Interpretive Guides Association: Interpretation: Land Trusts and Indigenous Partnerships

Interpretation: Land Trusts and Indigenous Partnerships presented by Joanie McGuffin on behalf of Interpretive Guides Association (IGA), Canada.

30 Years ago, after paddling around Lake Superior, the greatest expanse of freshwater on Earth, my husband and I were looking for a way to expand our voice to protect and care for water. We had been paddling waterways together, sharing our stories through various mediums long before computers and the Internet. There was both joy and heartbreak on these journeys that revealed the best and the worst of humanity’s relationship with the natural world.

This presentation has three parts. I) Forming a land trust (the Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy) to be part of a conservation network, thereby expanding the voices (human and all other) of the Lake Superior watershed. 2) Discovering through Indigenous voices how to approach land conservation and protection differently, and 3) Our discovery of Interpretation’s magic – to make the work of LSWC more effective for positive change through our Canoes for Conservation and MetisTours tour experiences or the educational programs at our preserves.

Originally presented live in December 2024 as part of the 2024 Global Excellence in Heritage Interpretation Webinar Series.