SYMPOSIUM PRESENTER TITLE: Exploring The eco-cultural relationships of beaver and wild rice: Hydrological and cultural perspectives ABSTRACT: As ecosystem engineers, North American beaver (Castor canadensis; Amik in Ojibwemowin) build wetland habitats that fulfill their own needs for food and safety and contribute to wetland biodiversity for countless other species. Historically, beaver and other cultural keystone species such as wild rice (Zizania palustris, Z. aquatica; manoomin in Ojibwemowin) have coexisted with the Anishnaabeg and other Indigenous peoples. Contemporary land management regimes intended to benefit wild rice and other species, however, have evolved such that beaver are routinely removed from wild rice waters. In partnership with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, the Fairfax Beaver Lab at the University of Minnesota / St. Anthony Falls Laboratory is researching the hydrological impact of beavers on wild rice waters to characterize how these species impact one another and inform the direction of natural resource management related to beavers and wild rice. Additionally, our research seeks to contextualize our quantitative research (using monitoring data, remote sensing, and hydrological modeling) within a greater understanding of the ongoing relationships between beaver, wild rice, and the Anishinaabeg peoples of the Great Lakes.   BIO: Mickki Garrity is Bodewadmikwe and enrolled in the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. She has over fifteen years' experience in business and non-profit management and a background as a storyteller and writer. She holds a B.S. in Native Environmental Science from Northwest Indian College and is pursuing a PhD at the University of Minnesota to explore the eco-cultural relationships between Mnomen (Zizania, wild rice) and Mek (Castor canadensis, North American Beaver), in partnership with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission.