Mitch Locklear is NWF’s first Longleaf for All Landowner Mentor in North Carolina. This past March, Locklear hosted his first event, “Longleaf Pine and the Lumbee Heritage,” demonstrating how landowners can conserve local ecosystems while economically benefiting from longleaf pine. Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) refers to the multi-generational accumulation of knowledge, practices, and beliefs acquired by Indigenous People through direct engagement with local environments. Delivering this learning promotes valuable conservation practices for landowners to secure their income and also support the well-being of the forest.
Photo Credit: Shelby Diehl