Across the Kainai First Nation, restoring relationships between people, land, and culture is essential to addressing environmental challenges such as drought, declining native plant populations, and food insecurity. Strengthening this connection requires both the protection of culturally important species and the sharing of knowledge with the next generation.
For more than a decade, the Kainai Ecosystem Protection Association (KEPA) has advanced land stewardship through education, restoration, and community partnerships. The organization blends Blackfoot Traditional Ecological Knowledge with Western science to restore native plants, collect and preserve seeds, and support food sovereignty initiatives. Projects include grassland restoration, pollinator habitat planting, prescribed burns, and the propagation of culturally important plants such as sweetgrass, wild turnip, and yampah.
Through land-based learning programs, community gatherings, and partnerships with schools and organizations, KEPA is helping strengthen environmental knowledge and stewardship across the region. By restoring native species and sharing cultural teachings, the organization is building a foundation for healthier ecosystems and future generations of Blackfoot land stewards.
