2026 Stewards of the Southwest
Earlier this month, in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico, TWP hosted the third annual Stewards of the Southwest Summit.
Although this event is only in its third year, we’re amazed to see the relationships that have already grown. Attendees are returning to see familiar faces and continue where conversations left off, year after year.
This year, the summit brought together more than 175 participants, representing 25 Tribes, 28 NGOs, 7 academic institutions, and 3 federal agencies, amongst others.
The 3-day event focuses on the experiences of Tribal, Indigenous, and Pueblo natural resource stewards from New Mexico and across the Southwest. Including fire practitioners and firefighters, water protectors, elders, and other Native and non-Native community members, the summit supports these stewards in championing their successes, highlighting their priorities and needs, and building alliances across Tribes, organizations, and agencies.
Alongside our collaborators, we see the summit as one piece of broader Tribal efforts to strengthen Indigenous sovereignty, elevate Indigenous science, and weave a strong web of resources amongst Native stewards across the Southwest.
At the 2026 summit, we were particularly proud to organize an Indigenous Women’s Panel, highlighting the unique experiences and contributions of Indigenous women in natural resource management. We also had more Tribal leaders in attendance than ever before, alongside continued excitement to bring even more elders and youth to next year’s gathering.
At the end of the day, the summit is about connection – that’s what lives on long after the three days are over.
“One of my favorite things about the summit is that you get face to face with people, you get to ask questions. And that one-on-one time seems to go a long way and have a big impact on you. I really value this gathering space for our Tribal communities to come together.”
– Luther Martinez, Picuris Pueblo
For so many of the communities we come from and work with at TWP, relationships come first.
There’s a lot to heal in the histories and lands we all share, and coming together as organizations and agencies requires us to also come together as people.
We’re honored to be a small part of helping that happen, and so grateful to the countless partners, Tribes, Pueblos, and supporters who’ve joined us in the effort.
In particular, we’d like to thank the Pueblo of Santa Ana. From offering a welcoming space for the sessions, helping with field trips, and providing a delicious Pueblo style lunch, you continuously reminded us that Tribal strength comes from the community and people.
