The Cultural Conservancy

The Cultural Conservancy The Cultural Conservancy, a Native-led organization founded in 1985.

Our mission is to protect and restore Indigenous cultures, empowering them in the direct application of traditional knowledge and practices on their ancestral lands. We work with Native communities in land stewardship, Native foodways, arts, philanthropy, education and media production.

Wednesday’s Cob Conversation Bench Workshop is nearly full (7 out of 8 spots taken), but Thursday still has space! Join...
08/19/2026

Wednesday’s Cob Conversation Bench Workshop is nearly full (7 out of 8 spots taken), but Thursday still has space! Join us on Thursday, August 27, for a hands-on community workshop led by Hector Lopez and Phoebe Gooding, stewards of Hawk’s Nest Healing Gardens and Okan Healing Center.

The Cob Conversation Bench is a part of Native Arts Storyscapes: The Sculpture Garden at Heron Shadow, and is supported by the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation and the Fetzer Institute.

Come ready to learn, work with the land and help create a structure that will hold our community for generations - and wear clothes you don’t mind getting muddy! Be prepared to stomp, splash and “dance” as we mix clay, straw, water and build together.

Click the link in bio to register!

08/07/2026

Another clip from Episode One of the Native Seed Pod 🌱. Guest Rowan White talks about the importance of asking the land permission before harvesting and planting, and how this practice can be a meaningful part of decolonization.

To hear more and to listen to the full episode, click

Stay tuned for the next season of the Native Seed Pod! Learn about the beautiful seed legacy of the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island as well as the work being done today to support seed sovereignty and sacred earth stewardship. The Native Seed Pod is available on all major streaming platforms.

08/04/2026

Together we made Miinaki: Berry Sorbet 🍧from Crystal Wahpepah’s A Feather and a Fork cookbook! It was super sweet and refreshing with ingredients harvested from Heron Shadow. Full recipe below.

Ingredients:
2 cups mixed berries, such as blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries, fresh or frozen
¾ cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground sumac (a deep red spice made from dried and ground wildberries)
Instructions:
Bring the berries, maple syrup, and sumac to a simmer in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently.
Once the berries become soft and lightly bubbly, after 5 to 7 minutes, transfer them to a blender and purée until thick and smooth.
Pour the berries into a metal bowl or baking pan and cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap touches the surface of the mixture. Freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight.
› When you are ready to serve, scoop the sorbet into ice-cream dishes and enjoy.

Please join us at our next Habitat Restoration Volunteer Day on Heron Shadow in Sebastopol, CA on August 14th! Friday, A...
07/31/2026

Please join us at our next Habitat Restoration Volunteer Day on Heron Shadow in Sebastopol, CA on August 14th!

Friday, August 14, 2026 from 9am-3pm

We will focus on weeding, trimming and greenhouse activity. After a morning presentation on our vision and methods for habitat restoration we will engage in hands-on work/play such as planting native perennials, plant propagation in the native nursery, and embellishing water features in the riparian zone.

Your support helps us prepare for an abundant season of food and seed distribution to Native community partners across the Bay Area and beyond.

Please RSVP to attend

Once you have reserved your spot through Eventbrite, you will receive an email with the location address and additional details about the day. If you have any questions, feel free to email [email protected].
To learn more about our land project – Heron Shadow – please visit www.nativeland.org/heron-shadow
We’re excited to share this special space with you!

# HabitatRestoration

07/30/2026

During our July Habitat Restoration Day, our main focus was trimming back the Himalayan blackberry bushes. Although Himalayan blackberries produce an abundance of delicious fruit, they are not native to California and are considered an invasive species. They spread rapidly, outcompeting native plants and reducing habitat for local wildlife. As we worked to manage their growth, we also enjoyed picking and eating fresh blackberries straight from the bushes.

If this kind of work peaks your interest, please join us for our next Habitat Restoration Day on August 14th 9am-3pm at Heron Shadow in Sebastopol, CA. RSVP to volunteer.

07/24/2026

The raw beauty of an Indigenous Biocultural Heritage Oasis. 🦅🌿

This year at Heron Shadow, we are building a Cob Conversation Bench, a structure holding art, accessibility, land, and s...
07/22/2026

This year at Heron Shadow, we are building a Cob Conversation Bench, a structure holding art, accessibility, land, and spirit in one form. The bench build is being led by Hector Lopez, steward of Hawk’s Nest Healing Gardens, whose work bridges Indigenous permaculture, regenerative land practices, and community healing. Hector does not simply build structures, he facilitates relationships with land. The bench is being built in three phases, through hands-on workshops inviting participation and shared labor.

We have begun with the roof, establishing protection, shelter, and durability. This is the first gesture of care and part of our staff spiritual development program, as we build a collective place for conversation and connection.

In Late Summer, we will shape the body of the bench itself. Clay, sand, straw, and water will be mixed by hand. The cob will be formed, pressed, and sculpted with our community. The structure will be reinforced so that it can hold weight, the weight of elders’ wisdom, of grief, of conversation, of pause.

This year at Heron Shadow, we are building a Cob Conversation Bench, a structure holding art, accessibility, land, and s...
07/15/2026

This year at Heron Shadow, we are building a Cob Conversation Bench, a structure holding art, accessibility, land, and spirit in one form. The bench build is being led by Hector Lopez, steward of Hawk’s Nest Healing Gardens, whose work bridges Indigenous permaculture, regenerative land practices, and community healing. Hector does not simply build structures, he facilitates relationships with land. The bench is being built in three phases, through hands-on workshops inviting participation and shared labor.

We have begun with the roof, establishing protection, shelter, and durability. This is the first gesture of care and part of our staff spiritual development program, as we build a collective place for conversation and connection.

In Late Summer, we will shape the body of the bench itself. Clay, sand, straw, and water will be mixed by hand. The cob will be formed, pressed, and sculpted with our community. The structure will be reinforced so that it can hold weight, the weight of elders’ wisdom, of grief, of conversation, of pause.


07/01/2026

Interested in land tending and volunteering at an Indigenous land base? Please join us next Friday, 7/10 at Heron Shadow from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM to focus on our riparian (wetland near a stream) zone management and Native plant work!

Address

PO Box 29044
San Francisco, CA
94129

Telephone

+14155616594

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Cultural Conservancy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to The Cultural Conservancy:

Shortcuts

Share

Category