Allyson Menzies, University of Calgary, Canada
Abstract
Indigenous Peoples have long-standing relationships with wildlife rooted in kinship, respect, and reciprocity—relationships that challenge conventional notions of coexistence. Drawing from Indigenous voices and interviews with researchers and practitioners, this talk explores what it means to truly live well with wildlife and what shifts are needed to get there.
Bio
Dr. Allyson Menzies, of mixed Métis and settler ancestry, was born on Treaty 2 territory, where time on the Land with family sparked a lasting curiosity about ecology and a commitment to stewardship. She completed her MSc on bat physiology at the University of Winnipeg and her PhD at McGill University, studying the winter energetics of lynx, hares, and squirrels in the Yukon. Her postdoctoral work shifted toward socioecological systems and the integration of Indigenous values in environmental monitoring—a focus that continues to guide her. Now an assistant professor at the University of Calgary, her research bridges ecological science and Indigenous methodologies to support culturally grounded, community-led wildlife conservation.