Aboriginal Land Stewardship
Aboriginal people have long been stewards of their lands and resources. The people and the land are interconnected through a relationship based upon respect and caring for the earth and all its life forms. Land stewardship means taking responsibility for the well-being of the environment and protecting or restoring the land, water, air and all living things, including the people.
The Aboriginal Land Stewardship Program has been developed to respond to the needs of communities for land and resource management training. The program integrates traditional and contemporary approaches to land use planning and resource management. The teaching methods will emphasize the value of oral tradition, hands on experience and a spiritual understanding of the environment. Students and teachers, as well as Elders and other community resources, will share land stewardship knowledge and skills, which respect traditional values, culture and personal experience. In addition to specific content, each course in the Aboriginal Land Stewardship program will address the foundation skills for competent workers in the high perf o rmance workplace. Through a wholistic approach students will acquire knowledge, skills and experience, which they can use in their own communities, or elsewhere, in a variety of interesting and challenging jobs.
The Aboriginal Land Stewardship Program (ALS) is a certificate program consisting of six core courses and four elective courses. The Native Education College will deliver the six core courses and may also coordinate the delivery of the elective courses. Or, the electives may be taken at a local college, university or by distance learning. For more information regarding the locations offering the Aboriginal Land Stewardship program and the various delivery options including part-time, community partnerships and online learning please contact the ALS Program Coordinator at the college.
Aboriginal Land Stewardship Program Content
| Semester I: | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| ALS 120 | Introduction to Land Stewardship | 3 |
| ALS 130 | Leadership Skills | 3 |
| ALS 140 | Ecosystems | 3 |
| Elective Course* | 3 | |
| Elective Course* | 3 | |
| Semester II: | Credits | |
| ALS 150 | Community-based Planning | 3 |
| ALS 160 | Law-making Processes | 3 |
| ALS 170 | Contemporary Issues | 3 |
| Elective Course* | 3 | |
| Elective Course* | 3 | |
| *Elective Courses: Economics, First Nations Studies, Geography and Political Systems. | ||
Course Descriptions
ALS 120 This course will lay the groundwork for the ALS program by defining relevant terminology and exploring the concepts of wholism and worldviews. Topics, which will be discussed, include, but are not limited to, traditional land ownership and stewardship practices, and historical precedents and legal cases that define Aboriginal rights and title. |
ALS 130 The challenges of leadership exist within organizations, communities and at the personal level. This course will present the learner with the opportunity to explore their own leadership style, strengths and challenges; enhance communication and problem solving skills and abilities for working within their own organizations; and explore leadership issues within their own community. |
ALS 140 Students will explore the ecosystems of their traditional territory, and show that managing ecosystems relates to the well-being of their community. This is not a “science” course but rather a course that puts scientific classification and legislation into a community context. |
ALS 150 Community-Based Planning will present contemporary community planning approaches and techniques and explore how these might be integrated into the traditional models of community process, decision-making and planning. |
ALS 160 This course will explore contemporary legal issues and approaches being used to achieve self-government. Topics that will be addressed include land claims negotiations, and resource development on traditional Aboriginal lands. |
ALS 170 We have recently seen important decisions recognizing Aboriginal rights in Canada. With each decision there is a need to determine the precise nature of these rights and their application at the community level. Building on the material covered in the previous courses, Contemporary Issues will scrutinize the affects of Aboriginal land claims, self-government and impacts on current laws. A primary focus will be on the nature of change, its affects, and how we deal effectively with change as individuals and within communities. |
