Working With Indigenous Peoples

For over a decade, our organization has worked in partnership to support Indigenous-led conservation, which is defined and implemented by Indigenous communities, grounded in Indigenous values and perspectives, and often focuses on the interconnected issues of supporting vibrant communities, strong cultures, viable economies, and healthy ecosystems.

Nature United’s commitment to this approach is informed by a number of interrelated factors, including that Indigenous peoples are the original inhabitants and stewards of what we now call Canada; that the involvement of Indigenous peoples in managing lands and waters is recognized and explicitly mandated in Canadian and international laws; and that scientific evidence shows that place-based people manage resources more sustainably than others. We have also seen the power of this approach first-hand through our decade of experience in building partnerships on the ground.    

For more details, download a summary of Nature United’s Approach to Working in Partnership with Indigenous Peoples

As a conservation organization, Nature United has an important role to play in the reconciliation of relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada by seeking to understand past wrongs and co-create new pathways to sustainable conservation and social justice. Nature United is a member of the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership.

And as part of an organization that impacts conservation in 79 countries and territories across six continents, we contribute to a global strategy for working with Indigenous peoples and local communities. Our global affiliate, The Nature Conservancy, aims to support Indigenous peoples and local communities as they strengthen their voices, choices and actions to manage natural territory in ways that improve lives and drive conservation. The Nature Conservancy is a signatory to the Conservation Initiative on Human Rights  Conservation Initiative on Human Rights (CIHR).

Learning Organization

As an organization, we are committed to learning from our mistakes and continuing to evolve our practices based on feedback from Indigenous partners, colleagues and friends. Our reflections on Indigenous-led conservation are offered with humility as we maintain our dedication to listening and learning.    

Whether we are working with specific Indigenous communities or creating tools and opportunities for Indigenous peoples across Canada to network and connect, working in partnership with Indigenous peoples is at the heart of our work. We have made an organizational commitment to “Be a Respectful Partner” and as such, are committed to taking responsibility at an individual, team and organizational level through:

• Team Learning and Development: Building and strengthening the knowledge and practice within Nature United as it relates to Indigenous issues so we can build a culturally competent team and organization.
• Organizational Policy and Practice: Developing and implementing relevant policies and practices to guide Nature United and The Nature Conservancy’s work with Indigenous peoples.  For example, Nature United has developed Communications Guidelines that inform and direct all communications with and about our work with Indigenous partners based on principles of Consent, Respect, Authenticity and Reciprocity.
• Outreach and Education: Engaging with other non-Indigenous partners, allies and funders to build cultural competency and create alignment with our policies and practices related to Indigenous peoples.