Water Back: Indigenous Science for Great Lakes Health

Wednesday, May 22
11:30–12:30
Augustus I & II

Join Dr. Kelsey Leonard in a plenary session dedicated to advancing conservation and legal innovation within the Great Lakes ecosystem. Focused on Water Back initiatives and Indigenous water governance, we'll explore Indigenous-led conservation. In this session, we'll examine the innovative legal frameworks of Earth Law, which seeks to restore water health and responsibilities. Highlighting Indigenous science and governance models, we'll underscore their vital role in shaping sustainable governance practices and promoting the health of the Great Lakes. Recognizing the importance of accurate data, we'll also discuss the need for improved water data to advance Great Lakes ecosystem health. By centering Indigenous perspectives, we aim to advance the understanding of the interconnectedness of environmental, cultural, and legal considerations in Great Lakes restoration. Through this session, we'll inspire new approaches that prioritize the health and resilience of the Great Lakes for future generations.

Speaker Bio

Kelsey Leonard is a water scientist, legal scholar, policy expert, writer, and enrolled citizen of the Shinnecock Nation. Leonard is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo, where her research focuses on Indigenous water justice and its climatic, territorial, and governance underpinnings. She seeks to establish Indigenous traditions of water conservation as the foundation for international water policymaking. She represents the Shinnecock Indian Nation on the Mid-Atlantic Committee on the Ocean, which is charged with protecting America's ocean ecosystems and coastlines. She also serves as a member of the Great Lakes Water Quality Board of the International Joint Commission. Her regional ocean policy work in collaboration with Tribes, state, federal and fishery management council entities received a Peter Benchley Ocean Award for Excellence in Solutions.