There's still time to register to attend the symposium, “Tule and Cattail: A Tale of the Marsh Economy and Its Role in Human Health and Wellbeing,”  set for 1 to 5 p.m., Sunday, March 17 in Ballroom B of the UC Davis Conference Center, located at 550 Alumni Lane. The event is free and family friendly.

Registration is underway at https://tinyurl.com/bdhrhurh. You also can access the QR code on the flyer below.

The goal is "to advance the land management aims of local tribal communities and provide a platform to educate about the importance of maintaining wetland biology for climate change, ecological and human health, and vector control,” announced medical entomologist-geneticist Geoffrey Attardo, associate professor, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology. 

The symposium is sponsored by the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology and the Pacific Southwest Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, which aims to “strengthen the capacity to prevent and respond to emerging vector-borne diseases in the southwestern United States and Pacific Islands.” 

Attardo has been working for a year on the collaborative outreach project to integrate indigenous ecological knowledge and Western science to provide educational outreach opportunities.

His collaborator is Diana Almendariz, a traditional ecological knowledge specialist and a cultural practitioner of Maidu/Wintun,Hupa/Yurok traditions, heritage, and experiences.  She will discuss the precolonial relationships between native peoples and wetlands in Northern California, the impacts of colonization on those relationships, and the application of traditional ecological knowledge practices to restore damaged wetland ecosystems. (See video of her talking about her goals at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcDZlPPFEik.)

Agenda (The symposium will start promptly at 1 p.m. so attendees are asked to arrive early). 

Snacks and drinks will be provided.

1 to 2:30 p.m.: Presentation by Diana Almendariz: "Cultural History and Traditional Ecological Management of Wetlands." She'll be exploring the deep connection between indigenous history and wetland ecosystems.

2:30 to 2:35 p.m.:  Break

2:35 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.: Presentation by Geoff Attardo: "Wetland Biology and its Importance for Ecological and Human Health." He'll be discussing wetland biology's significance in climate change, ecology, and vector-borne disease.

3:15 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.:  Break

3:20 p.m.– 3:50 p.m.: Tule Weaving Demonstration: Participants will learn traditional Tule weaving techniques, connecting with the material culture of wetland management.

3:50 p.m. – 4 p.m.  Break

4 p.m. - 5 p.m.: Question and Answer Session: Attendees can engage with the speakers and delve deeper into the topics discussed.

(For more information, contact Geoffrey Attardo at gmattardo@ucdavis.edu)