The 10th World Conference on Ecological Restoration was held in person on 26-30 September 2023 in Darwin, Australia. The conference features sessions aimed at promoting ecological restoration for the benefit of nature and communities. The sessions covered best practices, capacity development, and successful projects, emphasizing the importance of restoring ecosystems.
Caitlynn Beckett, a student member of the MinErAL network, tells us about her travel with Indigenous partners to the SER conference in Darwin.
With funding assistance from the Mineral network, we traveled with a group of 10 people from Yukon and the Northwest Territories to the Society of Ecological Restoration's (SER) International Conference in Darwin, Australia (September 25-29). In this group, we had researchers, representatives, and Elders from the University of Alberta, Memorial University, Ross River Dena Council, the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dün, and the Tłįcho Government.
Collaboratively, we organized and presented on a panel entitled: “Anti-colonial mine-site reclamation, restoration and land guardianship in Northern Canada.” These presentations discussed the legacy of mining in Northern Canada, Indigenous governance of and resistance to mining, Indigenous-led programs and plans for reclamation, and connections between reclamation and land guardian programs.
Our panel was very well attended and generated exciting discussions with other community representatives from across Australia and New Zealand. Participants also had the opportunity to attend five days of sessions and workshops on various reclamation and restoration topics. We then met with Indigenous land guardian organizations from the Northern Territory of Australia and with the Larrakia Council - learning more about how they deal with industrial development, mining and mine reclamation on their own territories. We had the wonderful opportunity to attend the 50th Anniversary Celebration for the Land Management Negotiations in the Northern Territory and learned a lot about Indigenous land rights and land management in Northern Australia.
Finally, we had the opportunity to travel as a group to Litchfield National Park, where we swam, hiked, saw huge spiders and explored termite mounds!
Helainna and David presenting on
Na-Cho Nyak Dün revegetation and
seed collection programs