A Place of Medicine: Land-Based Learning with Indigenous Land Steward Loreisa Lepine

June 20, 2025

At the heart of the ӣ��Ӱ��’s campus, A Place of Medicine honours and nurtures Indigenous food and medicine plant systems while fostering connection, healing and ecological restoration. This story highlights the work of Loreisa Lepine, UVic’s inaugural Indigenous Land Steward, whose expert guidance and deep cultural knowledge are helping students, faculty and community members build meaningful relationships with the land.Loreisa’s work, which began through connections with the School of Environmental Studies and the Campus of Living Lands initiative, has flourished into a deeply meaningful land-based practice that supports ecological restoration, Indigenous-led resurgence and experiential learning for students and faculty alike. From tripling the diversity of Indigenous plant species in key campus sites to integrating land-based learning into courses and community programs, this story celebrates an inspiring approach to ecological stewardship and wellbeing.