Land Acknowledgement

South Nation Conservation (SNC) acknowledges that our watershed and conservation lands are located within the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe People, and are also part of the traditional hunting and fishing territory of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, including the Mohawk Nation.

We recognize the deep and enduring relationship Indigenous Peoples have with the land and water, and we are committed to working in the spirit of respect, shared stewardship, and reconciliation to protect these lands for present and future generations.

Indigenous Nations in the South Nation Region

SNC’s watershed and conservation lands overlap with the traditional territories of several Indigenous Nations, including:

• Mohawk Council of Akwesasne

• Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation

• Algonquin Anishinaabe communities across eastern Ontario and western Québec

We acknowledge that these lands have been cared for by Indigenous Peoples since time immemorial and continue to be actively stewarded today.

Shared Stewardship and a Two-Eyed Seeing Approach

SNC recognizes that effective conservation is strengthened by bringing together Indigenous knowledge systems and western science. This approach—often referred to as Two-Eyed Seeing—respects the strengths of both ways of knowing and supports more holistic, ethical, and resilient land and water management.

Our partnerships are grounded in listening, trust, and long-term relationship-building, with a shared commitment to biodiversity protection, climate resilience, and caring for the land as a living system.

Eastern Ontario First Nations Working Group

For more than 20 years, SNC has worked alongside Indigenous partners through the Eastern Ontario First Nations Working Group—a non-political, on-the-ground collaboration focused on shared environmental priorities across Eastern Ontario.

Early projects included Black Ash management and medicinal plant initiatives, which highlighted the need for a dedicated forum to support collaboration within shared territories. Since then, the Working Group has grown to include Indigenous, conservation, municipal, and environmental partners working together to:

• Monitor species at risk and invasive species

• Support biodiversity and habitat restoration projects

• Provide Indigenous knowledge and guidance on land management

• Create employment and training opportunities

• Support certification and sustainable forest management, including Forest Stewardship Council certification

The EOFNWG includes representatives from Indigenous Nations and organizations, conservation authorities, municipalities, provincial agencies, environmental organizations, and community members, all contributing their experience and knowledge toward shared stewardship outcomes.

The Healing Place – A Living Partnership

The Healing Place is a community green space on SNC property in Shanly, Ontario located on the traditional territories of the Algonquin and Mohawk Nations in eastern Ontario.

Established in 2020 through a Reconciliation and Climate Change planting event, The Healing Place was created through a collaborative partnership focused on healing, learning, and connection to the land. Partners have committed to the ongoing care and expansion of the site, as well as to growing a broader Healing Place network across Ontario and beyond.

These spaces are intended to foster meaningful engagement between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities—creating physical places of restoration while also nurturing safe, ethical spaces for dialogue and relationship-building.

To learn more, visit Plenty Canada’s website or explore drone footage of the Healing Place.