Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3258-8775

Document Type

Professional Plan Capstone

Original Publication Date

2026

Client

Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia

Location

White Oak, Virginia

Date of Submission

May 2026

Keywords

Forest Trails, Indigenous planning, Tribal Sovereignty, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), Environmental Planning, Sustainable Design, Land Use Conservation, Decolonizing Methodologies, Co-stewardship, intergenerational Knowledge Transfer

Abstract

This planning document serves the Patawomeck Tribe's cultural, environmental, and sovereign needs by providing research and recommendations to sustainably steward ancestral lands through integrated Indigenous and Western practices. The plan adapts sustainable design strategies to guide trail maintenance and activities within the Berger-Patawomeck Preserve, examining Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) alongside Western practices. A decolonized, sovereign lens guided the mixed research methods drawing on legal, regulatory, planning, and ethical frameworks to strengthen tribal health, education, and sovereignty. The research explores local ecology, Indigenous culture, and implementational strategies. The ecological findings document the Preserve's sensitive resources, including the Coastal Piedmont transition zone, rare natural communities, notable features such as beaver ponds and historical earthworks, as well as guidance on native plants, invasives, and ecological restoration. Cultural findings examine TEK, archaeological context, relational conservation, and Indigenous placemaking, supported by case studies from the Nez Perce and Karuk tribes. Implementational findings discuss actionable strategies, covering organizational development, sustainable trail design, environmental legal requirements, volunteer programs, funding, and practical tools for construction and maintenance. The plan recommends five strategic goals to achieve its vision of connecting the Patawomeck community back to their ancestral land, generating stronger kinship and intergenerational knowledge transfer: (1) formalize trail and surveillance management, (2) develop educational and restorative avenues for cultural and ecological stewardship, (3) establish relevant trail names and identify trail nodes, (4) maintain separate plans per parcel, and (5) establish private digital tools for the Patawomeck community.

Rights

© The Author

Is Part Of

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

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