Strengthening Indigenous Sovereignty Through Rights of Nature Gatherings

We are not protecting nature. We are nature protecting itself.
— Casey Camp, activist, environmentalist, author, and Hereditary Drumkeeper of the Women’s Scalp Dance Society of the Ponca Nation of Oklahoma

What is Rights of Nature?

Rights of Nature is a global movement, gaining momentum across Indian Country, to protect lands and natural resources for future generations by recognizing nature’s legal rights.

Honoring the Rights of Nature has always been central to the worldview and cultures of First Peoples. This movement formalizes into law what has always been integral to traditional laws: the understanding that the natural world must thrive for our Peoples and cultures to survive.

• The Ponca Nation was the first to adopt Rights of Nature into customary law.
• In 2022, the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe successfully sued the City of Seattle for harming salmon, asserting the inherent rights of salmon using a Rights of Nature approach.
• Since then, several Tribes have adopted Rights of Nature laws, with many more expressing interest in protecting their lands, waters, and sacred sites.

However, most Tribes lack the capacity and resources to enact these laws. The Bioneers Tribal Rights of Nature Initiative is Native-led, designed to understand Tribal needs and support Indigenous communities on their terms.

Context

Unlike traditional environmental law, which treats ecosystems as property, Rights of Nature laws recognize nature as a legal entity with rights to defend itself. Current laws focus on restitution to “owners” for environmental damage, whereas Rights of Nature laws require the restoration of ecosystems to ensure their ability to thrive for future generations.

Why Tribes Are Uniquely Positioned to Lead

As sovereign nations, Tribes possess the inherent authority to govern their territories without being fully subject to state or federal laws. By implementing Rights of Nature laws, Tribes can:

• Legally prohibit activities like oil extraction and mining.
• Enforce stewardship responsibilities informed by traditional ecological knowledge.

“That’s what this movement is about—taking sovereignty to the next level. Let’s get in front of the problem instead of constant after-the-fact triage. Tribes spend millions of dollars each year just to protect their homelands from external threats. Rights of Nature gives us a proactive path forward.”
— Samantha Skenandore (Ho-Chunk/Oneida), Bioneers Rights of Nature Attorney

The Problem

Despite their sovereignty, Indigenous lands are disproportionately targeted for resource extraction due to the wealth of natural resources they contain. This has led to:

• Environmental Degradation: Over 20% of U.S. oil and gas reserves and 30% of coal resources lie on or near Indigenous lands. Uranium mining on Navajo Nation has left over 500 abandoned mines, contaminating water and increasing cancer rates.
• Health Disparities: Communities near extraction sites face higher rates of respiratory diseases and cancers due to pollution. For example, intensified oil drilling on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota has resulted in spills, water contamination, and health crises.
• Cultural Loss: Sacred sites are desecrated, and traditional practices are endangered as environmental damage disrupts the balance of ecosystems central to Indigenous ways of life.

“To those who say, ‘How can a river have rights?’ I say, ‘How can it not?’”
— Samuel Gensaw (Yurok), Director of the Ancestral Guard

Why Rights of Nature Matters

Rights of Nature laws allow Tribes to:

• Protect ecosystems from extraction industries.
• Assert legal authority over their lands based on traditional ecological knowledge.
• Enforce conservation measures aligned with Indigenous values rather than corporate profit motives.

Project Overview

The Bioneers Tribal Rights of Nature Initiative strengthens Indigenous leadership by supporting Tribes with capacity building, technical assistance, and advocacy to implement Rights of Nature laws.

Goals

1. Build a Network of Indigenous Advocates

   • Foster cross-community collaboration through intertribal gatherings.
   • In 2023, we hosted a historic gathering in Southern California with 230 attendees from 75 Tribal Nations and are working to host more gatherings nationwide.

   “So many communities are dealing with similar issues. We have to build relationships and support each other.”
   — Anonymous attendee

2. Empower Indigenous Youth and Elders

   • Provide mini-grants to youth groups advocating for Rights of Nature.
   • Highlight success stories, such as the Mashpee Wampanoag Nation Tribal Youth Ambassadors, who wrote and passed a Rights of Herring resolution.

   “This program has not only inspired me to fight for the natural world but has also given me the strength and confidence to advocate for my Tribe and community.”
   — Isaiah Peters, Mashpee Wampanoag

Be a Part of the Movement

Join us in protecting lands, waters, and sacred sites across North America. Support the Bioneers Tribal Rights of Nature Initiative and help us create a sustainable, just future rooted in Indigenous wisdom and ecological stewardship.