International Day of the World’s Indigenous People

The best defenders of nature, Indigenous nationalities live sustainably within the most biodiverse places on the planet.

That is why Nature and Culture prioritizes people in our conservation efforts. We provide extensive technical and legal support for communities to define and achieve their own conservation goals. From land protection and sustainable use of the land to the documentation of Indigenous culture, our conservation process examines all components of a potential project.

Conserving ancestral territories ensures long-term conservation.

Indigenous peoples have lived on their lands for countless generations. Over centuries, they have shaped and been shaped by the surrounding ecosystems. Their cultures and livelihoods are inextricably woven into the fabric of nature around them.

In July of this year, the Tiwi Nunka Protected Area was announced as Ecuador’s first Indigenous-led nationally protected conservation area. Protecting their ancestral territory and the ecosystems found within it, protects the strong link that the Shuar nationality has with biodiversity, which has been transmitted for centuries between generations.

Click here to read more about the Tiwi Nunka Community Protected Area.

Supporting Indigenous cultures, preserves traditional knowledge.

Nature and Culture has been working with the Andwa nationality to document their language in a dictionary.  “Thanks to Nature and Culture International, we as the Andwa nationality have begun to build a dictionary. We are going to have our own instrument to conserve our language that at this moment is in danger of extinction. I will always be grateful to Nature and Culture. […] We as a nationality have always said that we want to be part of this project to sign conservation agreements and revitalize our culture. For us, the most important thing in our Indigenous organization is to conserve and give value to our handicrafts, ceramics, languages.” -Daniel Dahua, Andwa President

Click here to watch the story of the Andwa in the first filmed documentary on their culture.

Promoting sustainable livelihoods supports human well-being.

Securing a sustainable source of income for Indigenous and local communities where we work is an important component of what we do. Nature and Culture partners with biologists from local universities to determine sustainable methods of the harvesting of natural resources, and then assists with the technical implementation, production, and selling of resources to buyers that are committed to best practices.

In Peru, the Ikítu nationality harvests the buriti or aguaje fruit from a native palm species that grows in the swamps of the Peruvian Amazon and sells this super fruit, high in vitamins A and C, to local producers.

Click here to see other projects Nature and Culture has supported to secure sustainable livelihoods.