Central to The Land Between’s operations is working in partnership with Indigenous Communities and Knowledge Holders throughout the bioregion as well as honouring local knowledge. Together we strive for bioregionalism; the understanding that our health, wealth, and wellbeing is rooted in the health of the land.
Walking Hand in Hand
First and foremost, The Land Between recognizes that we are privileged to live on this land because of the incredible generosity and openness of Indigenous Peoples in the making of the original treaties. The original treaties outline how the Aanishinaabe and other Indigenous Nations would remain the forefront caretakers of the land, water, and animals, and that each Nation was to retain their entire rights and freedoms including the right to self determination and governance. These agreements are recorded in the Great Wampum and embodied in the British North America Act as well as Canada’s Constitution, though we acknowledge that they are and throughout history have not been upheld.
The Land Between operates with at least 50% Anishinaabe on Council and with a representative delegate appointed by at least one of the central First Nation Communities in the bioregion. We recognize the enduring and inherent rights of the Indigenous Peoples in all that we do. Despite these facts we do not represent nor speak for Indigenous People in The Land Between. Instead, we hope to continue and expand our partnerships and engagement with Anishinaabe Peoples as we build capacity.
The Land Between is the first charity in Canada, to its knowledge, to embrace co-management as a governing structure and use Traditional Talking Circles for decision making. All decisions are made through consensus and without hierarchy by the Council, which is composed of Indigenous Peoples, conservation experts, landowners, and non-experts alike across generations. In this way, the council reflects the community The Land Between serves.
We embrace Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) alongside western science. Rather than seeking to validate TEK with western science, we value TEK in its own right. This practice, known as Two-Eyed Seeing, is central to how we operate at The Land Between. Similarly, the charity values the practical knowledge that is informed by interaction with nature and wildlife gathered through time spent outdoors.
We believe that multiple perspectives, experiences, and from various sectors and disciplines is important. Often local knowledge and experience is left out of the dialogue and decisions. This includes knowledge of nature, community history, and even economies. Therefore, we strive to listen and embrace these perspectives to find balanced and also effective solutions.
Bioregionalism
Bioregionalism simply means that people are affected and in a relationship with the nature that surrounds them; that they identify with the landscape and that they shape the landscape as much as the landscape shapes them. It is is the understanding that the land and people of the land are interdependent. Our relationship with the land informs our culture and identity, but also impacts our health, and in this landscape particularly, our immediate and long-term economic well being.
The Land Between's vision is to cultivate bioregionalism; to instill a sense of place in the residents, resulting in a shared identity and actions that celebrates and conserves the bioregion and its unique features. Our goal is to become redundant! When people celebrate and behave in a way that is congruent to the land, a guiding organization will not be needed.
Watch our documentary
For more on who The Land Between is and how we operate, check out our documentary! You can watch the series introduction (left) or watch full clips at this link.
To view the entire documentary, purchase if from our online store on Blu-Ray!
More on How We Operate
LISTENING
In addition to the Council and COO, The Land Between relies on the Advisory Circle to provide input and peer review. The Circle includes non-voting experts across educational institutions, NGOs, as well as provincial and federal governments. But the circle also includes youth and community members who help to steer the direction and projects of the charity, ensures that actions are reflective of the reality of a community’s needs.
WISE USE OF FUNDS
The Land Between’s residents have an entrepreneurial spirit. We work with and employ local contractors to support the local economy and reduce administrative overhead. The Chief has never drawn a full or regular salary and is compensated only for operationally active roles that are part of successful grants and projects. We further operate with a lean team of dedicated staff.
EMBRACING DIFFERENCE
We don't believe in extremes and we don't hold firm to factions. Instead we always strive for the middle, and to learn from differences. Diversity in the form of genes, species, peoples and perspectives enriches our lives and makes us stronger. True solutions can only be found by embracing differences. Honouring the diversity of knowledge and perspectives provides insights and also opportunities.
PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE
Nature is animate and dynamic. Using the precautionary principle, it is important to keep our natural capital intact, much like a capital investment. If the capacity for nature to renew itself is maintained, people and the next generations have a strong foundation and more resilience. Our goal is to preserve nature's capacity for renewal, especially within connected corridors and priority places.
More about us
