Bineshiinh Ogitigaan: The Bird's Garden

Bineshiinh Ogitigaan was designed and planted in a partnership with the American Indian Studies program, the Student Office of Sustainability and Facilities/Grounds.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge integrated into the design and maintenance of the garden, ensures the plants will provide bird friendly habitat and honor the close, traditional relationships between Indigenous communities, wildlife, and native plants. This garden seeks to move beyond UW- Eau Claire’s land acknowledgement, and find creative ways to recognize indigenous past, present and future on campus.

Window decals and sign artwork designed by Sarah Agaton Howes of Heart Berry embedded in the Ojibwe floral tradition. Hummingbirds represent courage, strength, and spiritual healing. Their tenacity and endurance during epic migration journeys identifies them as symbols of wisdom.

The garden was funded through a grant from Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and the National Wildlife Federation to protect endangered and vulnerable species on college campuses with matching funds contributed by the Student Office of Sustainability. Bineshiinh Ogitigaan is a bird-friendly garden, designed through Indigenous knowledge and partnerships to honor connections between Indigenous communities, wildlife, and native plants while fostering cultural recognition on campus.