Board Member

Lyla June Johnston is an historical ecologist focusing on the intersection of Indigenous land management and Indigenous food systems in both pre-Columbian and contemporary times. Her research unearths the nuances of how Indigenous Nations shaped the North American continent through extensive clipping, burning, pruning and sculpting of land and marine food systems through meticulous management of complex biotic communities. Her work translates this poorly understood history to the Western world and highlights the connection between Indigenous sovereignty, decolonizing historical ecological narratives, carbon sequestration, biodiversity augmentation and regional ecosystems connectivity.