“Land Back–Restoring Stewardship to the Penobscot Nation” Panel (Yale School of the Environment)

Event time: 
Thursday, March 11, 2021 - 4:00pm to 6:00pm
Location: 
https://yale.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcqdeyqrj0vG9EHkI6M59KjTETlZLT7hBzS See map
Event description: 
On October 30, 2020, in the Ancestral territory of the Penobscot Nation, Chief Kirk Francis and the Penobscot people were restored historic stewardship to 735 acres of land through a gift from the Elliotsville Foundation, a private foundation in present-day Portland, Maine. To understand how this gesture came to be, and learn from its lessons, the Strategies for Land Conservation course and PE2 Specialization at the Yale School of the Environment are honored to welcome Darren Ranco (Citizen, Penobscot Nation, and Chair of Native American Programs, University of Maine), Lucas St. Clair (President, Elliotsville Foundation), and Peter Forbes (Founder, First Light) in conversation on March 11 from 4-6 PM EST.
 
This gathering is a next step in ongoing efforts to improve curriculum at YSE and build a more honest and impactful environmental institution. Topics will include:
 
- Relationships between colonization, the historic practice of land and water conservation, and today’s public lands
- Centering both land and voice in order to redefine conservation
- The 2020 land back gesture to restore land stewardship to the Penobscot Nation
- How such actions and opportunities may inform the future of knowledge creation and curriculum at YSE
 
**To ensure that the audience is well-prepared for the event, panelists request that attendees read the following list of sources prior to the event: Reading list
 
 
Agenda
4:00 PM Welcome and Land Acknowledgement
4:05 Introduction of Panelists
4:10-4:50 Setting Historic Context: Colonization and the Conservation Movement
4:50-5:00 10 minute Break
5:00-6:00 Panelists Speak, facilitated by Peter Forbes. If time allows, there may be opportunity for audience participation. 
 
The following day at 12 PM EST, participants are invited to gather to debrief the event and discuss how their learnings can improve and expand upon YSE’s efforts to develop environmental professionals. Inquiries about the event can be shared with Mallika Talwar (mallika.talwar@yale.edu) or Chris Perkins (chris.perkins@yale.edu).