Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission’s Post

Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day! The North American Great Lakes Basin is the ancestral homeland of numerous First Nations, Métis, and Native American Tribes. This region holds immense spiritual, cultural, and subsistence significance for these diverse Indigenous communities. However, the Great Lakes Basin faces an array of threats, including climate change, extractive industries, and unsustainable water use, all of which disproportionately burden tribes, who must fight to protect their treaty rights, often without sufficient staffing, time, or financial resources. In response to these challenges, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), a federal program aimed at restoring and protecting the Great Lakes, has taken important steps to support tribes by allocating a portion of its funds directly to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This funding allows the tribes to decide how best to use the resources to address their specific needs and priorities. So far, this initiative has been a success, helping tribes build capacity, engage in more projects, and play a more prominent role in the protection and restoration of the Great Lakes. This funding program is helping to ensure that Indigenous communities are empowered to lead in the stewardship of their ancestral lands and waters.

In Northern Manitoba, there’s an Indigenous-led effort underway to protect the largest intact watershed on the planet. The proposed Indigenous Protected Area will not only protect habitat for polar bears, caribou, beluga whales, and dozens of other threatened species – but also help sustain Dene and Cree cultures, strengthen Nation-to-Nation-Nation partnerships and provide a sustainable regional economy. And right now YOU can join the conversation. Fill out the Parks Canada survey today – it takes less than 5 minutes! – to help support the future of conservation in the region and to show support for protecting this irreplaceable landscape. https://bit.ly/3WKWrkY

Forests, particularly those in the Congo and Amazon Basin, are inhabited by Indigenous peoples who have been custodians of their territories for generations. These communities possess invaluable traditional knowledge about the forest ecosystem, including medicinal plants, sustainable agricultural practices, and a deep understanding of the interconnectedness between humans and nature. By preserving these forests, we protect and respect the cultural heritage and rights of these Indigenous populations, acknowledging their historical role as effective stewards of the environment.

In a new piece for The Conversation Canada, Justina Ray outlines the actions needed for Canada to meet its climate and biodiversity goals. Canada's 2030 Nature Strategy reflects the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health and emphasizes the urgency of protecting Canada’s unique natural assets. However, federal constitutional limits, narrow departmental focus, and insufficient funding constrain its implementation. Canada requires meaningful leadership to turn the vision into reality through mobilization of greater resources and fostering intergovernmental coordination. Read all about it: https://lnkd.in/eEeHZujY 📸 Peter Soroye

As Africa continues to develop, the iconic species and ecosystems it depends on must be protected. This means allowing development in the right places and through carefully designed ways to benefit both people and nature.

Protected areas have long been a cornerstone of national and international conservation efforts and the main mechanism to deliver area-based conservation targets. ☕ Welcome to explore the Perspective of James A. Fitzsimons, Thalie Partridge, and Rebecca Keen: 🏞Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) in Australia: Key Considerations for Assessment and Implementation 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gTGN-9zB

Marking the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, we recognize that enduring conservation must actively involve people and partners linked to the natural systems we protect. This drove the creation of the Voice, Choice and Action (VCA) Framework, designed with respect for Indigenous Peoples and local communities’ connections to the natural world. The VCA aims to address deep-rooted challenges and support the visions of Indigenous and local communities that partner with TNC. Read about the VCA main strategies here: https://nature.ly/4df9yRj

Good news! Negotiations for the NWT PFP Agreement are concluding & partners will soon move to ratify the agreement supporting Indigenous-led conservation in the NWT. Partners met today, including Minister Steven Guilbeault, Government of Northwest Territories Minister Macdonald, Ɂek’wahtı̨dǝ́ Gaudet, President Bailey Elder Sanguez-Acting & donors. The NWT PFP will be the largest Indigenous-led initiative of its kind in the world when complete–partners will soon move to advance their internal ratification processes while also undertaking further work to refine the PFP over the summer. This represents a collaboration of unprecedented scale and breadth involving governments at all levels–including 23 Indigenous Governments–and philanthropy. By investing in Indigenous-led conservation & stewardship, the NWT PFP will bring transformative benefits for lands, waters, communities, economic development, and Canada as a whole. Together with the Great Bear Sea PFP–congrats again to all involved for finalizing yesterday–and two other PFP initiatives, the NWT PFP is demonstrating the power of Indigenous leadership in conservation & stewardship.

Marking the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, we recognize that enduring conservation must actively involve people and partners linked to the natural systems we protect. This drove the creation of the Voice, Choice and Action (VCA) Framework, designed with respect for Indigenous Peoples and local communities’ connections to the natural world. The VCA aims to address deep-rooted challenges and support the visions of Indigenous and local communities that partner with TNC. Read about the VCA main strategies here: https://nature.ly/4df9yRj