The intersection of Indigenous knowledge and western agricultural practices is a rather new and emerging field that needs attention for its ability to support not only Indigenous communities’ sovereignty and decision-making, but also the sustainability and success of agriculture and land management. This action research investigated the perspectives of Indigenous and non- Indigenous stakeholders within agriculture in the Northeast region, including their experiences using Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) among their practices. Authors gathered data from 13 stakeholders in the region within fields of agriculture, land management, non-profit, academia, business and economics, through semi-structured interviews, site visits, photography, and participant observation. Research findings showed that the term “TEK” is not as widely used as the authors initially thought through their literature review, but is instead a framework that is inherently utilized by Indigenous communities who hold this type of ancestral environmental knowledge. This knowledge framework heavily considers a reciprocal relationship with the environment and is interconnected with land management and agricultural practices, making it something that needs to be further supported going forward. TEK is a framework that informs people how to live in a respectful and sustainable way with all living beings, and is a system of knowledge that must be prioritized alongside existing western practices. As such, Indigenous stakeholders must be more greatly involved in decision-making spaces in these fields. The results of this research may provide useful insights for Indigenous and non-Indigenous farmers and other stakeholders during future efforts to promote sustainable agriculture. Future research should investigate a diversity of other regional communities, as well as continue conducting research with the stakeholders presented in this research. The relationships that this research has established between Skidmore College and Indigenous individuals and communities in the region need to be sustained and maintained in a reciprocal manner.
