Amelanchier larmarkii (Serviceberry)
Photo by Larry Weaner Landscape Associates
Landscape Practices, Ethics, and Expertise: Indigenous Perspectives
Peggy Smith, PhD, Bonnie Thomas, and Nancy Turner, PhD
Part 1 | Wetlands: Ecological & Cultural Values
Bonnie Thomas & Nancy Turner, PhD
In Northwestern North America, wetlands (bogs, estuaries, swamps, ponds, tidal marshes), have been fundamental habitats and biodiversity hotspots. For over 14,000 years, these special ecosystems have provided First Peoples of the region with important foods, medicines, and materials. Many of our wetlands today have deteriorated and are in serious need of restoration. We dedicate the talk to Bonnie’s late Mother, Secwepemc knowledge keeper, Dr. Mary Thomas, who taught us about a key wetland in her territory: the Salmon River estuary.
Part 2 | What is the Role and Responsibility of a Professional in Respecting Indigenous Rights?
Peggy Smith, PhD
We often think upholding Indigenous rights is the responsibility of governments, but professionals who work in the field of lands and resources have the potential to either undermine or uphold Indigenous rights. Dr. Smith will discuss how Indigenous rights shape land management and development, as well as the responsibilities of professionals to uphold those rights through training and practice.
Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 | 2:00 - 4:45 PM ET
Category: Professional
Fee: $88
Scroll down for details about:
Student, Wild Ones, and NOFA member discounts
Group and Gift Orders
Registration open & recording viewable for 3 months after live date.
Instructor Bios:
Peggy Smith, PhD, RPF (Ret.), Washteo-Wachikoosh-Iskwew (Light Star Woman), is a retired registered professional forester and a renowned professor. Her research has focused on the social impacts of natural resources management, especially Indigenous peoples’ rights, community forestry, public participation, northern development, and forest certification. She is currently Professor Emerita of Natural Resources Management and the former Interim Vice-Provost of Indigenous Initiatives at Lakehead University.
Bonnie Thomas is a Secwepemc Knowledge Keeper, and Human Resource Manager at Westbank First Nation, British Columbia. Daughter of beloved Neskonlith Elder, Dr. Mary Thomas, Bonnie was taught about plants and Nature from her early childhood, and has spent many happy hours out on the land, caring for the plants, fish and birds, and passing on that knowledge to the next generation.
Nancy Turner, PhD, CM, OBC, FRSC, FLS, is an ethnobotanist, and a retired Professor from the University of Victoria, BC. She has worked with First Nations elders and cultural specialists in northwestern North America for over 50 years, helping to document, retain and promote their botanical/ environmental expertise. Her 2-volume award-winning book, Ancient Pathways, Ancestral Knowledge (2014; MQUP), integrates her long-term research. She has authored/co-authored/co-edited over 30 other books, including: The Earth’s Blanket (2005); “Keeping it Living” (2005); Plants, People and Places (2020); Plants of Haida Gwaii (2021); and Luschiim’s Plants (2021), and over 150 book chapters and papers. She has received a number of awards for her work, including Order of British Columbia (1999) and Order of Canada (2009), and honorary degrees from four universities.
Registration & Discount Details
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When registering on the NDAL Participants Portal you will be asked to either sign into your existing account or create one. This account will give you exclusive access to the session recordings and course materials. These materials will be available until three (3) months after the live event dates.
Group Orders (PLEASE NOTE THE TWO-STEP PROCESS): To register multiple people/staff members at once, go to your chosen course, click Register, then enter the number of registrations needed under Quantity on the left side. You will receive an email with an invite link that you must send to all the registrants in your group. Please note if you are registering yourself as well, you will not be automatically registered under a Group Order; you will also need to click the invite link to redeem your registration.
Gift Orders: To purchase a course as a gift for someone else, go to your chosen course, click Register, then check off “This is a gift.”
Students please email verification of student status (ie. course schedule, student ID) to info@ndal.org for student discount code.
Registration will be refunded only if notification is received before ten (10) working days prior to the live event date less a $10 processing fee.
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Please email info@ndal.org your verification of student status (ie. course schedule with year enrolled).
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If you’ve already emailed for Wild Ones Member discount codes in the past, please keep an eye out for an email with the new code, as we are sending it to anyone who has previously used a Wild Ones-NDAL discount code.
If you haven’t used a code previously, please email info@ndal.org with your Wild Ones member ID # or other verification of membership for the program discount code.
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Accredited Organic Land Care Professionals of The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut receive a 10% discount on sessions listed as Professional. Please look out for the discount code from NOFA, or contact Jennifer Shaffer, NOFA Organic Land Care’s Program Director at jennifer@ctnofa.org for the code.