Resolution 2023-06
WHEREAS, for generations, federally-recognized, sovereign Tribes (“Tribes”) and Indigenous communities have wisely stewarded natural resources through their knowledges, cultures, and practices; and
WHEREAS, Tribes have authority to manage wildlife and natural resources on lands within their jurisdiction and have shared opportunities for management on ancestral lands; and
WHEREAS, for over thirty years, the National Wildlife Federation has supported Tribal conservation efforts and was one of the first national conservation organizations to institute a dedicated program to partnering with tribes; and
WHEREAS, Tribal Sovereignty and Self-Determination are fundamental Tribal rights; and
WHEREAS, the federal government has a trust responsibility to Tribes; and
WHEREAS, Free, Prior, and Informed Consent must guide equitable and just relationships with Tribes and Indigenous communities; and
WHEREAS, reaffirmation of Tribes’ federal rights for resource conservation and ensuring Indigenous communities and organizations have sufficient resources and capacity for policy advancements and on-the-ground efforts will result in achieving the conservation and climate goals the 21st century requires; and
WHEREAS, the National Wildlife Federation has prioritized three core areas of water protection, food sovereignty, and intergenerational knowledge transmission for our partnerships with Tribes and Indigenous communities; and
WHEREAS, the National Wildlife Federation is committed to a meaningful and transformational approach to partnerships with Tribes and Indigenous Peoples, and we will conduct our work based on our commitment to Tribal Sovereignty and Self-Determination.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, at its Annual meeting assembled June 21-24, 2023, reaffirms our commitment to strong partnerships with sovereign Tribal governments and Indigenous communities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation calls on the conservation community and federal, state, and local governments to incorporate Free, Prior, and Informed Consent into their approach to conservation work; to build authentic, collaborative partnerships with Tribes and Indigenous communities based on the five R’s: relationships, respect, responsibility, reciprocity, and redistribution as consistent with National Wildlife Federation’s Tribal and Indigenous Partnerships Enhancement Strategy; formalize the incorporation of Traditional Ecological Knowledge into conservation to gain a holistic picture of the landscape and its importance to everyone’s wellbeing; and use a socio-ecological framework that considers Indigenous cultural values for species, places, and other conservation values; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation calls on the conservation community to respect, support and ensure Tribal sovereignty, self-determination and the federal trust responsibility; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation calls on the conservation community to commit to collaborative, cross-jurisdictional management of land, natural resources and wildlife that equitably involves Federal, Tribal, State sovereigns, and Indigenous communities.