Yukon North Slope Conference 2025: Indigenous Conservation Economies

Indigenous Conservation Economies are traditional and local Indigenous economic systems that are deeply intertwined with land stewardship. This theme is especially relevant today, given the growing ways that Indigenous peoples are shaping their traditional economies to thrive across a variety of sectors and geographies, including: Indigenous-led conservation areas and conservation finance, harvesting and on-the-land support, guardians and monitoring programs, climate adaptation initiatives, ecotourism, research economies, and artistry.

For Indigenous governments and organizations, growing Indigenous conservation economies represents an opportunity to connect with traditions and culture, while building a sustainable future for generations to come. For partners, it is an opportunity to explore new or refreshed ways of working together to uphold shared conservation goals and responsibilities. The 11th Yukon North Slope Conference provided a space to connect, share, and deepen our thinking about Indigenous Conservation Economies.

• Learning from people working in Indigenous Conservation Economies, Indigenous Protected and Conserved areas, and land guardian initiatives.

• Sharing resources in support of building Indigenous Conservation Economies.

• Applying learnings to the early implementation of Aullaviat/Anguniarvik Traditional Conservation Area in the Northeast Yukon.