Partners
Why a map is needed
The future of conservation is Indigenous-led. In the past five years, IPCAs and Guardians have grown exponentially from coast-to-coast-to-coast. There is increasing interest in both types of initiatives by Indigenous Peoples, Crown governments, NGOs, and others. Despite frequent requests for a map of Indigenous-led conservation initiatives, no publicly available map of IPCAs and Guardians exists. We want to help create a beautiful, informative map that helps showcase the incredible leadership of Indigenous Peoples and showcase the important work communities are doing to take care of the Lands and waters in their territories, for the benefit of all. Together, we can show the momentum and strength of the Indigenous-led conservation movement in Canada.
Goals of the map
Goal 1
Increase awareness of Indigenous-led conservation initiatives and their positive impacts.
Goal 2
Support collaboration among initiatives, organizations, and sectors.
Goal 3
Increase awareness of Indigenous-led conservation initiatives and their positive impacts.
Goal 4
Increase awareness of Indigenous-led conservation initiatives and their positive impacts.
Original icons above designed by, and copyright of, the IISAAK OLAM Foundation, 2023
Project Timeline
PHASE 1: NOVEMBER 2023 TO OCTOBER 2024
Project management and technical team assembled
Outreach and engagement to Indigenous governments with IPCAs and/or Guardians programs
Launch of the first draft of the map in summer 2024 with locations and descriptions of participating initiatives
Phase 2: November 2024 onwards
Ongoing engagement with Indigenous governments
New layers added to the map (e.g. carbon stores and biodiversity hot spots)
Educational sessions with Indigenous governments on how to use the map to leverage support and funding
How we work
We value and respect what belongs to you. Your data and all proprietary info will be protected. We will only showcase the initiatives of consenting First Nations, Indigenous governments, and Guardians programs. We follow the First Nations principles of ownership, control, access, and possession (OCAP). This means that we ensure participating governments and initiatives control how data is collected and how their data can be used.
Interest in Participating
Please click on the button below to share your contact information with our team. We’ll get in touch to provide more information and answer any questions you have about the project.