Indigenous groups

View of mountains and water in British Columbia

British Columbia, Canadian government, and First Nations announce $1 billion conservation agreement

The Canadian federal government has signed its first major nature agreement with a province and First Nations to mutually support protecting 30% of lands and waters by 2030. The agreement is meant to protect old growth forests in the B.C., support the recovery of at-risk species, and restore ecosystems.

British Columbia, Canadian government, and First Nations announce $1 billion conservation agreement Read more

Sumatran hillside

Indonesian government recognizes ancestral forests in Aceh for first time

The Indonesian federal government has recognized 55,700 acres of ancestral forests on the northern tip of Sumatra for the first time. Indigenous communities in the region have welcomed the recognition, saying it will give them legal protection to manage their forests in a sustainable manner.

Indonesian government recognizes ancestral forests in Aceh for first time Read more

Salmon swimming

Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe celebrates the return of salmon after century-long wait

More than a century ago, two dams were placed on the Elwha, blocking almost 90 miles of the river and its tributaries in Washington State. The dams were removed in August of 2014. Now, for the first time in more than a hundred years, members of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe are fishing for coho salmon on the free-flowing river.

Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe celebrates the return of salmon after century-long wait Read more

Ni'isjoohl memorial pole

National Museum of Scotland returns stolen totem pole to Nisga’a people after 100 years

It was a historic “rematriation” for the Indigenous nation of around 600 people in what is now known to many as Canada’s British Columbia. The return of the Ni’isjoohl pole could also set a precedent in a broader repatriation movement gaining steam around the world.

National Museum of Scotland returns stolen totem pole to Nisga’a people after 100 years Read more