by Jamie Blosser

We are preserving historic homes, and doing any re-hab is really green because you’re not using new resources. But we are going in and putting all new roofs on, so they will have R-40 insulated roofs. We are going to be putting in insulation on the northern exposures, and all the new windows will be insulated and double-glazed.

We’re going to keep the plumbing and light fixtures that are functioning and safe, but for any that need replacing, we’re putting in low-flow plumbing fixtures and Energy Star lighting and appliances. We’re putting in all new high efficiency heating systems. There is no room in these historic homes for ductwork. There will all still be room heating systems; wall heaters.

The buildings for the most part are oriented toward the east-west axis, having to do with ancient settlement patterns, but it really maximizes solar to the extent possible. Given that it’s an historic preservation project, we’re not doing any additional overhangs for passive solar, and we’re not putting in PV (photovoltaic) at this time.

The challenge of this project has really been to mix the housing and the preservation aspects. So we’re doing what we can with the green in moderation with conservation.

Right now in the green world, there are a lot of rating systems, and many of them don’t really apply to tribes; a lot of them don’t apply to rural projects in general. There is a huge urban bias. I agree with that to some extent in terms of infrastructure and centralized systems, but what that has done has made it seem like a rural lifestyle just isn’t sustainable. I think that there are ways that it can be.

Some green rating systems are reevaluating their rating tools. Enterprise Community Partners has developed the Green Communities Initiative, which is a really great rating system specifically oriented toward affordable housing. A revamped version will come out in the next year.

by Camilla Bustamante

The relationship between humans and nature is dynamic. Often social constructs such as religion and economics have influence on the human interface with nature and the female of its species. The long held concept of the Earth as feminine is often understood in references to Mother Earth. A patriarchal perspective often describes the passive attributes of nature and woman as those awaiting management and fertilization in order to be of value. Harkening to the temptations of Eden and the unruly influences of woman, in 1979 Susan Griffin wrote Woman and Nature, in which she enlightens the reader to the influences of European culture and the development of science as constructs that lead to the justification of conquest, particularly of that which is perceived as wild and in need of taming. Concepts of nature and women are social and historical artifacts, not reflections of essential characteristics.

Seemingly with less interest in the domination and conquest of nature, pre-historic cultures and spiritual practices related to the changing of seasons, particularly with regard to their relationship to the cultivation of food. These values have often been attributed to ancient cultures, and through time, have been used to undermine the role of woman in what has become a more technologically defined world, a world that has justified exploitation.

A relatively new movement with ancient roots, ecofeminism is a pluralistic, nonhierarchical, relationship-oriented philosophy that suggests how humans could reconceive themselves and their relationships to nature in non-dominating ways as an alternative to patriarchal systems of domination (McGraw-Hill Dictionary). Educator Greta Gaard describes ecofeminism as the following: “Ecofeminism’s basic premise is that the ideology which authorizes oppression such as those based on race, class, gender, sexuality, physical abilities and species is the same ideology which sanctions the oppression of nature. At its theoretical base is the sense that self is interconnected with all life.” Ecofeminists today are attempting to dismantle views and practices that establish both women and nature as passive and subordinate, and realign to an interrelated balance.

Gender theorists Nancy Chodorow and Carol Gilligan establish in much of their research that women report an interconnected sense of self more commonly than men, where men more commonly reported self-identity to be separate from nature. At its core, the human relationship to nature has been tied to identity, and through the impetus of Judeo Christianity became attached to notions of scarcity and control as human eternal identity was risen to the heavens – leaving the Earth to fend for herself in the end. There began the great duality of man and nature and the scale was tipped.

In 2004, The International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers convened for the first time to form a global alliance and demonstrate solidarity toward the common goal of “rebalanc(ing) the injustices wrought from an imbalanced world; a world disconnected from the fundamental laws of nature and the original teachings based on a respect for all of life.” The Indigenous Grandmothers re-align with the ways of the land, ceremony and prayer, all in the interest of education and nurture. It is in that nurturing where balance has always been found.

Merriam Webster defines balance as b: equipoise between contrasting, opposing, or interacting elements c: equality between the totals of the two sides of an account. Balance is observed when hunger is satisfied, water is drinkable and will not cause illness, no one person regardless of sex, ethnicity or culture is deprived shelter, has resources for wellness, and is free to live safely.

According to the United Nations report, World’s Women 2005: Progress in Statistics, “in all societies, to a greater or lesser degree, women and girls are subjected to physical, sexual and psychological abuse that cuts across lines of income, class and culture, impeding their right to participate fully in society.” Imbalance serves no one.

Brain science, through experimentation, demonstrates the differences between left-brain and right-brain thinking. Attributes such as intuition, subjective thinking and observation of wholes rather than parts are traits typically attributed to the feminine, and are also measurably Right Brain traits. Whereas the traits of being analytical, objective and sequential are often attributed to the masculine and are Left Brain activities. These assumptions have led to incorrect notions and stereotypes such as those that suggest that boys are automatically predisposed to be better at math.

In a recent lecture Dr. Bernardo Monserrat of the Santa Fe Center for Spiritual Living demonstrated the advances humans make when out of balance in our left and right brain thinking. As he spoke about the various studies that conveyed the aforementioned attributes of each brain hemisphere, he illustrated the paralyzing affect of relying on one side of the brain or the other. Disengaging the left brain (or the masculine) subjects one to pivoting in place; without the left (or the feminine) there is no advancement. This is not to touch on old notions that the masculine cannot be nurturing or that women are not strong, but to acknowledge the role of each, and in particular, in the interest of healing, the need to re-balance. Nature tends to defy social constructs. Nature simplifies by presenting attributes and unchallengeable laws. We are at a unique opportunity in human existence where we can embrace that women and men contribute to science, technology, and nurture and healing. Despite continued imbalances, humanity has coexisted with nature when there is balance, and the essentials that provide nourishment, shelter and quality of life are aligned with nature and Mother Earth are not a mere resource but that which provides our sustenance and ability to thrive.

Camilla Bustamante, PhD, MPH is Chair of Math and Science, and Director of Environmental Science at Northern NM College. E-mail: cbustamante@nnmc.edu.

Hearing to Continue August 16

by Seth Roffman

In June, in a unanimous decision, the New Mexico Supreme Court gave the green light for New Energy Economy’s petition to cap greenhouse gas pollution to proceed. The court dismissed a lawsuit filed by Public Service Company of NM (PNM), other utilities, conservative legislators, and the oil and gas industry, that challenged the NM Environmental Improvement Board’s (EIB) authority to hear the petition.

The Justices overruled Lea County District Judge William Shoobridge. Their decision was based on a separation of powers issue: “A judge cannot interfere with an “ongoing, uncompleted agency process,” stated Chief Justice Daniels.

The original NEE petition sought regulations that would cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 25 percent below their 1990 levels by 2020. A revamped proposal was submitted in March for a phased-in program that would include only electricity generators and oil and gas industry businesses that emit more than 25,000 metric tons a year. Emissions from those sources would be reduced 3 percent each year from 2010 levels.

At an EIB hearing in March, New Mexicans from all walks of life and from diverse areas of the state expressed their concerns, pro and con. NEE Senior Policy Advisor Mariel Nanasi said that New Energy Economy wants the EIB to proceed in accordance with its express legislative authority to hold public hearings for the purpose of considering regulating air pollution and protecting public welfare. “The ultimate takeaway is we were in the middle of a hearing to cap dangerous global warming pollution and further transition to a renewable energy economy.”

“We look forward to hearings this summer,” said Bruce Frederick, attorney with the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, representing New Energy Economy. “By acting now to transition to clean energy technologies, we can reduce air pollution and revitalize local communities. The health of our economy – and of many New Mexicans – was boosted by the decision of the Supreme Court,” said Dr. John Fogarty, a physician and President of New Energy Economy.

Oil, gas and industry groups claim emissions caps would be costly and would harm New Mexico’s economy. They also assert that greenhouse gas emissions should be regulated by the federal government rather than individual states. NEE has countered that the federal government is too slow, and as NM is an energy producing state, this is an opportunity to set a precedent on addressing global warming.

In June the US Senate defeated a resolution that would have denied the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to move ahead with rules, to go into effect next January, aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and other big polluters. Based on the review of thousands of scientists, the EPA has found that “increasing levels of greenhouse gasses threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations.” The EPA’s standards were set after the US Supreme Court ruled that GHG emissions could be regulated under the Clean Air Act.

The next state EIB hearing on the petition will be on August 16. The EIB will also hear a separate proposal from the NM Environment Department for a cap-and-trade program on September 20. PNM and others have filed objections to that proposal as well. The cap-and-trade proposal would also limit the amount of greenhouse gasses that could be emitted by NM power plants and refineries to a set number allowed by the state. It would make it possible for participants to buy allowances from other sites in the West.

by Lilian Hill

Indigenous peoples have developed specialized farming techniques throughout the western hemisphere, ranging from dry farming to the specialization and cultivation of diverse types of heirloom seeds. This specialized traditional knowledge has allowed them to sustain the land and themselves for thousands of years. Indigenous peoples have created a way of living in which they depend on each other as families and communities for survival and livelihood. In days not so long ago, the Hopi subsisted on many varieties of corn, beans, squash, melons, pumpkins, and heirloom fruits such as apples, peaches, apricots, pears and medicinal seasonal plant foods. Health and nutrition depended on deep intimate knowledge of traditional land and a unique relationship with the spiritual forces of nature. This life revolves around the cultivation and collection of seeds, fruits, root foods, greens, berries, and those plants and trees that give shelter, heat, and comfort. In this way the Hopi have always lived in accordance to the original spiritual instructions of the elders.

These teachings continue to thrive with the work of Hopi Tutskwa Permaculture, a local Hopi community group. According to Lilian Hill, who directs the program, “As young people, we understand the connections between what we eat and how we feel. “We see this as spiritual growth and our health and nutrition adapt to this growth.”

With the introduction of mass-produced and commodity foods, imposed initially by the federal government and more recently by international commercial industries, the life ways and path as Indigenous peoples has changed in many significant ways. The rapid change in lifestyles and food has greatly contributed to the increase of diabetes and obesity in Indigenous communities, and the loss of biodiversity in regards to the cultivation and care for ancient heirloom seeds. In the Hopi community this is apparent. “Although many continue to practice traditional farming, most rely strictly on grocery stores and government commodity foods for their subsistence. Foreign food markets that practice exploitive means in both farming and husbandry have compromised the dignity of our people. We believe that there is a correlation between our health, nutrition and well-being. The foods that have sustained our people for thousands of years are a type of spiritual nourishment that enables us to understand our purpose and help us grow into productive human beings,” says Hill.

To address these issues, it is important to engage youth and elders in an intergenerational project designed to encourage the continuation of our languages and cultures through meaningful interactions and hands-on activities. Much of this linguistically encoded knowledge is transmitted to younger generations while they are assisting elders in traditional building, hunting, fishing or foraging activities, or while food, fibers, medicines, or ceremonial items are being prepared by hand.

Hopi Tutskwa Permaculture (HTP) is based within the Village of Kykotsmovi, located in Northern Arizona on the Hopi Reservation. Our vision is to strengthen food security while creating opportunities for local Indigenous youth and community members to participate in the continuation of Hopi life ways through the continued intergenerational practices of traditional farming and gardening as well as applying applicable Permaculture principles and techniques. HTP has two full-time staff and 8-12 seasonal youth leaders. Support honorariums are also given to elders and teachers from within the community. They organize with parents, elders, farmers, youth, as well as traditional village leaders, school administrators, and tribal programs, and work in collaboration with many groups within the bioregion of Northern Arizona to advocate for social change in relation to food security, community economic development, alternative energy, energy conservation, and to help create proactive solutions to impending shifts associated with global climate change. HTP hosts workshops that will keep engaging, training, and inspiring Hopi youth & community to develop skills and capacity in building sustainable communities.

HTP has three main components: the Youth in Sustainability Leadership Project, Living Learning Center, and the Kwangwa’Tsoki Orchard Restoration Project. Lilian Hill says, “Many of our goals and visions are both short and long-term in scope. We hope to accomplish these goals and visions with the support of our villages, communities, families, and youth in a time frame that is sensitive to the cultural ways, ceremonies, and practices of our people.”

Within the past two years HTP has taken on the responsibility of addressing food security issues within the Hopi communities by creating the Kwang’wa Tsoki Orchard Restoration Project, with the goal of planting fruit trees in every village, in every school, and for every family on the Hopi Reservation. With the support of the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation, a California-based nonprofit that works to improve food supplies around the world, this goal is becoming a reality. This year alone 1300 fruit trees have been planted by Hopi community members, volunteers, and schoolchildren. To deal with the harsh growing environment, planters used drought-resistant varieties and installed drip irrigation systems to sustain the first three years of growth.

The orchards located in the villages of Hotevilla, Shungopavi, Moenkopi, Tewa Village, Keams Canyon, and Kykotsmovi will be cared for by local community Orchard Keepers, dedicated volunteers, and elementary school students. The apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, cherries, and even persimmons will be used for school lunches, to feed the community, and for community workshops in canning and preserving.

The orchard project is intended to strengthen community ties and help a new generation to learn traditional Hopi values of stewardship and responsibility. Jacobo Marcus, Orchard Restoration Coordinator says, “Local youth and community members will gain practical experience caring for the trees and learn traditional ecological knowledge to help them work toward a more sustainable future.”

Since Permaculture is tied to the healthy regeneration of human environments, the work of Hopi Tuskwa Permaculture can be seen in the healthy soils, green fruit bearing orchards and the sustained health of the future generations.

For more information, visit www.nativemovementarizona.org.

by Susan Waterman

Given what I’m hearing from gardening friends and associates, and from the questions being asked, it seems that this summer in Northern New Mexico gets a 5-star rating for being a challenging growing season. The season began with little rain and lots of high winds, seemingly non-stop, which made it very difficult for seedlings to survive after germination and to actually take off. The exceedingly cool nights and very warm days didn’t encourage a vigorous start. The summer rains have certainly provided some relief to courageous survivors, and finally, in the third week in July, gardens just poking along until now are “catching up,” with nice zucchinis, tomatoes, peppers and cukes at long last in sight. One new garden I started, using very large amounts of compost and aged manure – VERY pampered soil – has proven beyond doubt once again the tremendous benefit of well-prepared soil with plenty of aeration and good water retention; soil that provides a suitable environment for soil microorganisms. This particular garden has been admirably steady and un-troubled, but not every garden has those advantages.

So, the question is: “How does one cope with the garden circumstances at hand?” Don’t give up!

The first possibility to be explored is to find out if the watering has been deep enough. Adequately deep watering is essential for most of the veggies of our warm season. The amount of evaporation and desiccation in the high winds is unbearable for many tender young plants, and a little extra water at the right time may be essential for survival in the winds and high heat. Watering in the evening rather than in the heat of the day is most beneficial to the plants. Deeper watering at the start will encourage deeper roots, which will provide some extra tolerance for the winds and heat, particularly if the soil is getting too warm. Make sure that your soil has discernible dampness at least 6 – 8 inches down. Even the simple addition of 2-5% compost in the soil can reduce watering requirements by more than half.

One consequence of these challenging conditions that create a late start for veggies is that the effective growing season is shorter for ripening vegetables and fruits; you know how it goes – “will I ever get ripe tomatoes this year?” Tomatoes that have a late start may not have enough time to bear ripe fruits. Also, temperatures over 100 degrees may cause the flowers to fall off the tomato vines. For some plants like root veggies and greens, a way around a short season is to be prepared to extend the growing season by using some sort of covering, like cold frames, frost cloth or even shade cloth, which will help in the fall. For gardens in containers, plan a protected sunny and warm location where the containers can be moved towards the end of the summer. Placement against a sunny south-facing wall can be useful for ripening.

Besides always being thirsty, many of the plants may seem otherwise stressed, as evidenced by a veritable circus of various types of insect pests. It certainly is possible to help alleviate this problem with natural, organic approaches. Diverse cropping and crop rotation along with companion planting are very useful in reducing insect pests and other diseases. In some instances, it is possible that wilting is due to an invasion of soil nematodes rather than an insect. Marigolds planted all through the garden will help to discourage nematodes that may be destroying the roots.

Aphids seem to be one of the common pests in many locations this summer. If you have upped the level of nitrogen in your soil to encourage more rapid growth, if the N is excessive you may have unwittingly encouraged some aphids to move in. However, aphids are always on the lookout for their favorite hosts when conditions are stressful. Ladybugs are natural predators of aphids. They are known to eat 40 to 50 aphids a day! There are also beneficial syrphid flies that are predators of aphids. Another approach is to wash the insects off with a heavy spray of water, or applying water with liquid soap added (2 TBS per gallon). This will need to be followed up with a second washing. Neem oil, which comes from a tropical tree, is considered an organic treatment and is effective in getting rid of aphids. Neem concentrates and sprays are available at most nurseries. If aphids are persistent, planting some nasturtiums, spearmint or stinging nettle may help. Nasturtiums will also help if there is an onslaught of squash bugs.

What about those nice smooth-edged swiss-cheese-like holes mostly on the edges of the leaves? Those holes may essentially be harmless to the plant, the result of beneficial wasps munching on the leaves. However, if the leaves are continually being chewed, look carefully for little green worms, half an inch or so – these may be little baby cabbage loopers who love your cabbage, kale and chard. Or, if you spot big fat green caterpillars on your tomatoes and eggplants, pick off as many as possible. There are parasitic wasps and flies that are harmless to the plants, but will kill off the caterpillars and worms. There are also commonly available strains of bacteria that are used as microbial insecticides. The insects consume either the bacteria or the toxic protein crystal it produces. Bacillus thuringiensus (kurstaki strain) known as Btk, is a common and safe way to reduce the population of garden caterpillars. Bt preparations are available from most nurseries.

This article is not intended to be a comprehensive coverage of garden pests and organic pest control, but rather a sharing of solutions to this season’s challenges. Two of my favorite references are Garden Insects of North America by Whitney Cranshaw and the Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control, edited by Barbara Ellis and Fern Marshall Bradley. These references will help you with almost every challenge in your garden.

Susan Waterman has a Ph.D. in botany and over 25 years in sustainable agriculture. For more info, visit www.harvestbyhand.com. Questions? E-mail green@harvestbyhand.com.

By Tammy Hererra, Craig Conley and Avery Anderson

“Hózhó″ is a Navajo word that means “walking in beauty” – or living in a manner that strives to create and maintain balance, harmony, beauty and order. Hózhó is similar to, but much richer in meaning than the term “conservation” as it implies a deep connection between people and land. One cannot restore land health without people and culture. This concept forms the founding principal for understanding ecological and cultural resilience on Navajo land, and the work of the Ojo Encino Chapter of the Navajo Nation over the last decade.

The Ojo Encino Chapter of the Navajo Nation sits on the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau, 30 miles due west of Cuba, New Mexico. The restoration program at Ojo Encino is focused on building upon the traditional resilience strategies of the Navajo people. We aim to restore hózhó by:

• Restoring land health and cultural health
• Maintaining traditions by reconnecting people to land
• Creating new land and water management norms
• Feeding the community
• Re-engaging youth

In essence, hózhó is about rediscovering a land ethic, and it requires building local capacity and strategies that make land based activities economically viable and resilient.

The challenges facing this community, and many others in Indian Country, are daunting. First and foremost, is poverty. Many live without running water or electricity, and subsist on commodity food provided by the federal government that is causing obesity, diabetes and ultimately death. Healing the social, economic and political issues that plague this community will be a necessary component of restoring hózhó. As one elder recently said, “we have known imbalance for so long, harmony feels unnatural.”

The second daunting challenge to restoring hózhó is that people no longer depend on the local land base for sustenance. While it is certainly not our goal that the community of Ojo Encino return to a subsistence agricultural economy, there are cultural practices associated with agriculture that clearly sustain the health of the community and the health of the landscape. When land provides something that you NEED – it is natural that you would want to take good care of it! As a society, we have moved towards an increasingly cash based economy, and thus we see the land as cash – instead of as a resource from which we should only harvest what we need. As a result we have entered a vicious cycle of increasing pressure on land, which ultimately leads to land degradation. In a fragile landscape like Ojo Encino, this degradation is particularly pronounced.

The third challenge is getting young people involved, and demonstrating that there is meaningful work to be done in the community. One elder captured the challenge perfectly with the statement, “Our youth no longer see the land, they just see the road out of here.” There are few opportunities for youth to make a good living on the reservation, and a crucial element of restoring hózhó will be re-engaging the imaginations and creativity of the next generation of land stewards.

The final challenge is resistance to change. Old habits die hard, especially when the change doesn’t always fit in well with the “more, better, faster” American dream. Hózhó requires that we take our time, find beauty and meaning in what we do, and ultimately create harmony in the world around us.

Restoring hózhó

With support and help from the Ojo Encino Rancher’s Committee, the Rio Puerco Alliance, the Quivira Coalition, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Christensen Fund, the Packard Foundation, and numerous volunteers, the Ojo Encino community is systematically chipping away at these challenges, and making real change on the ground. The Ojo Encino Ranchers Committee has hosted a number of community events including a Native Foods Day, several grazing management workshops, road drainage and erosion control workshops, and two Horse Expos.

All of these programs have served an essential role in helping to restore hózhó, but two in particular have been very successful:

Feral Horse Management: Although it is easy to focus a lot of attention on managing livestock grazing, the real conservation challenge on Native lands is in managing feral horses. Driving across the Navajo reservation, small groups of feral horses are a frequent sight on the landscape. While romantic at first glance, the darker side of this picture is that these unmanaged herds are overgrazing open range and undermining efforts to restore rangelands to a healthy condition.

In many cases, these horses have no training, provide little economic value to Chapter members or their owners, and often die of starvation or injury. When herd populations grow to unmanageable levels, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) reduce numbers through roundups and auctions. This management strategy is very stressful for the horses, and doesn’t ultimately address the root causes of the feral horse over-population issue. This scenario is repeated again and again throughout the Southwest.

At Ojo Encino, we are taking a proactive and culturally appropriate approach to managing the feral horse problem. The Feral Horse Youth Program teaches tribal youth about the art and science of horsemanship, horse health management, and grazing management. In combination with a horse training program, we are working to create a more positive and interactive relationship between horses and people, as well as adding value to the horses, themselves.

In addition to improving the relationship between people and horse, we are also working to improve the health of the horse population. In 2009, Ojo Encino became the first Navajo Chapter certified to administer the immunocontraceptive PZP, which prevents mares from becoming pregnant for up to 22 months. Fewer pregnancies mean that mares remain healthier, and are more valuable to their owners. Through two community Horse Expos, over 50 mares have been immunized with PZP and 25 stallions gelded. The goal is to stabilize the population at around 350 horses, a number the Ojo Encino Ranchers Committee believes is sustainable.

Historic Flood Water Garden Restoration:

Historic agricultural sites represent areas of high ecological and cultural significance a landscape that is otherwise largely degraded. We have relied on the elders in the community to help identify these historic sites because most of the young people in the area were raised on commodity processed foods, and can’t remember a time when their community grew its own food and fed itself. These sites were sacred not only for the food they produced, but also for the diversity of medicinal plants that grew in the nutrient rich soils.

Community members are now coming forward with an interest in these old fields, not only as a means to feed their families “real” food, but also for their value as building blocks in a re-emerging local food system. Last spring the community of Ojo Encino held its first Native Foods Day where they gave away seeds hoping to promote home gardens and small scale local agriculture.

The Summer Youth Work Program aims to engage the Navajo youth by providing a training program in erosion control and dryland restoration. This summer, the Navajo youth crew are devoting some of their time to erosion control projects at these historic flood water gardens.

Looking Forward
There is much to be optimistic about! Green grass is now growing in places where we could only find bare ground a few years ago. There is a new Navajo-run non-profit called Hasbidito that is giving the community the ability to develop their own capacity, administer their own programs, and envision a bright future for their children. At Ojo Encino rancher committee meetings, members talk about healthy food, healthy livestock and healthy land. Youth show up in the summer to haul rocks to erosion sites. The feral horse population is being managed in a responsible and respectful manner. Gardens are feeding families. And when grazing experts come to talk about the need for grazing management plans, Ojo Encino ranchers proudly open their binders, show off their plans and explain what they are doing to implement them. Each of these small steps is beauty. Change comes slowly. It took decades to unravel a way of life that had persisted on this land for centuries. It will likely take an equal amount of time to rebuild it anew. There is no guide book. Each small step is a major victory, and a step closer to what is right, to hózhó, Walking in Beauty.

For more information on Ojo Encino, or for ideas on how you can support this important work, please contact Avery Anderson at avery@quiviracoalition.org, (505) 820-2544 Ext. 5#

This article was adapted from an article originally published in The Quivira Coalition’s Journal No. 35. Tammy Herrera is a resident of Ojo Encino and runs the Ojo Encino Horse Management Program Craig Conley, PhD, teaches natural resource management at New Mexico Highlands University. Avery Anderson is the Capacity Building and Mentorship Program Director for The Quivira Coalition.

An indigenous call to action, the Redstone Statement, was signed on May 1st, at the conclusion of the first International Summit on Indigenous Environmental Philosophy. Twenty-two participants came from Australia, Canada, Chile (Mapuche), Guatemala (Maya), India, Kenya, Mexico (Toltec), New Zealand, Russia, Siberia, Swaziland, Taiwan, Thailand, and American Indian communities in the United States.

The summit took place in the Anadarko Kiowa community of Redstone, Oklahoma. The main themes of the conference were environment and culture, especially the issue of how communities are dealing with global climate change. The role and importance of young people, the next generation, was an important theme. The summit benefited from the guidance of a circle of elders and American Indian students.

The statement is available at

http://indigenousenvirosummit10.unt.edu/wp-content/uploads/Redstone-Statement1.pdf.

Redstone Statement

1 May 2010

“Leave Us A Future!”

We are Indigenous environmental philosophers who have come from the four corners of the earth to Redstone, Oklahoma, to discuss the future of the planet.

Indigenous environmental philosophy respects a mutually supportive network of interconnected physical and spiritual entities that is sustainably maintained, and which connects the ancestral past with the distant future. The vision of our Indigenous peoples is to reach spiritual and material well-being through conscious action. Mother Earth is a living, dynamic being with inherent value, and her principles must be actively embodied in order to remain in harmony and balance.

Today, we are at a tipping point at which humanity is in danger of being removed from the cycles of Mother Earth. We bring this urgent message in response to Indigenous women, youth and children from around the world who have consistently asked us to leave them a more balanced planet.

We come as individuals from cultures whose authority originates from our unique relationships with nature and the environment. Our ways of living, and very existence, are threatened by the resistance of nation- states to include our institutions as part of the solutions that can save our planet. Consequently, we issue this call to the world.

Environmental, social, economic, and political conflicts over natural resources and access rights, climate change concerns, and other significant issues threatening international and local communities did not suddenly erupt on the global landscape. Rather, they are an outcome of the historical process that today affects every area of creation. Spiritual, cultural, social, economic, and political structures and values lost their connections to the communities and now focus exclusively on the individual. The world shifted from the circle of community to the ascendancy of the individual, resulting in a dangerous environmental imbalance with significant spiritual and health consequences. Balance must be restored in order to heal the earth, and it must include the participation of all ages, races, genders and cultures.

Effective mechanisms necessary for restoring balance include implementing the following:

1) Recognition of the interdependence of all things;

2) Indigenous self-determination;

3) Indigenous land, air, water, territory, and natural resource management;

4) Protection and preservation of Indigenous traditional knowledge, lifeways and languages, cultures, sacred sites, and folklores/oral traditions;

5) Indigenous authority over allactions impacting Indigenous communities;

6) Respect for, and protection of, traditional agricultures and genetic resources;

7) Seed sovereignty and food security;

Rights of movement, rights of access, rights of participation and communication in the exchange of environmental knowledge and culture.

We must assure the well-being of both humanity and nature. This requires a unification of diverse people who are open to ideas; people who are wise, clear, and profoundly human; and people who can transcend the self-imposed limits of their minds, reaching deep into their conscience and spirit for solutions.

All governments, communities, leaders, individuals, industries, and corporations must immediately act together to restore the balance that is essential for continued existence.

We call for a review of existing commercial practices and an end to any further non-sustainable exploitation and degradation of natural resources- for all generations to come. We also call for a portion of profits to be invested in the development of renewable energy resources.

We as Indigenous environmental philosophers breathe life into this statement and commit to implementing the provisions contained in it.

Unanimously agreed upon by 22 Delegates.