Written by Emma Bock - Editors: Anastasia Eginoglou, Kata Krnács
The Kunming & Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework is the most recent framework, adopted in 2022 by The Convention on Biological Diversity at the Fifteenth Conference of Parties (COP 15). The framework sets targets to work toward the 2030 mission of changing society's relationship with nature to meet the overall vision of living in harmony with nature by 2050. A good idea in theory, but how do we set goals for such a subjective target - how do we know we are really ‘living in harmony with nature’? Luckily, several Indigenous groups are already achieving this, and many are responsible for maintaining nearly 80% of the world's biodiversity. Now, Indigenous peoples aren’t reaching these numbers because of strict conservation and protective laws put in place that the Western world strongly believes in. They successfully ‘live in harmony with nature through traditional practices, knowledge, and culture. Unfortunately, there is little to no recognition of Indigenous groups and their relationship to the world’s biodiversity in the Kunming & Montreal framework, which should be argued as a necessity to meet the 2050 goal.
Before diving into some examples of how Indigenous land management conserves biodiversity, let's talk about biodiversity loss and its connection with colonized landscapes. Throughout history, European settlers have colonized regions already inhabited by Indigenous groups. At the time, the European perspective of how Indigenous people were managing and maintaining their land was seen as wrong and unproductive, leading to the destruction of Indigenous land use, beliefs, and traditions. To this day, Indigenous groups are still fighting for equal rights and reclaiming the land they lost. The widespread Western approach to conservation is to remove people from a ‘protected area’ to conserve nature - an approach that roots us into the narrative of being ‘other’ to ‘nature’ and, to protect it, we must remove ourselves. The Convention of Biodiversity recognizes that this view drives the current loss of biodiversity, and thus, we need to change how society views our relationship with nature. Indigenous beliefs are often firmly rooted in the belief that humans on this earth are part of the environment and nature we inhabit. Therefore, consultation with Indigenous groups should be at the forefront when discussing how to change society's relationship with nature.
Numerous Indigenous groups live worldwide, and all have unique cultures and practices. In this article, we will examine two case studies in Canada. The first concerns the relationship between the Sayisi Dene culture and caribou in northern Manitoba. The second case concerns the techniques of Indigenous fire stewardship and how they relate to the growth of berries in the boreal forests. These case studies are just two examples of how Indigenous land management helps harvest biodiversity.
In northern Canada, Indigenous groups have lived harmoniously with the Caribou population for generations. In the 1950s, the number of caribou in the province of Manitoba was dwindling; thus, the Canadian government put out a call to action. Their solution was to corridor off a large area of land to re-establish Caribou numbers. In the act of preserving said area, thousands of Indigenous people, known as the Sayisi Dene, were displaced. This scenario followed the standard Western narrative that humans must be removed to preserve and protect nature. The Canadian government realized that their decision to remove the Sayisi Dene from the ‘protected’ area had no positive impact on the caribou population and only resulted in the devastating loss of tradition and culture for the Dene people. The government signed a formal apology in the 1970s and worked with the Dene to create a co-managed area. This area is now known as “The Seal River Watershed”, an Indigenous Protected and Conserved area. These areas are managed by Indigenous communities and are recognized for their significant contribution to biodiversity conservation.
The Seal Watershed works with Dene hunters, and their traditional knowledge is mixed with Western science to create a management plan to increase the caribou numbers. There are now numerous Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas in Canada that work together with the Canadian government and the program called Indigenous Guardians. The Indigenous Guardians Program is a shining example of an organization that is leading the way in blending Indigenous knowledge with Western science to create sustainable strategies for improving biodiversity conservation. This collaborative approach not only respects Indigenous traditions but also opens up new possibilities for effective conservation strategies.
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More recently, we have seen the devastating effects of the rampant forest fires in Los Angeles. Forest fires have become more common due to the impacts of climate change, which causes severe drought, higher temperatures, and strong winds. These fires not only threaten homes and infrastructure but their catastrophic destruction results in a significant loss of valuable biodiversity. In recent fire management strategies, Indigenous fire stewardship is recognized as a tool. Before the lands were colonized, many Indigenous groups used fire to manage the landscape, which helped create more biodiverse-rich areas. In the boreal region of Canada, forest fires meant an abundance of blueberries in the next growing season.
Western cultures have a somewhat tense relationship with fire, often perceived as dangerous unless used for a recreational bonfire. This relationship with fire, combined with the displacement of Indigenous groups, resulted in unmanaged ecosystems longing for a fire. This build-up of the understorey creates larger fires, which cause more damage. Fires are essential to burn the brush in the understorey while keeping the larger woodier plants alive and healthy. Burning the ground cover allows the sun to reach it and allows the less dominant plants to take up space and grow. Fires will enable more berries to grow in the summer in the boreal region of Canada. When berry bushes become overgrown, certain indigenous groups will burn the area using a low-intensity, monitored fire. The fire only burns the bush above the soil’s surface, leaving the root structure alone. Once the fire has passed, the dead parts of the plants leave only the healthy limbs with enough retained water to survive the fire. The bush is now smaller, making it more resilient against pests and disease, and it uses its reserved energy to produce more nutrient-dense berries. If the berry bushes do not go through regular fire management, dead branches will build up, creating more fuel for the next fire, leading to larger, more destructive fires. Using fire to fight fire seems counterproductive, but Indigenous traditions such as berry bush management express how fire can be used responsibly.
These two examples of Indigenous land management assisting in biodiversity and conservation are just the beginning of all the amazing conservation techniques we can learn from Indigenous communities. The Caribou Management happening in northern Manitoba reminds us that removing people from the scenario is not always the answer, and the techniques of Indigenous fire stewardship remind us of the numerous roles and factors that influence our ecosystems. While humans may have caused a lot of destruction in the natural world, we have the opportunity to rewrite our influence by shifting our relationship from other to nature to one of coexistence and mutual respect. This paradigm shift is not just a possibility but a necessity for the future of our planet.
As we approach the first milestone of the framework in 2030, it will be interesting to see how the nations involved in COP 15 have moved forward. Not discussed in the Framework are the Indigenous groups worldwide, who are leading the way in biodiversity conservation. With the overwhelming evidence that most of the world’s biodiversity overlaps with land managed by Indigenous groups, there is no denying the potential of integrating Indigenous practices into biodiversity frameworks. However, this integration may also pose challenges, such as the need for cross-cultural understanding, respect for Indigenous rights, and the adaptation of existing conservation strategies. Overcoming these challenges will be crucial for the successful inclusion of Indigenous practices in biodiversity frameworks.
In conclusion, the 2050 vision to live in harmony with nature is the answer. However, to accomplish this, current conservation methods require an update that recognizes Indigenous groups and their efforts. This will be achieved by decolonizing our current structures in the fight to conserve and enhance our world's biodiversity.
References:
Convention on Biological Diversity. (2022, December 19). 15/4. Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. UN Environment Programme. https://www.cbd.int/doc/decisions/cop-15/cop-15-dec-04-en.pdf
Domínguez, L., & Luoma, C. (2020). Decolonising conservation policy: How colonial land and conservation ideologies persist and perpetuate indigenous injustices at the expense of the environment. Land, 9(3), 65. https://doi.org/10.3390/land9030065
Hoffman, K. M., et al. (2021). Conservation of Earth’s biodiversity is embedded in indigenous fire stewardship. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(32). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2105073118
Merino, M. (2024, September 24). The role of good fire in nourishing boreal berries. Boreal Conservation. https://www.borealconservation.org/stories-1/the-role-of-good-fire-in-nourishing-boreal-berries
Seal River Watershed. (2025). Indigenous Protected Areas. Seal River Watershed. https://www.sealriverwatershed.ca/indigenous-protected-areas