The forests, prairies, lakes, and rivers that today comprise Minnesota, including the greater Minneapolis and Saint Paul area, have been home to the distinct cultural groups of the Dakota and the Ojibwe for many generations. Dakota and Ojibwe experts will share their stories and perspectives on how they view this year's host location and environment. The title, Bdote: Mni Sota Makoce, translates from Dakota as "Our Creation at the mouth of the Minnesota River: the land where the waters are so clear they reflect the clouds". This session is a welcome to the area by the local ecological experts who call home the Mississippi and Minnesota River basins, as well as the northern forests upstate.