Exploring Indigenous cultural connections

When learning about environmental science, cool places and the plants and animals that inhabit them, we believe it is equally important to understand how humans have lived in relationship with these lands and beings since time immemorial. Indigenous stewardship has adapted in many ways with increased climate impacts across the landscape. Sierra Club BC aims to honor Indigenous voices and to ensure that unique Nations and worldviews are respectfully acknowledged.

While we’ve shared some publicly available resources below as a starting point, it’s best to engage with local Indigenous communities. Each Nation has distinct perspectives, cultures and governance systems, meaning that different communities will have different connections with these species and habitats. Many Nations have websites with a wealth of publicly shared knowledge that you can check out, or you could attend a public event hosted by the community. If you don’t know whose territory you live on, you can visit Native-Land.ca to learn more.

• Read more about Musqueam’s work to protect streams in urban environments
• Read The Girl Who Loved Birds by Joseph A. Dandurand and illustrated by Elinor Atkins