ALTADENA, Calif. — July 15, 2025 — As wildfires reshape California’s landscapes, a powerful new webinar will spotlight Indigenous-led ecological restoration and the role of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in post-fire recovery. Rebirth Through Fire: Lessons from the Eaton Fire and Embracing TEK, hosted by the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy (TTPC), will take place on Thursday, July 24, 2025, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM PT via Zoom.

The virtual event is the first in TTPC’s new five-part series, Rooted in Land and Tradition, presented in partnership with the UC Riverside California Center for Native Nations (CCNN).

The webinar will elevate Indigenous voices and philosophies around land, fire, and renewal—exploring what recovery looks like through an Indigenous lens and how TEK can guide sustainable land stewardship across Los Angeles County and beyond.

Featured Panelists:

• Wallace Cleaves (Tongva) – Moderator; TTPC Board Chair; Professor, UC Riverside

• Charles Sepulveda (Tongva, Acjachemen) – TTPC Board member, Professor, UC Riverside

• Sean Woods – Chief of Planning, LA County Department of Parks and Recreation

• Cristhian Mace – Biologist, LA County Department  of Parks and Recreation

Together, the panel will explore:

• The cultural and ecological significance of Eaton Canyon

• How fire has long been used in Indigenous land management

• Practical pathways for integrating TEK into public policy and restoration projects

• Lessons learned since the Eaton Fire

• Opportunities for civic, environmental, and philanthropic engagement

“This series is an invitation,” said Wallace Cleaves, TTPC Board Chair. “It’s an invitation to listen to the land, to those who have stewarded it for millennia, and to imagine new ways forward—rooted in tradition, healing, and community.”

The event is free and open to the public. A live Q&A will follow the panel discussion.

Register here: https://www.tongva.land/rebirth-through-fire-webinar

About TTPC

The Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy is the first land conservancy founded and led by the Tongva people in Tovaangar (Los Angeles Basin and Southern Channel Islands). The conservancy is committed to rematriation, land care, education, and the elevation of Indigenous knowledge in climate and conservation efforts.

This program is supported in part by fire recovery funders, including:

• California Community Foundation

• Liberty Hill Foundation

• The Schmidt Family Foundation

• Skoll Foundation

• Kataly Foundation

• The Solutions Project

• Rivers and Mountains Conservancy

• Wildlife Conservation Board

TTPC extends its gratitude to these partners for their commitment to ecological restoration and Indigenous-led land care efforts.

Media Interviews Available:
Panelists and TTPC leaders are available for advance interviews upon request.