Further Reading on the Conference Theme
Why the North Slope Conference?
The North Slope Conference is a requirement of a modern-day land claim agreement – the 1984 Inuvialuit Final Agreement. The purpose of the conference as stated in the agreement (s.12. (58) is “…to promote public discussion among Indigenous people, governments, and the private sector with respect to management coordination for the Yukon North Slope.” The first conference was held in 1989 under the chairmanship of Thomas Berger. Since then, there have been ten conferences.
In 2024, the Inuvialuit, Canada and Yukon signed the Aullaviat/Anguniarvik (the area “where the animals and people travel and where the people harvest’’) Traditional Conservation Area Agreement, establishing the Inuvialuit Traditional Conservation Area – an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA). The Aullaviat/Anguniarvik Traditional Conservation Area and its associated programming will build new pathways for Inuvialuit led stewardship on the Yukon North Slope, including socioeconomic benefits. The 2024 conference will promote dialogue between conference participants from across northern Canada as to how the conservation and protection of lands and waters and the development of Indigenous economies and cultures are mutually supportive and the challenges and opportunities that they face.
2025 Theme: Indigenous Conservation Economies
Indigenous conservation-based economies, historically, have been based on the principle that if people take care of the land and the waters that they share with non-humans, these very lands and waters will take care of people. This is the essence of respectful stewardship.
There are a variety of ways to characterize this kind of stewardship. Importantly, however, it can bring together appropriate environmental, economic, cultural and spiritual uses of the land.
New thinking and new approaches continue to evolve as to how this holistic relationship between Indigenous people and their environment can advance the conservation and protection of land and water and, at the same time, contribute to economic and social well-being and cultural sustainability.
The 2025 Yukon North Slope Conference brings together Indigenous Elders, leaders, and youth, governments, co-management partners, private sector partners, non-profits, and the general public to explore the concept and implementation of Indigenous conservation economies. Speakers and attendees will have the opportunity to share and learn about new and inherited thinking, innovative approaches, best practices, and working models in Indigenous conservation-based economies and natural resource management – ones that contribute environmental, social, cultural and economic benefits to Indigenous communities, as well as to society-at-large.
Evolving Approaches in Recognition and Support
Within Canada and internationally, policies and legal tools such as UNDRIP and associated federal and territorial legislation, modern land claim agreements, and evolving case law have established a rights-based foundation that facilitates the development of Indigenous-led and co-management models to achieve conservation and economic, social and cultural objectives. This foundation has provided the support needed for the development of new economic opportunities, approaches and programs in the service of conservation.
The tools for fostering Indigenous conservation economies are not limited by the outcomes of treaty negotiations. But Indigenous conservation Initiatives may borrow from and advance their models and thinking set out in treaties. The 2018 report of the Indigenous Circle of Experts and the subsequent establishment of Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, “IPCAs” as they are commonly referred to, the creation of Indigenous-led conservancies, and creative approaches to conservation management and financing make that case.
The establishment of IPCAs and Indigenous land and water guardian and stewardship programs and the funding mechanisms associated with them provide opportunities for new and creative thinking and approaches to reconciliation, Indigenous self-determination, governance structures, and Indigenous community planning. These new programs have provided direct conservation-based jobs as watchmen and land and game guardians, researchers and monitors, cultural/ecotourism operators, and land-based skills teachers. Like treaty-based models, they have also provided a foundation for developing new partnerships between Indigenous organizations and communities with governments, non-government organizations, academic institutions, philanthropic institutions and other third parties in the areas of conservation-based management and development. These have contributed direct and indirect economic benefits to Indigenous communities.
A conference focused on Indigenous conservation economies is necessarily broad in scope. Informed by the conference participants (speakers, presenters, attendees), the conference discussions will focus on:
- Scoping Indigenous conservation economies, including the meaning and significance of the term
- Indigenous leaderships and partnerships, legal foundations, and governance structures
- Government to government partnerships between Indigenous and federal/territorial/provincial authorities in conservation management with economic benefits;
- Supporting on the land and guardians programming, blending land-based practices with modern economic models;
- Public and private sector funding models that support the growth of Indigenous conservation economies.
The Conference aims to explore the theme of Indigenous Conservation Economies through the sharing of knowledge, experience, and stories by leaders in the field. The intent is to balance opportunities for learning from experts while sharing and experiences and plans with those delivering and working on the ground in these programs. The Conference will provide opportunities for those attending to interact with, and ask questions to, experts and experienced managers of these programs. A conference report will be circulated to all participants and interested parties for their reference and use.
The objectives for the 2025 YNSC include:
- Supporting each other in growing Indigenous Conservation Economies by connecting people involved in this work and sharing resources.
- Learning together by listening to people working on Indigenous Conservation Economies and sharing what we know.
- Celebrating the Yukon North Slope and sharing perspectives, knowledge, and stories from the Inuvialuit Settlement region.
The term ‘Indigenous Conservation Economies’ can be interpreted in many different ways, but at its heart is a centering of Indigenous leadership and vision. It’s important to understand the broad scope of Indigenous conservation economies and also to share the framing for how we will be interpreting and examining Indigenous conservation economies over the course of the Conference. In this theme area, we aim to illustrate the different conceptions of Indigenous economies rooted in different landscapes, cultures and communities from across Canada. It is an opportunity to highlight the broad scope of possibilities when developing these economies, and how they can bring a broad range of tangible benefits to local communities, while achieving progress towards conservation goals based on principles of Indigenous stewardship and governance.
Some questions to explore in this session include:
- What are Indigenous conservation economies? What does it mean to bring these three words together into a single concept?
- What misconceptions and misunderstandings exist?
- What is the meaning, significance and contributions of Indigenous traditional economies today?
- What are the benefits in fostering the growth of Indigenous conservation economies, for the community, and at a broader regional, national and international scale? What are the obstacles and challenges?
- What role may non-Indigenous partners play and what may they contribute in the development of Indigenous conservation economies?
This theme area explores the importance of Indigenous leadership and partnerships (with other governments, non-government organizations, academic institutions and the private sector) in pursuit of the goals of conservation stewardship that fosters economic benefits. The legal context and institutional structures available to support and advance Indigenous conservation economies vary across regions but community relationships to land and water, fish and wildlife are foundational. Sessions 1 and 2 present the “big picture” and lay the groundwork for sessions 3 and 4, which are more applied.
Exploration of this theme area will include a panel which will share a variety of perspectives on how relationships shape, and are shaped by Indigenous conservation economies. These include Indigenous self-determination, Indigenous-led and collaborative partnerships between Indigenous organizations and authorities and external organizations and governments, both within and outside of a treaty context. Examples include the establishment and management of conservancies and Indigenous protected and conserved areas, their legal foundations, research and monitoring programs, and business development that contribute employment and income, as well as collateral cultural benefits, to Indigenous communities.
Some questions to explore in this session include:
- How may the establishment of Indigenous conservation economies and stewardship (e.g. conservancies, IPCAs, special management areas, guardian and stewardship programs, etc.) reinforce and encourage the practice and maintenance of Indigenous rights?
- What vehicles and governance models for these programs best reflect and respect Indigenous rights and which ones can enhance economic benefits through accords and agreements to establish new protected and conserved areas?
- What are the opportunities and challenges in building on the foundation of existing structures, (e.g. modern treaties, land and water planning accords, collaborative governance models) to grow Indigenous conservation economies and center Indigenous leadership?
- What is the relationship between Indigenous-led land and water management and co-management? How do they differ? Do they overlap? How do they inform “Indigenized” land and water planning processes and Indigenous stewardship?
- What is the role of non-Indigenous partners, especially industry, in supporting Indigenous conservation economies and what can they contribute?
Connection to land and water is central to many Indigenous cultures and is a focal point of many Indigenous conservation economies. Support for Indigenous community members to be on the land, harvesting and providing, learning and passing down knowledge and culture, is critical for Indigenous community wellbeing. Support for being on the land can come in the form of Guardians and stewardship programs, and other on the land programs such as community-based, gear and fuel grants, etc. Guardians and on the land support programs facilitate people spending time out on the land in a variety of roles that include community harvesting, teaching, facilitating knowledge transfer and language revitalization, keeping people safe, research and monitoring.
The intent of this session is to set the stage for a day of considering ‘what’s on the menu’ for Guardians and on the land support programs and how these programs fit within the larger scope of Indigenous conservation economies. The questions explored will range from the community scale (tailoring programs and jobs to the community) to the big picture (thinking through governance and linkages to other aspects of Indigenous conservation economies).
Some questions to explore in this session include:
- What is the scope of options that may inform the design and implementation of Guardians programs (hunting, language revitalization, culture camps, monitoring) and what are some approaches to tailoring these programs to the community/region?
- How do Guardians and on the land support programs contribute economic, cultural and social benefits to their communities?
- What defines “success” in Guardian and on the land programs? What are the factors and lessons learned to date that may influence and inform the success or failure of Guardian programs?
- How do you design good, culturally appropriate jobs that people want to stay and grow in?
- How effective are various forms of harvester assistance and on-the-land programs (e.g. providing gas and equipment, community harvest jobs) in supporting the economic, social and cultural needs of Indigenous communities?
- What funding models best support Guardians, community harvester, and on-the-land programs and how are these achieved?
- How to Guardians and on the land support programs fit within the larger scope of Indigenous led conservation areas and other related initiatives? What are some best practices for governance and working with partners?
- What are some examples of legal frameworks that contribute to the creation of sustainable, long-term Guardians and on the land support programs?
This session explores current and future funding models and investment strategies that can best support the development of Indigenous economies in support of conservation objectives, and more specifically, guardian and stewardship programs, harvester assistance and on-the-land support. The aim is to provide an overview of the options available, grounded in real-world, community-led approaches. There are challenges and this session explores them, along with approaches to address them.
The Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) model offers a partial solution to these challenges. PFP offers potential for permanent and full funding of conservation objectives twinned with Indigenous management and economic benefits. Where in the past, funding for Indigenous management in the implementation of newly established conservation areas has proved piecemeal or insufficient, PFP initiatives aim to provide a new approach. There are lessons to be learned from the implementation of the PFP approach and the establishment of trust funds and endowments in support of IPCA establishment in various parts of Canada. This session discusses some of them.
One of the oldest and largest in Canada is the Coast Funds, a permanent fund that was created in 2007 out of mutual recognition by conservationists, First Nations, industry, and government that a sustainable economy is vital to conservation efforts in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii areas of British Columbia. [See https://coastfunds.ca]
This session explores how small remote Indigenous communities build permanent sustainable funds, how funds are managed, allocated and grown at a community level, and how they are supplemented by other funding arrangements. Case examples include the, the Taku River Tlingit First Nation and the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation (and the Dehcho First Nations and Heiltsuk First Nation, to be confirmed?).
Some questions to explore in this session include:
- What are the options available for funding Indigenous Conservation Economies. How are the various funding models structured? What are the preferred models (from an Indigenous perspective) and why?
- What are the opportunities and challenges in establishing funding partnerships between Indigenous governments and organizations on the one hand and public governments, NGOs and foundations, and the private sector on the other? What are the implications of partnering with the aforementioned partners, on legal frameworks, accountability, governance, etc?
- An important part of obtaining funding is making a persuasive case and marketing it to various public and private investors who have their own interests and priorities? What are some approaches?
- How are Indigenous-held trust funds best managed based on lessons learned? What is the importance of transparency, community trust, and relationships in managing and growing Indigenous conservation economy funding (e.g. a trust fund)?
- What are some community-based criteria for the allocation of funds to various programs and activities?
