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What We're About

Our Mission

Cultivate positive relationships between Indigenous People and landowners in order to have shared outcomes in ecological stewardship, habitat conservation, and climate adaptation.

Enrich communities by providing hands-on tools and support for teaching gathering traditions and honoring native plants in culturally appropriate ways.

Perpetuate ecological heritage of Indigenous People through intergenerational knowledge transmission and supporting traditional landscape practices.

L.I.G.H.T. Foundation Tenets

Leadership - We cultivate relationships between traditional gatherers and landowners which encourage mutually beneficial conservation easements while supporting food sovereignty and access rights.
Indigenous - We support projects which restore holistic land use practices of Indigenous Peoples and provide opportunities for community involvement and co-management.
Guardian - We develop partnerships with allies who protect pollinator health and the habitats of Indigenous spirit relatives (traditional foods, medicines, fibers, and other plant materials).
Honor - We advocate for initiatives which strengthen the understanding of humanity’s reciprocal relationships with nature, particularly those that seek wisdom and knowledge of Indigenous Elders.
Teach - We nuture educational opportunities that encourage participation in activities and academics of environmental stewardship, conservation, permaculture, and food sovereignty.

2025 Year at a Glance

LF has accomplished much this past year, including:

Awarded the Eric Stensgar Memorial Scholarship for the first time
Launched Embers, a monthly newsletter to support cultural burning traditions of Tribal Nations & Indigenous Peoples (TIP)
Started as lead convener and facilitator for two conservation collaborations to support TIP
Facilitated two TIP workshops/training events
Gave three presentations to the public, work groups, and students about LF initiatives
Published four articles about important conservation work being led by TIP
Provided five public comments to federal actions impacting Spirit Relatives and LF initiatives
Served on five advisory groups for local, regional, and national projects

We could not have accomplished these activities without the support of our partners, colleagues, and volunteers. Thank you for helping LF advocate and support all of our Spirit Relatives!

See our detailed 2025 Year at Glance here.

Current Initiatives

Roots for the Future

Indigenous Climate Futures

Educate and inform land managers and academic institutions that native plants important to Indigenous Peoples need culturally appropriate research support to identify climate vulnerability and adaptation potential. Secure inclusion of culturally appropriate native plant species into habitat restoration and reforestation projects.

Indigenous Climate Futures

Provide resources, research, support, and training for culturally grounded climate adaptation while upholding Indigenous sovereignty and rights. Foster partnerships to create shared visions of thriving homelands, habitats, and resilient communities for the next Seven Generations.

Right Relations

Indigenous Climate Futures

Secure Harvest

Seek partnership with entities & organizations currently providing habitat or wildlife certifications, conservation easements, or law and policy innovations to advance Spirit Relatives stewardship and Rights of Nature. The intent is to ensure Spirit Relatives are protected in certification, land management, and legal processes to facilitate and support reciprocal and sustaining relationships centered on Indigenous practices and worldviews.

Secure Harvest

First Food Pollinators

Secure Harvest

Identify status of food security, system, and sovereignty policies of PNW Tribes and determine extent to which traditional food plants and medicines are included in them. Offer assistance to help draft, revise, or create current policies to help conservation efforts and identify mechanisms to support gathering access.

First Food Pollinators

Establish resource hub to help protect pollinators in regions of importance to Indigenous Peoples, particularly by increasing awareness of forest and agricultural practices. Hub will also collect and distribute information on how individuals can help protect pollinators species and educate people how to become direct stewards through pollinator identification and beekeeping basics.

Now through 12/31/25, all donations will benefit our Scholarship Fund!

What We're About

Our Mission

L.I.G.H.T. Foundation Tenets

2025 Year at a Glance

LF has accomplished much this past year, including:

Current Initiatives

Roots for the Future

Indigenous Climate Futures

Indigenous Climate Futures

Indigenous Climate Futures

Indigenous Climate Futures

Indigenous Climate Futures

Right Relations

Indigenous Climate Futures

Secure Harvest

Secure Harvest

First Food Pollinators

Secure Harvest

First Food Pollinators

First Food Pollinators

First Food Pollinators

First Food Pollinators

First Food Pollinators

Support Our Mission

Now through 12/31/25, all donations will benefit our Scholarship Fund!

What We're About

Our Mission

L.I.G.H.T. Foundation Tenets

2025 Year at a Glance

LF has accomplished much this past year, including:

Current Initiatives

Roots for the Future

Indigenous Climate Futures

Indigenous Climate Futures

Indigenous Climate Futures

Indigenous Climate Futures

Indigenous Climate Futures

Right Relations

Indigenous Climate Futures

Secure Harvest

Secure Harvest

First Food Pollinators

Secure Harvest

First Food Pollinators

First Food Pollinators

First Food Pollinators

First Food Pollinators

First Food Pollinators

Support Our Mission

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