver Valley Destination Stewardship as part of the Workshops Outdoors On Destination Stewardship (WOODS) series, this event is the culmination of two “walk & talk” Indigenous-led hikes and a planting day with Grey Bruce Native Seed Bank volunteers. The WOODS program is funded by the Community Foundation Grey Bruce and was offered in partnership with Osprey Museum and the Aki Guardians of Bagida’waad Alliance.

“At our stewardship circle after this landowner event, we’ll hear from Aki Guardians about all their activities this year,” added Mitchell, who founded a Young Conservation Professionals Leadership Program now at Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. “There is so much great work going on in our watershed to understand the importance of the land, water and wildlife we share our home with here in the valley.”

The Landowner event runs from 2 – 4 pm and a subsequent Stewardship Circle will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. At the Circle, the Aki Guardians and Beaver Valley Destination Stewardship will offer reflections on their actions this year. Both events are free and open to the public. People may register for the landowner portion at beautifulbeavervalley@gmail.com.

 

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