WNC Environmental Summit

Times and topics subject to change, check back for updates

• 9:00-9:30 a.m.: Check-In & Community Partner Poster Sessions
• 9:30-10:00 a.m.: Keynote Bridging Worlds: Ecology, Culture, and the future of Conservaction. Dr. Caleb Hickman, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Supervisory Fish and Wildlife Biologist.
• 10:00-10:15 a.m.: Small Group Discussions & Youth Summit Groups
• 10:15-10:45 a.m.: Keynote: Cherokee Preservation of Communities, Landscapes, and Cultural Resources. Amber Allen, Noquisi Initiative, Project Coordinator.
• 10:45-11:30 a.m.: Small Group Discussion
• 11:30-Noon: Rachel Hart, Balsam Mountain Trust
Wildlife Conservation Presentation (Live Animal Presentation)
• Noon-12:30 p.m.: Lunch Break (bring your own, or visit a food truck) and Blue Ridge Electric Vehicle Presentation
• 12:30-1:15 p.m.: Concurrent Sessions: 
Youth Action Lab OR
 Panel: Change and Resiliency in Waterways of WNC
• 1:15-2:00 p.m.: Concurrent Sessions
: Youth Action Lab OR Panel: Forestry, Fish, and Wildlife Conservation

Dr. Caleb Hickman, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Supervisory Fish and Wildlife Biologist

Dr. Caleb Hickman, a proud citizen of the Cherokee Nation, found his love for nature amidst the oak-hickory forests, lakes, and clear creeks in northeastern Oklahoma where he was born and raised. His lifelong passion for understanding and preserving the natural world has led him from mountaintops to deserts, studying a diverse array of ecosystems and organisms. For over a decade, Caleb has dedicated himself to the biodiverse Cherokee homeland here in the southern Appalachians. As a supervisory biologist for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, he works with all manner of wildlife, fish and their ecosystems. You might find him working on elk one day and salamanders the next. He strives to reconnect with Cherokee lifeways through the natural world and wants to inspire others to deepen their connection to their native environment. With a bachelor’s degree in biology from Missouri Valley College, a master’s degree from Missouri State University, and a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he is committed to both scientific excellence and the rich cultural heritage of the Cherokee Nation.

Amber Allen, Noquisi Initiative, Project Coordinator

Amber grew up in the mountains of Leicester, NC. Throughout her childhood, she learned a lot about Cherokee and Appalachian traditions. She spent many years gardening, canning, and gathering materials for honeysuckle baskets. Even as a child, Amber always wanted to learn her native language. She graduated CLMAP (Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program) in the Summer of 2023. She continues to learn and teach the Cherokee language. Along with her fellow CLMAP cohorts, they developed a puppet troupe that teaches Cherokee language to children and adults by performing shows and videos entirely in the Cherokee language. Throughout her time in CLMAP, she also wanted to be more involved in conservation efforts of native plants and the land, especially traditional basket materials. She has participated in many conservation efforts including blood root and rivercane. Amber is dedicated to the revitalization and preservation of her language, culture, and the land she's lived on her entire life. She wants her children and future generations to experience and learn the importance of these conservation efforts and hopes it will continue for generations to come.