Economic Opportunity for Indigenous Conservation

RAD Network Gathering

by Saba Thackurdeen, General Manager of Environment Protection

This past April, on behalf of KEPO, I joined a group of Indigenous leaders and allies to envision the Indigenous-led conservation economy during a gathering held on the unceded and unsurrendered Territory of the Wolastoqwiyik at Sitansisk (aka Fredericton, New Brunswick)

The gathering was hosted by the Restore, Assert, Defend (RAD) Network, a network emerging from the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership (CRP) and which is dedicated to advancing economic pathways for Indigenous-led conservation in so-called Canada. The core belief of the network is that the protection of biodiversity and resurgence of Indigenous self-determination go hand in hand, and the gathering was initiated to co-create a shared vision for the network and to identify pathways forward.

Given the range of the perspectives and experience present at the gathering, a big picture conversation was essential We spent time discussing our relation to conservation and unpacking key terms, such as "nature-based solutions", "conservation" and certainly "finance". The feeling in the room was, overall, an unease with these ways of relating, but also a sense that shared understandings could be achieved in ethical space, where Indigenous rights are fundamental.

From the gathering emerged a purpose that the network would play a supporting role for Nations interested in conservation economies the network being the sparks and embers, not the leaders.

The vision, however, was reaffirmed that with the support of networks like RAD, there is opportunity and need to affirm Indigenous leadership and authority in the emerging field of conservation finance

Should you be interested to follow the work of RAD, be sure to check out their website: conservation-reconciliation.ca/rad