Tribal Liaison Program
Current projects
Grassland restoration
Corlee at an SGI prescribed fire on Guthrie Prairie - a remnant prairie on the TN - KY border managed by SGI.
The SGI Restoration Program works to conserve and restore the grasslands of the southeast, and works closely with Corlee to incorporate the goals of and support tribal community and individual tribal landowners with grassland restoration projects.
Native seed program
Corlee gathering river cane, a type of native bamboo, which has many important Native American cultural uses.
The SGI Native Seed Program works with Katie on native seed saving, network building, and restoration efforts with tribal partners.
Community Engagement
Corlee and Katie presenting a poster at the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society national conference.
The Tribal Liaisons travel frequently to engage with Tribal partners and community stakeholders to educate collaborators and the public on the work of SGI and how SGI incorporates Indigenous knowledge and partners in grassland conservation work.
Grasslandia
The SGI platform Grasslandia (coming soon!) will be a large online ArcGIS storymap of southeastern grasslands, and works closely with SGI’s Historian Gabrielle to incorporate historical documents, Native perspectives, and first hand context in the maps.
“As a Tribal Liaison, I see grassland restoration as both ecological and cultural renewal. For thousands of years, Native peoples have cared for these landscapes in ways that not only sustained the plants and animals but also the people and cultures that depended on them. That stewardship was disrupted through forced removal and displacement, leaving many Tribal communities separated from the very lands that shaped our identities. Yet the plants of the Southeast have always remained our teachers and friends, carrying medicines, stories, and knowledge that our people have relied on for generations. As a Cherokee person, I believe that when we stop visiting the plants, if we stop having a relationship with them, they will disappear. By bringing back these grasslands, my hope is that they serve as a catalyst for renewed relationships between Native peoples and their ancestral homelands, helping to heal ecosystems while also restoring cultural connections that continue to sustain us.”
