Where There Are Guardians, There Are Benefits
October 30, 2023
Guardians are trained experts who care for lands and waters on behalf of their First Nations. They serve as the “moccasins and mukluks” on the ground, helping restore animals and plants, manage protected areas, monitor development projects, and support language and cultural programs. Each First Nation operates their own Guardians programs based on their own laws and knowledge, and the work they do benefits their communities and the country.
Momentum Is Building: Indigenous Guardians programs have grown exponentially in recent years.
In 2016, there were about 30 programs operating. Now there are over 160 First Nations Guardians programs on the ground.
That means the number of First Nations Guardians programs tripled in recent years.
There are about 1,000 Guardians working across the country.
Guardians Care for Lands and Waters: Guardians manage lands and waters on behalf of their First Nations. Guardians help:
Respond to climate impacts such as fire and flooding, they restore animals and plants, and they help manage protected areas.
In the NWT, Ni Hat’ni Dene Guardians manage Thaidene Nëné—one of the largest protected areas in North America—which includes a national and a territorial park.
Monitor development projects ranging from pipeline repairs to forestry operations.
The Minaskuat Kanakuataku of the Innu Nation in Labrador monitor Voisey’s Bay Mine—the largest nickel mine in the world.
Combine ancestral knowledge and Indigenous law with western tools to track changes in water temperature, animal migration, permafrost, and other climate impacts.
Guardians from the Tahltan First Nation, Kaska Dena, and Taku River Tlingit First Nation have worked together to install climate monitoring stations in their territories, which stretch across 25% of BC, and share the data with provincial scientists.
Guardians Help Respond to Climate Change and Sustain Biodiversity: Guardians are helping communities and lands become more resilient in the face of climate change and loss of biodiversity.
Research shows lands managed by Indigenous Peoples tend to be healthier and more vibrant than other areas, with more diverse and abundant species.
Lands cared for by guardians include some of the largest storehouses of carbon in the country.
Guardians are on the ground, helping manage wildfire, prepare communities for flooding or drought, and restore caribou, salmon, and other animals.
Guardians often support emergency response efforts by their communities in times of crisis—in fact, about half of the Guardians here for this event assisted with climate emergencies this summer.
Guardians Support Cultural Revitalization: Guardians programs help communities renew cultural traditions through knowledge transfers from Elders to youth, training opportunities for young people, and on-the-land language programs that access knowledge linked to stewardship.
The Wahkohtowin Guardians in Ontario help youth build relationships with their homelands, culture, and original ways of knowing. Teachings offer practical skills and job certifications that merge traditional understandings and skills.
The Dane Nan Yḗ Dāh Guardians in northern BC and bring youth and the broader community together for moose hide tanning and storytelling.
Guardians Programs Provide Return on Investment: Research shows these programs have transformative impacts on families and communities.
Analysis of Guardians programs in the Northwest Territories found that every $1 invested in the programs generated $2.50 in health, social and economic benefits. With ongoing funding, researchers estimated it would rise to $3 in benefits for each $1 invested.
Australia has invested $840 million CAD in similar Indigenous Ranger programs from 2007 t0 2023. These investments translate into tangible savings for taxpayers.
A study commissioned by the Australian Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet found that each $1 invested in integrated Indigenous Protected Area and Indigenous Rangers programs can generate $3 in social, economic and cultural benefits, including through reduced income support, health spending and justice costs.
Sustained Support Provides Sustained Results: Ongoing investment in Guardians programs provides greater certainty and lasting benefits.
The Government of Canada made an initial investment of $25 million for a pilot National Indigenous Guardians program in 2017.
In 2021, the government announced up to $100 million over five years (2021-2026) to support new and existing Indigenous Guardians initiatives and to support the development of Guardians networks.
Federal investments provide a foundation on which other partners, such as provinces, municipalities, industries, philanthropies, can add their own support.
