Alicia Thompson

I identify as a Navajo woman – my maternal clan is Towering House. Currently located near the base of the sacred Mount Taylor, in the Pueblo of Laguna in New Mexico. I am a landless farmer with chickens, honeybees, and a native plants and foods nursery. My current work includes building a food forest demonstration garden using Indigenous permaculture and traditional knowledge. I am also an Indigenous consultant who provides guidance on working with tribal partners, and guidance for tribes in native nation building strategies. I completed my graduate education from Northern Arizona University, with my studies focused around Indigenous food ways and integrating that into Indigenous environmental management. I am grateful for my mentors in the Applied Indigenous Studies department, School of Forestry and those working directly in Indigenous communities to strengthen Indigenous food sovereignty and food security.

Plenary

Southwest Agroforestry from an Indigenous Perspective

This presentation will provide examples of ancestral and current Indigenous farming practices that have sustained communities and cultures in the Southwest for thousands of years. These agricultural practices can revitalize a local landscape into an edible landscape that is reflective of our bioregion and our diets.