Indigenous Guardians
Indigenous Guardians help Indigenous Nations honour the responsibility to care for lands and waters. They serve as the “eyes and ears” on traditional territories.
ILI helped lay the groundwork for the launch of the First Nations National Guardians Network in 2022—the first Indigenous-led national stewardship network in the world. In addition to connecting Guardians and offering trainings, the Network offers a first-of-its-kind model for allocating funds that is led, designed, and managed by First Nations.
The network represents a fundamental shift in how Indigenous Nations and Canada work together. Rather than having the Crown government design and deliver a program to Indigenous Peoples, this network is Indigenous-led and encourages Indigenous and Crown representatives to collaborate as partners.
The ILI hosts National Guardians Gatherings, starting with the first in 2016. These events create opportunities for Guardians to learn from other Guardians and experience knowledge exchanges, training sessions, and sharing circles about the wide range of Guardians’ responsibilities. They also help strengthen the national Guardians movement.
The number of First Nations Guardians programs has expanded from about 30 in 2016 to more than 200 in 2024.
They are on the ground, helping provide solutions to the challenges of climate change, loss of biodiversity, and the impacts of colonialism.
Guardians are trained experts who manage lands and waters on behalf of their Nations. They monitor animals and plants, manage protected areas, and support language and cultural programs. They are on the ground, offering concrete answers to the questions of how to manage wildfire, how to reduce the risk of flooding, and how to make communities more resilient. And because Guardians work is rooted in Indigenous knowledge and culture, they help communities heal from the trauma of colonialism, including residential schools.
Having Guardians on the land helps Nations strengthen decision-making. Guardians gather knowledge, data, and research that help Nations determine what happens within their territories and under what conditions— an essential element of Nationhood. Guardians programs also create good-paying jobs and foster local and regional economic opportunity.
The Indigenous Leadership Initiative works to ensure every First Nation that wants to launch and sustain a Guardians program has the support to do so.
We helped secure an initial federal investment of $25 million over five years in Guardians programs in 2017. And we helped encourage Canada to invest $200 million in 2021 that went directly to Indigenous Nations to support Guardians and Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas.
ILI will continue to support this movement and support First Nations as they honour stewardship responsibilities for lands and waters.
The Land Needs Guardians Campaign
A movement is growing up from the land—from Elders, youth, and a new crop of leaders—calling for Indigenous leadership in caring for traditional territories. The Land Needs Guardians campaign helps support this movement. Launched by ILI in 2020, the campaign urges Canada to make major, long-term investments in Guardians programs. It shines a spotlight on the benefits of Guardians programs, including through videos produced by Guardian Storytellers—videos that have been viewed nearly 4 million times. And it has inspired almost 150,000 online community members who voice their support of federal investment in Guardians programs.
“If we take care of the land, the land takes care of us.”
A Proven Model
The Indigenous Leadership Initiative draws inspiration from the Working on Country program in Australia. Since 2007, the Australian government has invested more than $1.5 billion in Indigenous Ranger and Indigenous Protected Areas. Indigenous Rangers protect cultural sites, restore animal and plant species, and manage fire. Research shows that for every $1 invested, ranger programs generate $3 in conservation, health, and economic results.
Indigenous Guardians in Canada deliver similar benefits. An analysis of two emerging programs in the Northwest Territories found they create about $2.50 of social, economic, cultural and environmental results for every $1 invested. With support from a national network, researchers projected the value could increase to up to $3.70 for each dollar of investment.
Building on Success
There are about 160 First Nations Guardians program operating across the country, including:
Innu
In Labrador, since 1992, the Innu Nation Environmental Guardians manage all environmental programs on behalf of the Innu of Labrador, including: fisheries, forestry, caribou and mining, notably the Voisey’s Bay Mine—one of the biggest nickel mines on the globe. The Innu Nation guardians program has been a source of inspiration for other guardian programs in Canada.
Lutsel K’e
The Lutsel K’e First Nation in the Northwest Territories launched the Ni Hat’ni Dene (Watching the Land) program in 2008. These guardians monitor caribou, test water quality and track the impacts of climate change. They also co-manage the Thaidene Nëné Indigenous Protected Area—one of the largest protected areas in North America.
Haida Gwaii
Off the coast of British Columbia, the Haida Gwaii Watchmen protect the lands and waters of their nation according to traditional laws. They work on fisheries, forestry and parks, preserve culturally significant sites and share their knowledge with visitors. Their society inspired the Coastal Guardian Watchmen Network, connecting eight Indigenous coastal nations doing similar work.
