This talk, led by Gabriel Benjamin, M.A. in Public History and Executive Director of the Institute for American Indian Studies, explores how Indigenous communities of Quinnetukut have long cared for the land and waterways of this region. Gabriel shares traditional ecological knowledge — including sustainable harvesting, forest and waterway management, and seasonal cycles — and connects these practices to modern conservation and land-trust stewardship. Participants gain a deeper understanding of the reciprocal relationship between Native peoples and the living landscape that continues to shape our region today.