This year, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens will present its 12th annual Ina and Lewis Heafitz Endowed Lecture at the Gardens on Aug. 25, 4-5:30 p.m. The lecture, “Centering Indigenous Peoples and Nations in Land Protection and Conservation: Thoughts on Wabanaki Possibilities,” will feature Dr. Darren J. Ranco, associate professor of Anthropology and coordinator of Native American Research at the University of Maine in Orono.

Educator, researcher, and citizen of the Penobscot Nation, Dr. Ranco’s lecture will explore the opportunities for Wabanaki-led conservation in what is now Maine. He will share contemporary scholarship about Indigenous conservation practices, define the terminology used by Indigenous people for conservation work, and identify best practices for partnerships with environmental organizations and Indigenous peoples.

"It is becoming an adage in the conservation community that we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them,” says Daniel Ungier, the Gardens’ Vice President of Guest Experience and Education. "It's why it's so important to listen and learn from scholars such as Dr. Ranco, bring more voices to the table, and broaden our perspectives on the challenges we face."

In his lecture, Dr. Ranco will “look at growing evidence that shows how Indigenous-led conservation work has some of the best outcomes for protecting lands, waters, and biodiversity.” In particular, he will share how this work is being taken up by land trusts, conservation groups, tribal nations, and tribal citizens in Maine.

“Led by the Land Trust community through the First Light Learning Journey, and the Tribal communities through the Wabanaki Commission on Land and Stewardship, thousands of acres of land have been returned to Tribes or been given access to Tribal citizens for cultural resource gathering and stewardship,” Ranco says, adding that “this work builds on previous engagements and partnerships, including the work done with Tribal Nations and citizens related to the State and Federal response to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)."

Free to the public, the event is scheduled in person at the Gardens from 4-5:30 p.m. on Aug. 25. Following the event, registration will open for access to an online recording of the program. Those interested in attending can register online at shop.mainegardens.org or by calling 207-633-8008.

At nearly 325 acres, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is the largest public garden in New England. The nationally recognized public garden features two miles of hiking trails, 19 acres of ornamental and themed gardens, a children’s garden, a sensory garden, and so much more. The mission of the Gardens is to inspire meaningful connections among people, plants, and nature through horticulture, education, and research. To learn more, visit MaineGardens.org.