Mission Statement

ECOS is a principle driven company. We dedicate ourselves to providing the highest quality work based on ecologically sound principles to meet our clients needs while simultaneously benefiting the larger ecological community of which we are all a part. We commit to staying up to date on the latest ecological science and research to inform our work on the ground while recognizing that present day conservation depends on understanding the ecological and cultural history of a place, including cultural practices and the roles and benefits they play in a given ecosystem.

Our business headquarters is located on the traditional ancestral territory of the Wappo people, the original inhabitants and stewards of this land. Many present-day communities continue to struggle for access and basic rights within their traditional territories. Colonization and the forced cessation of Native engagement with the land resulted in large-scale negative ecological shifts in California. Tribal communities have been dispossessed of their traditional lands and their ability to maintain cultural practices and autonomy stifled through subjugation of racist land use laws, as well as outright genocide. Inability to access these places and continue cultural engagement with the land has negative impacts on ecosystem health as well as the mental and physical health of community members.

Indigenous peoples play a critical role in present day conservation and maintaining biodiversity. Though Indigenous peoples comprise around 6% of the world’s population, they continue to steward 80% of its biodiversity. Cultural practices rooted in Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) have maintained healthy, diverse, and productive ecosystems for generations. In many cases, stewardship action on the land bolsters productivity and enhances ecosystem services that benefit all community members- human and non-human alike. Many practices used in modern stewardship come from Indigenous Knowledge and cultural practices.

We pledge to pay fair wages to our employees and create safe work environments where employees are given the opportunity to expand their skills and grow in themselves and within the business. We keep larger issues such as water conservation, fire safety and ecological restoration at the forefront of our work to address these challenges with on the ground solutions.