SYMP 18 - Tribal Leadership and Co-Management for Sustainable Stewardship of Our Natural Heritage (original) (raw)

Wednesday, August 13 10:00 AM –11:30 AM EDT

Hilton Key 11-12

Indigenous Peoples of North America historically inhabited the entire continent and engaged in a wide range of cultural lifeways.. Although greatly reduced in population and geography, there are still 574 federally recognized tribes in the US and many are engaged in stewardship, climate adaptation, and promotion of ecological resilience and cultural preservation.There has been growing recognition of the role that Indigenous Peoples played in sustainable stewardship of lands and waters and the resulting benefits to ecological integrity and conservation of biological diversity. However, much of the land Tribes formerly stewarded is now under the jurisdiction of the federal government. Recently, the Departments of Interior and Agriculture issued a Secretary's Order to "increase opportunities for Tribes to participate in their traditional stewardship of present-day federal lands and waters and the integration of thousands of years of Indigenous knowledge and sustainability practices into federal management and operations, subject to the interest of each Tribe." This has led to efforts by agencies to develop Co-management plans for federal lands. The speakers in this session will share their experiences and observations from a Tribal perspective in pursuit of the goal of meaningful co-management, including the benefits as well as the obstacles to success.

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