Faculty Cafe: Dr. Sara Ashpole on Reintroducing an Extirpated Species to Okanagan Nation Territory
This Faculty Café features Dr. Sara Ashpole’s work on the Indigenous-led reintroduction of the Pygmy Short-horned Lizard to Syilx Okanagan Nation territory. Declared extirpated in Canada in 2021, the species represents both ecological loss and disrupted relationships with the land. The project, led by the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre, integrates Indigenous knowledge and IUCN conservation frameworks to support long-term restoration, reconciliation, and ecological resilience.
Dr. Sara Ashpole will present an overview of a long-term, Indigenous-led restoration initiative focused on reintroducing the Pygmy Short-horned Lizard to Syilx Okanagan Nation territory in south-central British Columbia. Last documented in the region in 1957 and declared extirpated in Canada in 2021, the species remains present in parts of the midwestern United States.
Led by the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre, the project brings together Indigenous knowledge systems and IUCN conservation frameworks to address ecological recovery alongside reconciliation. Dr. Ashpole will discuss the scientific, socio-political, and economic challenges involved in species reintroduction, as well as the 10–20+ year timeline required for ecological and community-level success.