Resilient Lands and Waters

Community-led land- and marine-use plans guide decisions about how resources are managed and used. First Nations are asserting governance priorities, revitalizing Indigenous laws and setting visions for the future. 

We work with Indigenous partners to create land- and marine-use plans that articulate the specific visions Indigenous Nations have for the people, wildlife and ecosystems on their territories. Our goal is to support communities as they integrate their values into regional resource decision making.

Indigenous-led resource planning is key to achieving lasting results.

Healthy land and seascapes hinge on strong governance systems. Nature United supports ecosystem-based managed approaches that balance ecological, social and economic benefits.

We do this by investing in resource management departments, Indigenous Guardians, and youth-on-the-land programs to build monitoring and management capacity. We also convene voices from industry and government to develop solutions that contribute to social, economic and environmental outcomes.

To ensure enduring results, Indigenous-led conservation must be supported by long-term, sustainable funding solutions that advance the authority of Indigenous Peoples to manage the lands and waters within their territories.

Conservation finance is a transformative tool for Indigenous Nations and local communities as they work to solve some of the world’s greatest environmental challenges. It is critical that new financing tools (e.g .carbon offsets, stewardship endowments, eco-tourism fees) that are meant to support Indigenous communities’ land management be developed and implemented in such a way that is driven by their needs within their governance structure.