LIGHT Foundation (original) (raw)

What We're About

Our Mission

Cultivate positive relationships between Indigenous People and landowners in order to have shared outcomes in ecological stewardship, habitat conservation, and climate adaptation.

Enrich communities by providing hands-on tools and support for teaching gathering traditions and honoring native plants in culturally appropriate ways.

Perpetuate ecological heritage of Indigenous People through intergenerational knowledge transmission and supporting traditional landscape practices.

L.I.G.H.T. Foundation Tenets

Leadership - We cultivate relationships between traditional gatherers and landowners which encourage mutually beneficial conservation easements while supporting food sovereignty and access rights.
Indigenous - We support projects which restore holistic land use practices of Indigenous Peoples and provide opportunities for community involvement and co-management.
Guardian - We develop partnerships with allies who protect pollinator health and the habitats of Indigenous spirit relatives (traditional foods, medicines, fibers, and other plant materials).
Honor - We advocate for initiatives which strengthen the understanding of humanity’s reciprocal relationships with nature, particularly those that seek wisdom and knowledge of Indigenous Elders.
Teach - We nuture educational opportunities that encourage participation in activities and academics of environmental stewardship, conservation, permaculture, and food sovereignty.

Current Initiatives

Roots for the Future

Educate and inform land managers and academic institutions that native plants important to Indigenous Peoples need culturally appropriate research support to identify climate vulnerability and adaptation potential. Secure inclusion of culturally appropriate native plant species into habitat restoration and reforestation projects.

Re-seeding Memory

Roots for the Future

Review H.R. 1054 titled “Botanical Science and Native Plant Material Research and Restoration and Promotion Act” with the intent to implement a similar policy in Washington State. The focus of this initiative would be to insert it into a Washington State bill that is similar but focused on integrating culturally appropriate language for traditional and cultural plants of PNW Tribes.

Certified Indigenous

Roots for the Future

Certified Indigenous

Seek partnership with entities currently offering salmon, habitat, or wildlife safe certifications to incorporate traditional plants into their certification processes for agriculture, business and homeowners. The intent would be to ensure native plants important to Indigenous Peoples are part of the certification process, and to facilitate and support gathering access to those sites.

Secure Harvest

First Food Pollinators

Certified Indigenous

Identify status of food security, system, and sovereignty policies of PNW Tribes and determine extent to which traditional food plants and medicines are included in them. Offer assistance to help draft, revise, or create current policies to help conservation efforts and identify mechanisms to support gathering access.

First Food Pollinators

Establish resource hub to help protect pollinators in regions of importance to Indigenous Peoples, particularly by increasing awareness of forest and agricultural practices. Hub will also collect and distribute information on how individuals can help protect pollinators species and educate people how to become direct stewards through pollinator identification and beekeeping basics.

Support Our Mission

We are a Native led, 501 (c)(3) non-profit, whose intent is to support native plant conservation and restoration of native plant gathering traditions for Pacific Northwest tribes.

EIN: 87-3832254

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