Former Shoshone chairman urges intertribal coalition and '7‑generations' approach to restore Great Salt Lake

Darren Perry, former chairman of the Shoshone Nation, said tribal nations should play a central role in Great Salt Lake restoration and proposed forming an intertribal coalition to bring indigenous stewardship and traditional ecological knowledge into decision‑making.

"Maybe the question needs to be how do we restore our relationship to the lake?" Perry asked. He said the coalition would need buy‑in from state and other major players but that tribes offer long‑standing knowledge of living in balance with the basin. He emphasized a planning lens of "7 generations" that would require decision‑makers to consider impacts decades into the future.

Perry argued the issue is as much about values as about data: "It's not a science problem. It's a values problem," he said, urging public engagement and reframing the lake as a relative to be nurtured rather than a commodity to extract. He encouraged people to visit Antelope Island and form relationships to the place as part of cultivating stewardship.

Panelists said centering tribal perspectives could change policy priorities and help build broader community support for systemic water and habitat protections.