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Renewal: Indigenous Perspectives on Land-Based Education In and Beyond the Classroom
"Renewal," the second book in the Footbridge series, guides K–12 educators in bringing Indigenous voices and the philosophy, principles, and practices of Indigenous land-based education into their teaching. This text encourages educators to:
-respectfully renew their own relationships with land
-directly engage students with the land, no matter where they are located
-guide students in learning through observation, listening, and discussion and to take action in response
-honour diverse ways of knowing and being
-understand historic injustices and engage with the contemporary Land Back movement
Through critical engagement with diverse written and visual works created by Indigenous leaders, land defenders, scholars, and Knowledge Keepers, experienced educators Christine M'Lot and Katya Adamov Ferguson support readers in connecting with Indigenous perspectives on land and water. They offer guidance on bringing Indigenous works into the classroom, including concrete ways to facilitate discussions around land-based topics, advice for land-based activities, and suggestions for how students can engage with these topics through inquiry learning.
In this resource, you will find:
-prompts for individual reflection and group discussion
-valuable concepts and methods that can be applied in the classroom and beyond
-practical action steps and resources for educators, parents, librarians, and administrators
Use this book as a springboard for your own learning journey or as a lively prompt for dialogue within your professional learning community.
-respectfully renew their own relationships with land
-directly engage students with the land, no matter where they are located
-guide students in learning through observation, listening, and discussion and to take action in response
-honour diverse ways of knowing and being
-understand historic injustices and engage with the contemporary Land Back movement
Through critical engagement with diverse written and visual works created by Indigenous leaders, land defenders, scholars, and Knowledge Keepers, experienced educators Christine M'Lot and Katya Adamov Ferguson support readers in connecting with Indigenous perspectives on land and water. They offer guidance on bringing Indigenous works into the classroom, including concrete ways to facilitate discussions around land-based topics, advice for land-based activities, and suggestions for how students can engage with these topics through inquiry learning.
In this resource, you will find:
-prompts for individual reflection and group discussion
-valuable concepts and methods that can be applied in the classroom and beyond
-practical action steps and resources for educators, parents, librarians, and administrators
Use this book as a springboard for your own learning journey or as a lively prompt for dialogue within your professional learning community.
224 pages, Paperback
Published September 23, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 21, 2025
Book Review: Renewal: Indigenous Perspectives on Land-Based Education In and Beyond the Classroom by Katya Adamov Ferguson
As a female sociologist and public health professional, I approached Renewal with a dual lens—one attuned to the structural inequities in education systems, the other focused on the health implications of ecological disconnect. Ferguson’s work is not merely a pedagogical guide; it is a radical reimagining of how land-based learning can heal both individuals and communities by recentering Indigenous knowledge systems.
Critical Engagement and Emotional Resonance
The book’s emphasis on land as a teacher rather than a resource resonated deeply with my public health work on the social determinants of health. Ferguson’s critique of colonial education models—which often sever Indigenous youth from cultural and environmental ties—aligns with sociological research on how systemic alienation exacerbates mental health disparities. I was moved by the testimonies of educators and students who described land-based programs as spaces of belonging, where traditional knowledge helps restore agency disrupted by the legacies of residential schools.
Yet, I also felt tension. While Ferguson compellingly argues for the transformative potential of land-based education, the book occasionally glosses over practical barriers, such as underfunded schools, a lack of Indigenous faculty, or urban settings where “land access” is fraught. As a public health leader, I wish for more explicit discussion of how these programs address intergenerational trauma or measure well-being outcomes (e.g., reduced suicide rates, improved diabetes prevention).
Constructive Criticism
-Structural Analysis: The book would benefit from deeper engagement with policy levers (e.g., curriculum mandates, funding models) needed to scale land-based education equitably.
-Health Equity Lens: While ecological connection is framed as healing, specific links to Indigenous health frameworks (e.g., the Medicine Wheel) are underexplored.
-Intersectional Gaps: Ferguson’s focus on K–12 education leaves gaps in discussing adult learners or incarcerated Indigenous populations who might benefit from land-based rehabilitation.
Why This Book Matters
Renewal is a vital intervention in both education and public health discourse. For sociologists, it models decolonial pedagogy in action; for health professionals, it highlights how cultural revitalization serves as upstream prevention. Ferguson’s work challenges readers to see land not as a backdrop for learning, but as a co-creator of futures rooted in reciprocity.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for providing a complimentary review copy. This book is a seed—planting vision of education that nourishes, rather than extracts.
Reviewer’s Note: Pair with Braiding Sweetgrass (Kimmerer) for ecological philosophy parallels or Decolonizing Trauma Work (Linklater) for connections to health justice—a necessary, if imperfect, compass for transformative education.
As a female sociologist and public health professional, I approached Renewal with a dual lens—one attuned to the structural inequities in education systems, the other focused on the health implications of ecological disconnect. Ferguson’s work is not merely a pedagogical guide; it is a radical reimagining of how land-based learning can heal both individuals and communities by recentering Indigenous knowledge systems.
Critical Engagement and Emotional Resonance
The book’s emphasis on land as a teacher rather than a resource resonated deeply with my public health work on the social determinants of health. Ferguson’s critique of colonial education models—which often sever Indigenous youth from cultural and environmental ties—aligns with sociological research on how systemic alienation exacerbates mental health disparities. I was moved by the testimonies of educators and students who described land-based programs as spaces of belonging, where traditional knowledge helps restore agency disrupted by the legacies of residential schools.
Yet, I also felt tension. While Ferguson compellingly argues for the transformative potential of land-based education, the book occasionally glosses over practical barriers, such as underfunded schools, a lack of Indigenous faculty, or urban settings where “land access” is fraught. As a public health leader, I wish for more explicit discussion of how these programs address intergenerational trauma or measure well-being outcomes (e.g., reduced suicide rates, improved diabetes prevention).
Constructive Criticism
-Structural Analysis: The book would benefit from deeper engagement with policy levers (e.g., curriculum mandates, funding models) needed to scale land-based education equitably.
-Health Equity Lens: While ecological connection is framed as healing, specific links to Indigenous health frameworks (e.g., the Medicine Wheel) are underexplored.
-Intersectional Gaps: Ferguson’s focus on K–12 education leaves gaps in discussing adult learners or incarcerated Indigenous populations who might benefit from land-based rehabilitation.
Why This Book Matters
Renewal is a vital intervention in both education and public health discourse. For sociologists, it models decolonial pedagogy in action; for health professionals, it highlights how cultural revitalization serves as upstream prevention. Ferguson’s work challenges readers to see land not as a backdrop for learning, but as a co-creator of futures rooted in reciprocity.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for providing a complimentary review copy. This book is a seed—planting vision of education that nourishes, rather than extracts.
Reviewer’s Note: Pair with Braiding Sweetgrass (Kimmerer) for ecological philosophy parallels or Decolonizing Trauma Work (Linklater) for connections to health justice—a necessary, if imperfect, compass for transformative education.
November 10, 2025
As an educator who did contract work in a variety of Indigenous settings, I found this book refreshing. It both challenges the colonial world view at its core level and offers guiding principles to meaningful education set in this world. I appreciated the opportunities recognized in the urban setting, for too often we assume "land-based" is about camping. It is not. Instead, it is grounded in a profound relationship to land, and that takes place everywhere. This is a must read for all educators.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews