While we have discussions about place, land, and making change in communities, we wanted to share some thoughts about the original and current stewards of this land and place.

We would like to acknowledge the history of the traditional territory and honour the longstanding relationships of the three local First Nations of this land and place in Southwestern Ontario. The Attawandaron (Neutral) peoples once settled this region alongside the Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples, and used this land as their traditional hunting grounds. The three longstanding Indigenous groups of this geographical region are the Anishinaabeg, The Haudenosaunee and the Lenaapeewak.

We would also like to recognize the three First Nations communities downriver Deshkan Ziibi (Thames River/Antler River): Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Oneida Nation of the Thames and Munsee-Delaware Nation. We strive throughout this program and in our future programming and actions, to work with these communities to continue to listen, learn and restore the natural area back to its original beauty, support local initiatives and help our communities become climate and socially resilient.