Welcome to the RAD Story Lodge. This episode features a conversation about the Wabanaki Forest, Climate, and Land Back Partnership. Delta Flood speaks with Darran O’Leary (Passamaquoddy Recognition Group Inc.), Stephanie Merrill (Nature Trust of New Brunswick) and Anne Herteis (Community Forests International). Listen in to hear about a unique collaboration between three Indigenous Nations and two environmental organizations who have joined forces to protect 9000 acres of endangered Wabanaki Forest through the establishment of an IPCA (Indigenous Protected and Conserved/Cultural Area). 

The RAD Story Lodge is hosted by RAD (Restore, Assert and Defend) Network, a network that seeks to center Indigenous rights and leadership within conservation finance and nature-based solutions. Learn more about the RAD Network here. 

This episode was produced by Arina Isaeva (Wolf Eye Productions), hosted by Delta Flood and introduced by Randi Russell, with music by Digging Roots.  The RAD Story Lodge is made possible with funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Links: 

• RAD Network website: https://radnetwork.ca/
• RAD Network mailing list: http://eepurl.com/iNvdM6
• RAD Network socials: Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook
• RAD Linktree: https://linktr.ee/radnetwork 
• Indigenous Lands Symposium: https://www.wahkohtowin.com/indigenous-lands-symposium-2026 

In Episode 2, “What is RAD? Part 2”, we continue introducing you to the RAD Network Leadership Circle, who share what brought them to this work and why this moment matters. Hear from Dani Warren (Great Bear Carbon), Terry Dorward (IISAAK OLAM Foundation) and Gwen Bridge (Gwen Bridge Consulting), who share their perspectives on ‘nature-based solutions’ and the collective purpose that brought the RAD Network together.

The RAD Story Lodge is hosted by RAD (Restore, Assert and Defend) Network, a network that seeks to centre Indigenous rights and leadership within conservation finance and nature-based solutions. 

This episode was produced by Karim Rizkallah and Randi Russell, with music by Digging Roots. The RAD Story Lodge is made possible with funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Links: 

• RAD Network website: https://radnetwork.ca/
• RAD Network mailing list: http://eepurl.com/iNvdM6
• RAD Network socials: 
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/radnetwork_/ 
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/restore-assert-defend-rad-network/ 
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Wz6M5rv5k/?mibextid=wwXIfr 
• RAD Linktree: https://linktr.ee/radnetwork 
• Digging Roots: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6jXRPYI1uhTRJKuetXMRpj?si=ncoOz3VdSwe_p0fqpXtdag 

Welcome to the RAD Story Lodge. In this episode, we introduce the RAD Leadership Circle who share what brought them to this work and why this moment matters. Listen along to hear from the brilliant people paddling the RAD Network canoe.

Episode 1, “What is RAD? - Part 1”, features David Flood (Wahkohtowin Development), Sam Whiteye (Carolinian Canada) and Steven Nitah (Nature for Justice). Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll hear from Gwen Bridge (Gwen Bridge Consulting), Terry Dorward (IISAAK OLAM Foundation), and Dani Warren (Great Bear Carbon). 

The RAD Story Lodge is hosted by RAD (Restore, Assert and Defend) Network, a network that seeks to centre Indigenous rights and leadership within conservation finance and nature-based solutions. 

This episode was produced by Karim Rizkallah and Randi Russell, with music by Digging Roots. The RAD Story Lodge is made possible with funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Links: 

• RAD Network website: https://radnetwork.ca/
• RAD Network mailing list: http://eepurl.com/iNvdM6
• RAD Network socials: 
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/radnetwork_/ 
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/restore-assert-defend-rad-network/ 
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Wz6M5rv5k/?mibextid=wwXIfr 
• RAD Linktree: https://linktr.ee/radnetwork 
• Digging Roots: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6jXRPYI1uhTRJKuetXMRpj?si=ncoOz3VdSwe_p0fqpXtdag 

From Our Archives: This pilot episode was produced in 2023 as part of the RAD Network Moccasin Telegraph, now known as the RAD Story Lodge. In this episode we hear from Steven Nitah, a member of the RAD Network’s Leadership Circle and a proud member of Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation.  Steven served as Chief in 2008 and was the Nation’s lead negotiator in the creation of the Thaidene Nëné Indigenous Protected Area—one of the largest protected areas in North America.  Steven has also been an active member of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative (ILI) for over a decade, and recently embarked on a new role with Nature For Justice. 

In this episode, Steven shares his perspective as a core member of the Indigenous Circle of Experts (ICE), contributing to We Rise Together, a landmark report on achieving Canada’s conservation goals through the creation of Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) in the spirit and practice of reconciliation.  This led to the creation of the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership, from which the RAD Network is now emerging.  Steven notes that Indigenous peoples make up about 5% of the world’s population, but steward 80% of the remaining biodiversity on Earth, highlighting that “we’re proven to be the best caretakers of nature; the world needs that”.  Steven speaks of the intent for the RAD Network to help build tools to ensure that Indigenous rights, responsibilities and value systems are centered in nature based solutions and other conservation finance pathways that support IPCAs. 

Music by Lexin_Music from Pixabay.

Keywords: restore, assert, defend, Indigenous, Canada, Turtle Island, environment, climate, reconciliation

From Our Archives: This pilot episode was produced in 2023 as part of the RAD Network Moccasin Telegraph, now known as the RAD Story Lodge. We connected with David Flood, a member of the RAD Network’s Leadership Group. David is the General Manager of Wahkohtowin Development GPI. and an Advisor to the Indigenous Leadership Initiative. David has 30 years of experience as an Indigenous practitioner with a background in forestry, forest management, science, and land use planning. In this episode, David reflects on his journey of reconnecting with his Indigenous roots and his advocacy for Indigenous rights. He shares about his role as the General Manager of Wahkohtowin Development General Partnership, a social enterprise owned by the Chapleau Cree, Missanabie Cree and Brunswick House First Nations.  We hear how Wahkohtowin is working to  empower First Nations to participate fully in forestry and environmental planning, and how the benefits of this partnership go back to the communities. David also discusses his involvement with the Indigenous Leadership Initiative and its mission to support nation-building across Canada in a non-political fashion.

Music by Lexin_Music from Pixabay.

Keywords: restore, assert, defend, Indigenous, Canada, Turtle Island, environment, climate, reconciliation