The Grizzly Bear Foundation recognizes the invaluable role of Indigenous-led conservation and the core principles to the conservation of lands and waters that continue to support Indigenous people's cultural and economic practices. Indigenous-led conservation encoded within traditional teachings, song, dance, art and laws of First Nations serves as an essential source of knowledge in grizzly bear conservation. These teachings and practices persevere through the wisdom and resilience of their ancestors and the people that carry this knowledge forward.

In our commitment in carrying this forward, we are spotlighting innovative projects and stewards of the land to celebrate and acknowledge ancient relationships through our e-newsletter, The Knowledge Keeper. Each month we will navigate subscribers through curated stories, research, and Indigenous Knowledge–ᴡᴀʏꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴋɴᴏᴡɪɴɢ–that guide Indigenous-led grizzly bear conservation. We hope you will join us, and invite others as well.

The Grizzly Bear Foundation hosted the first Indigenous Roundtable on Grizzly Bear Conservation and Bear-Viewing Ecotourism in 2019. Our goal is to bring First Nations and Indigenous ecotourism companies together for the welfare and conservation of the grizzly bear, the foods they eat, and the ecosystems they roam. Our objectives respect and prioritize the perspective, values and knowledge of Indigenous people.

Opportunities include: 

1) influencing provincial policy, 

2) developing best practices for land use planning within traditional territories, 

3) furthering bear-viewing ecotourism opportunities, and 

4) developing an indigenous approach to wildlife management and coexistence. 

Our work will be guided by First Nation consent-based decision-making and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). It will also explore how the Indigenous guardianship model can be advanced to further these endeavours. 

The Indigenous Roundtable presents an opportunity to share knowledge and experience, strengthen institutions, build capacity, and create new initiatives that benefit grizzly bear stewardship and First Nations-led economic development.