2025 Alberta Ecotrust Foundation Environmental Gathering. Credit: Alberta Ecotrust Foundation.

May 2025 Alberta Ecotrust Foundation Environmental Gathering

From May 7-9, 2025, RAD Operations team members Randi and Chelsea gathered in Moh’kinstsis (now known as Calgary) in Treaty 7 Territory for the Alberta Ecotrust Foundation Environmental Gathering. This year’s theme was Building Bridges to highlight the importance of trust, collaboration and connection in co-creating a sustainable and resilient future.

The conference included various expert panels ranging from green landscapes, ‘middle’ housing infrastructure, artificial intelligence as well as various smaller break out rooms for all attendees. Both Randi and Chelsea attended the Rights of Nature breakout session where Jason Unger, Executive Director of the Environmental Law Centre, discussed how legal personhood for rivers and other innovations can bridge Indigenous and settler worldviews, reshape environmental governance, and drive reconciliation. Individuals from Keepers of the Water also attended this session and RAD will be following up to see how the Network can support their paths forward.

Alberta Environmental Network and Re.Climate hosted a session on speaking directly about climate change with Albertans and how to build momentum and public support around these important topics. The session discussed deep canvassing and how panelists engaged in on-the-ground conversations with Albertans about climate change, which helped to build trust and strengthen community support for climate action.

Clifton Cross is a Council Member for Frog Lake First Nation and presented as a keynote speaker on FLFN’s involvement in industry projects such as green hydrogen and carbon sequestration. His work focuses on Capacity Development, Research, and Sustainable Economic Development through the comprehensive Legacy Energy & Alternative Power (LEAP) Strategic Master Plan, which integrates energy, transportation, food, and water sovereignty. Clifton requested conference attendees follow his LinkedIn account for many exciting updates and announcements about their ongoing projects and RAD will be following up to discuss potential for case studies and storytelling opportunities.

Image Credit: Alberta Ecotrust Foundation.

Otipemisiwak Métis Government hosted an interactive workshop session, grounded in the Métis perspective of walking in two worlds, that challenged participants to re-imagine how to approach project proposal development. The workshop challenged participants to think about project co-benefits AS the main outcomes/deliverables rather than ‘just’ co-benefits; recentering that social wellbeing and strengthening Indigenous knowledge systems are central to Indigenous led projects, not peripheral or ‘after thoughts’.

Finally, the last session Chelsea and Randi attended included Reconciliation & Climate Change: an Inner (and Outer) Journey. Sherri Houle (Founder at Eagle Healing), Roberta Giroux (Indigenous Employment at PME Inc.), and Raj Rathnavalu (Founder at Newo Global Energy) all shared their stories on their journeys in life and how they all chose their careers.

This gathering was a beautiful weaving of knowledge and practices that can help inform our network support. We are hoping to connect with some of the speakers, panelists and attendees in wayfinding conversations to uncover ways to be in relationship with one another moving forward.

Read more at https://albertaecotrust.com/environmental-gathering.