Land returns to Indigenous Nations focus of Mitchell Center talk Oct. 20
The Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions at the University of Maine will host a panel discussion about land return, rematriation and conservation work led by Indigenous peoples on Monday, Oct. 20 at 3 p.m.
These efforts intersect with several of the key issues impacting the well-being and cultures of Indigenous nations. This includes issues of environmental and economic justice, food sovereignty and health. As a practice, land returns are being done by land trusts without easements or restrictions. Scholars have also recognized that Indigenous leadership, knowledge and decision-making in conservation work also represent conservation best practices — resulting in the most effective ways to conserve lands productively for resilience and biodiversity.
Panelists include Chuck Loring, a citizen of the Penobscot Nation; Betsy Cook, the state director for the Trust for Public Land; and Darren J. Ranco, a citizen of the Penobscot Nation, professor of anthropology, and chair of Native American Programs at the University of Maine.
All talks in the Mitchell Center’s Sustainability Talk series are free and are offered both remotely via Zoom and in person at 107 Norman Smith Hall on the UMaine campus in Orono. Registration is required to attend remotely; to register and receive connection information, see the event webpage.
To request a reasonable accommodation, contact Ruth Hallsworth, 207.581.3196 or hallsworth@maine.edu.