First Nations Development Institute

Members of First Nations’ Native Farmer Professional Cohort came together in April for an in-person conservation planning workshop on the ancestral lands of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. The group met as part of the Stewarding Native Lands’ Community-Led Conservation of Native American Farms and Grasslands project, which supports two distinct cohorts in uplifting traditional knowledge and stewardship practices through a supportive network.

The 16 cohort participants explored rangeland management principles and the conservation planning process and addressed resource concerns and opportunities through a hands-on field session at Seka Hills. They left with the groundwork for their own conservation plans and goals, as well as strengthened connections to one another in advancing local food systems and stewardship.

➡️ Learn more about First Nations' Native Farmer Professional Cohort: https://bit.ly/4uSwUUZ

📣 First Nations 2025 Impact Report Out Now! 📣

Across five strategic areas, First Nations invests in the strength and ingenuity of Native communities. We provide direct support to tribes and Native-led organizations that are advancing Native resource stewardship, knowledge and culture, food systems, and economic justice. Our 2025 Impact Report illustrates how, together, we are reaffirming our rights as Native peoples, respecting our lands, revitalizing our languages, and returning to our traditional ways.

Learn more about the seeds Tribal Nations have saved and planted with First Nations' support. We thank our dedicated community of advocates who help these seeds grow and blossom for generations to come.

➡️ Access the 2025 Impact Report: https://bit.ly/4npkaTr

This month, First Nations released the Protecting Bering Sea Ecosystems report, a resource designed to elevate Native-led work in the Bering Sea region addressing primary threats to Bering Sea marine resources, such as climate change, exploitation, and governance. The report provides funding and policy and governance recommendations to ensure that this cultural resource – the foundation for many Alaska Native communities’ languages, subsistence practices, and identity – is protected and sustained for generations to come.

The report also calls attention to the critical importance of Alaska Native voices in restoring balance to the Bering Sea marine ecosystem. First Nations’ new blog post shares perspectives and insights from Mellisa “Maktuayaq” Johnson (Nome Eskimo Community tribal member) on upholding responsibilities of stewarding land and sea resources in the Bering Sea.

➡️ Read the blog post: https://bit.ly/49v4isL

➡️ Read the Protecting Bering Sea Ecosystems report: https://bit.ly/4fcXNhR