Indigenous Conservation Collaborations
Working well with Indigenous communities takes more than good intentions. It requires a working understanding of Tribal sovereignty, an honest reckoning with the harms conservation has caused and the willingness to build partnerships on Indigenous terms. This eight-week cohort prepares conservation leaders to do that work.
$950
Total cost
Total cost
8/20/2026
Next start date
Next start date
8 Weeks
Online - scheduled
On this page
Overview
Working well with Indigenous communities takes more than good intentions. It requires a working understanding of Tribal sovereignty, an honest reckoning with the harms conservation has caused and the willingness to build partnerships on Indigenous terms. This eight-week cohort prepares conservation leaders to do that work.
The format combines expert-led videos, case studies, cohort discussion and conversations with Indigenous faculty, alongside six live online sessions.
Who this course is designed for:
Who joins
Conservation and NGO program directors, Tribal liaisons and government officers, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and corporate responsibility leaders and senior professionals working with Indigenous communities on co-management, community engagement or land restoration.
Outcomes
What the cohort covers
You work through Tribal sovereignty and Indigenous knowledge systems, then examine the legacy of "fortress conservation" and other historical harms. The cohort applies ethical frameworks including the Four Rs, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and environmental justice. You practice bringing Indigenous and Western science together in culturally grounded conservation. The format combines expert-led videos, case studies, cohort discussion and conversations with Indigenous faculty, alongside six live online sessions.
Instructors
Alycia De Mesa
Indigenous Education Specialist, Firekeepers Initiative,
Labriola National American Indian Data Center
Labriola National American Indian Data Center