CLAY COUNTY, N.C. – The Center for Native Health, in partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) Natural Resources Division and the USDA Forest Service, recently coordinated a historic gathering at Buck Creek, marking the beginning of a series of gatherings aimed at strengthening dialogue and collaboration between the Forest Service and Cherokee people throughout their ancestral lands. This event brought together members of the Cherokee community, including the Elohi Dinigatiyi (Earth Keepers), to exchange knowledge and reinforce stewardship practices for this unique environment.
Checking out plants and landscape features at Buck Creek Serpentine in the Nantahala Forest are, left to right, Jaime van Leuven, Chestnut Foundation; Payton Bradley, EBCI Natural Resources intern; Mary Thompson, EBCI elder; and Roseanna Belt, EBCI elder. (Photos courtesy of Center for Native Health)
“As far as we know, this is the largest gathering of Cherokee people in this place together since the removal period, which to me is really meaningful,” said Trey Adcock, PhD, executive director for The Center for Native Health, reflecting on the significance of the gathering.
Community members in attendance also shared their reflections on the experience. “It has been a while since I have been back to Buck Creek. Coming back to this area was meaningful to me. There is something in this area that makes you feel you are back to your old home place,” said Roger Smoker, an EBCI elder from Tutiyi (Snowbird) who was moved by the return to these ancestral grounds.
Mary Thompson, artist and EBCI elder from Kolanvyi (Big Cove) was also in attendance. She remarked on the importance of continuing this connection with the land. “I thought it was pretty awesome to be a part of this group, and to learn more about the history and biology of that particular piece of land, as it relates to our culture and our Cherokee people. It makes me realize though how much we don’t know and are not teaching our students and young adults. I am an elder and I’m continuously amazed as I learn more about our relationships with the plants and animals of this land.”
In this first of several planned visits, USDA Forest Service botanist Maria Dunlavey shared insights from Western-based science on the ecological diversity of the area while engaging in a meaningful exchange with Cherokee knowledge keepers to learn from their deep-rooted expertise in traditional ecological knowledge. The dialogue represents an evolving partnership that merges scientific perspectives to promote informed, sustainable care for ancestral lands and ecosystems. Through this collaborative approach, Indigenous and Western perspectives are working together to support conservation efforts and reinforce “Land Back” initiatives that advocate for Indigenous stewardship.
Avery Guy, EBCI Program Coordinator NC Conservation Corps, and Jaime van Leuven, Chestnut Foundation, are shown viewing plant species found at Buck Creek Serpentine in the Nantahala Forest. In the background, Corlee Thomas Hill, Tribal Liaison Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI); Payton Bradley, EBCI Natural Resources intern; Josh Parris, Forest Manager, EBCI Natural Resources; and Michelle Baumflek, USFS, are all listening to a presentation on plant species being given by Nantahala Forest Botanist Maria Dunlavey.
The Buck Creek Forest Visit is funded by a Partnership Agreement between the USDA Forest Service and The Center for Native Health, underscoring a shared commitment to Cherokee land stewardship and ecological resilience. This gathering reflects The Center for Native Health’s Land and Wellness Program principles, which emphasize that health and community well-being are inherently connected to the land, guided by a balanced approach of Indigenous knowledge and collaborative conservation practices.
For more information about this event or to inquire about upcoming forest visits, please contact Bonnie Claxton, Land and Wellness Program Officer for The Center for Native Health, at bonnie_claxton@centerfornativehealth.org.
- Center for Native Health release
