Abstract:
In a time of environmental uncertainties, restoration efforts are charged with the
complicated task of creating environmental resilience in the wake of issues like
climate change, sea-level rise, and the loss of species and habitat. This project looks to
Biocultural Restoration and the Traditional Ecological Knowledge of the Confederated
Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, and their experiences within
environmental restoration and management practices today. Using a literature review
and semi-structured interviews, four categories for changes, and a set of practice
principles were developed that could inform future restoration efforts on the Central
Oregon Coast or elsewhere. This research was conducted with the understanding that
indigenous peoples are experts of their own culture and realities. Drawing insight and
inspiration from the experiences and cultural practices of the Hanis and Miluk Coos,
Quiich [Lower Umpqua], and Sha'yuushtl'a [Siuslaw] peoples and their centuries of
place-based knowledge, this research is intended to provide a lens through which
to view the environmental world, illuminating a unique perspective on humanenvironmental
relationships and reciprocity. Through this research, I intend to show
the importance Biocultural Restoration and Traditional Ecological Knowledge can have
in modern restoration and the critical role indigenous peoples play in the management
of their ancestral lands. Furthermore, this research may offer insight into the potential
for collaborative work between Tribes and other environmental management entities.