Moderator: Stuart Glen, RPF, Chief Forester, Western Forest Products

Core to the culture of many Indigenous Peoples is respect for the interconnected and interdependent relationships across and between people and the land. These connections transcend time across both the spiritual and natural worlds.

Embracing connectedness is very helpful in informing how we can approach many aspects of land stewardship. In everything we do, there is not a single value or aspect of stewardship that is not connected or directly influenced by another aspect in some way.

Three panelists will share their stories, experiences, and insights on the connectedness of everything and what lessons we as forest professionals can take away as we all work together to care for our local forests.

We encourage all of us to embrace the spirit of connectedness at this year’s conference — and to observe across many of the conference sessions the many ways where connectedness has led to the development of new and innovative outcomes.

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Following the presentation, attendees will have learned the following:

1. Understanding that the principle of connectedness is a key influence on decision-making processes in many Indigenous communities.
2. Connectedness includes taking a long-term view over multiple generations.
3. Embracing connectedness can help us find new ways to approach relationships and land stewardship.