“Dahti Tsetso has a remarkable ability to bring people together. And she has a deep commitment to uplifting Indigenous self-determination and the inherent right of Nations to decide the future of their lands and waters. We will miss working with Dahti day-to-day, but we are happy to see her lead an initiative whose vision and values resonate with ours.”

“We are deeply honoured and humbled by this gift,” said Valérie Courtois, the Executive Director of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative. “It recognizes the relationship between caring for the land and nurturing the next generation.”

The first recipients of the First Nations Women Transforming Conservation Fellowship were announced in Victoria, BC. This innovative program aims to uplift emerging women leaders in conservation and stewardship and to expand their positive impact within and beyond their Nations.

Several Guardians and Guardians initiatives received awards tonight in recognition of their leadership in caring for lands and waters across the country. The awards were bestowed at the First Nations National Guardians Gathering 2025 in Victoria.

A new fellowship for First Nations women in conservation and stewardship has been announced by the Indigenous Leadership Initiative and Wildlife Conservation Society Canada. It recognizes the vital role First Nations women play in caring for lands and waters. And it aims to support them by enhancing their professional growth.

NWT: Our Land for the Future will create transformative benefits on the ground for lands and waters, climate resilience, cultural revitalization, and local economies. It will be one of the largest Indigenous-led land conservation initiatives in the world..

Lynn Konwaia’tanón:we’s Jacobs joins ILI as a Policy and Operations Advisor. She brings extensive experience in community land stewardship, as well as international work focused on biodiversity and plastic pollution.

The Indigenous Leadership Initiative welcomes Dr. Amy Cardinal Christianson as Policy Advisor. Christianson is a Métis woman from Treaty 8 territory and a research scientist with expertise in Indigenous fire stewardship, Indigenous wildland firefighters, wildlife evacuations, and Indigenous research methodology.

The vast majority of Northwest Territories residents support the core aspects of the Northwest Territories Project Finance for Permanence initiative currently being developed, according to a new poll conducted within the NWT.

A national poll shows that 3 out of 4 Canadians support Indigenous Guardians programs, and the vast majority view Guardians’ work as a cost-effective solution to the challenges of climate change, reconciliation, and nature conservation.

Indigenous Governments, the Government of Canada, and the Government of the Northwest Territories, and private philanthropies announced a visionary framework agreement. The agreement outlines the expected outcomes of a major new initiative that will fund the protection of lands, support thriving cultures, and foster economic diversification across the Northwest Territories.

With this transition in leadership, the campaign is helping usher in a new era—one that ensures Indigenous Peoples are recognized and supported as the appropriate and natural leaders of conservation of their own homelands.

The First Nations National Guardians Network reflects a new kind of partnership between Indigenous Nations and Canada—one that encourages us to come together on equal footing to care for lands, waters, plants, and animals.

The Indigenous Leadership Initiative welcomes Canada’s commitment to supporting Indigenous Nations’ visions for caring for lands across regions. Investing in Indigenous-led conservation is the most effective way to sustain biodiversity and create transformative benefits for communities.

Learn more about the Indigenous Village that the Indigenous Leadership Initiative is hosting in the Green Zone of COP15 from December 9-11. Here are answers to frequently asked questions regarding the Village.

From December 9-11, the Indigenous Leadership Initiative will host an Indigenous Village at COP15. The village will showcase the stewardship of Indigenous Peoples from the region, Canada, and around the world. And it will offer an Indigenized gathering space for Indigenous participants to COP15.

Council members will build a National Guardians Network that will help get more Guardians on the ground. It will create a more streamlined process for accessing Guardians funds. And it will provide an Indigenous-led approach to working with Crown governments and other funding partners.

The emerging First Nations National Guardians Network is looking to hire an Executive Director to help build the network and ensure it supports Guardians programs for years to come.

Representatives from Indigenous, Territorial, and Federal Governments and private investors gathered in Yellowknife to begin exploring an innovative partnership to create long-term support for Indigenous-led conservation and sustainable growth in the Northwest Territories.

It’s appropriate that His Royal Highness heard about Indigenous-led conservation in Ottawa and Yellowknife, because Indigenous Nations are helping address climate change and strengthen communities across Canada.