Canada Research Chair Kelsey Leonard听puts Indigenous knowledge at the forefront of environmental justice
Today the planet is straining under the weight of human development and governments and institutions are searching for innovative answers to protect our planet.
Kelsey Leonard
Professor, Faculty of Environment
> Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Waters, Climate and Sustainability
> Water Institute
Thanks to efforts by researchers like Kelsey Leonard, who joined the Faculty of Environment in 2020, we're exploring and valuing essential environmental knowledge long ignored by non-Indigenous decision-makers.
Indigenous Peoples have vast knowledge systems and scientific traditions that can work alongside western scientific methods. With global warming now raising sea levels, Leonard鈥檚 position as Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Waters, Climate and Sustainability, will help her explore ways of facilitating Indigenous knowledge to restore our threatened oceans, lakes and rivers while assuring Indigenous sovereignty.
For those unsure of what exactly this entails,听Leonard鈥檚听TED Talk,听Why lakes and rivers should have the same rights as humans听(viewed by听more than听3 million people), explores听how reforming our legal system can be听a听first step to protecting bodies of water and听fundamentally transforming how we value this vital听living听entity.
鈥淎 big part of who I am as a scholar and a scientist is very much informed by the identity of being a water person and a person from the shore,鈥� says Leonard who is a听citizen听of Shinnecock听Indian听Nation听located on听what鈥檚 commonly known as听Long Island, New York.听听
The territory of听the听Shinnecock Nation听sits on a peninsula听jutting听out听into Shinnecock听Bay and shares a barrier island听protecting them听from the Atlantic听Ocean.听The people of听the听Shinnecock Nation are skilled fishers and were traditionally whalers.听听
"We are also known for being wampum makers and harvesting and carving wampum used to form many treaties and we continue to cultivate the cultural practice and artistry," she says.
Like many coastal communities along the Atlantic seashore of the United States and Canada, the Shinnecock Nation, was severely impacted by Superstorm Sandy in 2012.听At the time听Leonard听was beginning her journey towards a law degree听鈥斕齱hich she earned in 2015听鈥斕齣n an effort to听address many of the structural injustices embedded within the law. Such laws听promote听environmental racism and disproportionate climate impacts for听Indigenous Peoples听鈥斕齣ncluding the Shinnecock 鈥斕齛s extreme climate events听continue to increase.听听
鈥淢y听research centers around听Indigenous water justice,听including identifying pathways for Indigenous conservation practices听to听inform international water policy,鈥� says Leonard who recently contributed her expertise to the development of the U.S. Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5).
Leonard听represents the Shinnecock Indian Nation听as a steering committee member of the Mid-Atlantic Committee of the Ocean charged with听the protection听and restoration of America's ocean and coasts.鈥疕er scientific and policy background led to her expert testimony on ocean-based climate solutions before the U.S.听Congress as America aims to correct course and regain its prominence as a global climate leader.听听
鈥淚ndigenous Peoples are on the front lines of many of the world鈥檚 water security crises. The water challenges and innovations present in our communities can offer best practices for adaptation and resiliency for other听communities or societies facing similar water injustices,鈥� she says.听听听
Indigenous听Peoples have been excluded from international water management because of听an听intellectual inherited legacy听of colonialism听that fails to acknowledge听Indigenous experience听and expertise.听听
It鈥檚 something Leonard explores in her most recent report, Turtle Island (North America) Indigenous Higher Education Institutions and Environmental Sustainability Education. In it she applies a critical lens to the environmental and sustainability programs of the 38 Tribal Colleges and Universities in the United States and 26 Indigenous post-secondary institutions in Canada.
鈥淜nowledge translation for co-mobilization of Indigenous and western science to address climate change is one of the greatest obstacles facing contemporary transboundary water governance,鈥� she says. 鈥淚n the context of the Great Lakes, pluralistic and co-existing worldviews often conflict, and shared paths for adaptive solutions are missed. For example, the听language used by some听western scientists and institutions in developing water governance policy in response to invasive species in the Great Lakes and elsewhere tends to be highly combative, militarized and violent.听Policy and processes that emphasize eradication and hard-solutions over nature-based solutions tend to be听ill-received by Indigenous听Peoples and governments.鈥澨�
What Leonard finds听fascinating, and counter-intuitive to many non-Indigenous researchers,听is听that听maybe we just haven't found the purpose of invasive species or the process by which they have now come to exist in this part of the world.听听
鈥淚n the context of my transboundary research in the region, Indigenous environmental leaders from听the Great Lakes听often听shared with me the belief听that听every听living entity on the planet has a purpose and as a human being our goal is to understand these relationships, roles and responsibilities听to听that other entity.鈥澨�
Though her听work has brought her听from New York听to the Grand River valley听(or听Kenhionhata:tie听as it鈥檚 known by the Mohawk),听Leonard鈥檚 focus on听water justice听remains local as well as global, and her advocacy unwavering.听听听
鈥淚ndigenous science听is built from vast knowledge systems that have thrived for millennia in stewardship of Turtle Island and should be the foundation of our shared sustainable future."
