Our Founder
Liard McMillan
Liard is the Founder of Néyà Nursery & Seeds and a proud Kaska leader whose life and work are deeply rooted in land, culture, and community. A member of the Liard First Nation, Liard grew up learning from his father and Kaska Elders on the land—hunting, harvesting, and travelling across traditional territories.
These early experiences shaped his understanding of respect, reciprocity, and the responsibility to care for the places and ecosystems that sustain his people.
Community Advocate
Liard has spent his life serving and advocating for his community. He was elected Chief of the Liard First Nation for four consecutive terms, where he focused on strengthening community well-being, protecting ancestral lands, and increasing opportunities for children and youth to succeed while staying grounded in their cultural identity.
Driven by a belief in the power of land-based learning, food security, and Nation-led stewardship, Liard founded Néyà, the Yukon’s first Indigenous-owned seed and plant nursery dedicated to conserving culturally significant species, restoring ecosystems, and supporting long-term community capacity.
Néyà now serves as a research and propagation hub that brings together Elders, scientists, knowledge keepers, and northern growers to advance Indigenous-led solutions rooted in culture, science, and the land.
Through Néyà, Liard continues his lifelong work:
safeguarding Kaska knowledge;
creating opportunities for Yukon First Nation youth and communities;
ensuring that northern ecosystems and traditional foods remain strong for generations to come.
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