The San Juan Islands Conservation District (SJICD) is honored to collaborate with the Northwest Indian College in the formation and development of the Coast Salish Guardians Program on the Lummi Reservation. The Guardian Network in Canada now currently supports more than 200 tribal programs across Canada, supporting indigenous youth returning to their ancestral homeland and serving as the eyes, ears, and hands of the land. The Coast Salish Guardians program is part of a growing body of tribes establishing Guardian programs in the United States, programs seeking to provide education and employment pathways for indigenous youth in conservation. In addition to receiving grant funds to support program development, the SJICD conservation corps program – the Islands Conservation Corps – has received funding to conduct collaborative training opportunities in forest restoration, prescribed fire, and cultural resource assessments with Guardian members. This provides cross-cultural opportunities for knowledge sharing, and to support non-indigenous natural resource professionals in learning how to understand the role of indigenous stewardship in the landscape and advocate for Tribal rights for managing ancestral homelands.
Delaini Disher’s photo, “Well-Attended Field Demonstration” captures the use of livestock in sustainable farming, highlighting the importance of biomass collection from a grazed cover crop field.
Mckenzi Coleman's "Exclusion Fence" photo highlights the enduring value of exclusion fencing as a tool for protecting natural resources like salmon streams and safeguarding livestock.
The winning photo from the conservation district calendar contest highlights hands-on salmon education.
