How does stewardship work when small, Indigenous-led teams take a relational approach, rather than a prescriptive one? We’ll walk through boots-on-the-ground examples of Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCA) establishment, cultural burning, and wildlife monitoring from BC’s southern interior, taking note of nuances and lessons learned.

The Slocan Lake Stewardship Society has developed a living conservation plan drawn from years of ecosystem research in the Bonanza Biodiversity Corridor. A strategic conservation framework has been developed based on a broad range of identified conservation values, species and habitat inventories that encompass microscopic slime moulds to wide-ranging carnivores.

Grasslands are among the most critical ecosystems in British Columbia, covering less than 5% of the land but supporting over 30% of the province's species at risk. These landscapes are also essential for communities and agriculture. In this talk, Richard and Hillary will share their unique journeys in grassland ecology and conservation.