Cascadia Wild acknowledges the history of racism and oppression in the founding of public lands, in the field of conservation, and in Oregon, all of which has caused public lands to be less accessible and less safe for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. We believe that Mt. Hood National Forest, where most of our programming takes place, and all public lands should be a refuge and a place of peace and belonging not only for wildlife, but for all people.
Cascadia Wild acknowledges that, just as BIPOC communities are underrepresented on public lands, they are also underrepresented in the Cascadia Wild community. We recognize that our mission, to inspire a personal connection to community and the natural world, is not possible without the inclusion of all. We believe that the natural world has much to teach us, and our relationship with the natural world is vital for the health of ourselves, our communities, and, in turn, our environment. As a community-based organization, we have the responsibility to act not as gatekeepers but to hold the door open, so that we may all benefit from this relationship in the creation of a more equitable future.
Cascadia Wild is committed to expanding our community, educating ourselves on issues of bias, and deconstructing frameworks of oppression in our programming. We strive to create a safe and inclusive organizational culture where all are welcome. We are looking forward to creating more accessible educational programming and opportunities for involvement in our community science project, so that we can all find our place in the interconnectedness of the natural world.
As we work toward this goal, we would also like to hear from you about how we can be more inclusive and better serve our communities. Please send all comments, questions, and ideas to [email protected].
We sincerely thank you in advance for your time and input.
Cascadia Wild acknowledges that, just as BIPOC communities are underrepresented on public lands, they are also underrepresented in the Cascadia Wild community. We recognize that our mission, to inspire a personal connection to community and the natural world, is not possible without the inclusion of all. We believe that the natural world has much to teach us, and our relationship with the natural world is vital for the health of ourselves, our communities, and, in turn, our environment. As a community-based organization, we have the responsibility to act not as gatekeepers but to hold the door open, so that we may all benefit from this relationship in the creation of a more equitable future.
Cascadia Wild is committed to expanding our community, educating ourselves on issues of bias, and deconstructing frameworks of oppression in our programming. We strive to create a safe and inclusive organizational culture where all are welcome. We are looking forward to creating more accessible educational programming and opportunities for involvement in our community science project, so that we can all find our place in the interconnectedness of the natural world.
As we work toward this goal, we would also like to hear from you about how we can be more inclusive and better serve our communities. Please send all comments, questions, and ideas to [email protected].
We sincerely thank you in advance for your time and input.
As people who study and steward the land, and as an organization deeply rooted in place, we acknowledge the Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands we inhabit. The Portland Metro area, Hood National Forest, and Columbia River Basin are situated on the homelands of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Chinook Indian Nation, Molalla, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Tualatin Kalapuya, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), Yakama Nation, Wanapum Band, Nez Perce Tribe (Nimiipuu), and countless other Tribal Nations and communities who have lived in relationship with these lands and waters since time immemorial.
We recognize that the creation of “public lands” was made possible through the violent dispossession of Indigenous Peoples, the erasure of their stewardship practices, and the ongoing legacies of colonialism and White Supremacy. These systems severed the sacred ties between Tribal Nations and their territories, and their impacts persist today.
As trackers, we know that what happens in the past has ripples that can be seen in the present, this is as true in the social and political world as it is in the natural world. Our mission at Cascadia Wild is to create personal connection to community and the natural world. In order to achieve this mission we recognize that we are neither the first, nor the last to track animals here -- and we hope to build reverence and a community of learning for all people and lifeforms on what we now call Mt. Hood.
We recognize that the creation of “public lands” was made possible through the violent dispossession of Indigenous Peoples, the erasure of their stewardship practices, and the ongoing legacies of colonialism and White Supremacy. These systems severed the sacred ties between Tribal Nations and their territories, and their impacts persist today.
As trackers, we know that what happens in the past has ripples that can be seen in the present, this is as true in the social and political world as it is in the natural world. Our mission at Cascadia Wild is to create personal connection to community and the natural world. In order to achieve this mission we recognize that we are neither the first, nor the last to track animals here -- and we hope to build reverence and a community of learning for all people and lifeforms on what we now call Mt. Hood.
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