A Natural Connection:
Empowering the Tribes and Pueblos of the Southwest
John Waconda, Indigenous Partnerships Director with The Nature Conservancy
Originating from Pueblo-led forest restoration projects in New Mexico, the collaboration of Trees, Water & People and The Nature Conservancy was developed to share vision, experience, determination, and our Pueblo connections, in order to further the efforts of stewarding valuable Tribal forests. Both nongovernmental organizations share similar goals to sustain, enhance, and protect forests; as well as further Tribal self-determination and build capacity. It was a natural connection for us to work together to convene community leaders and share knowledge, assist in Tribal planning, and financially support Tribal-led forestry and fire projects.
Strengthening Tribal partnerships and building meaningful, trusted relationships with Pueblo governments — bringing rare philanthropic attention and assistance to underserved communities — is at the core of this work. Developing and supporting Tribal coalitions and empowering their abilities to work closer together while developing capacity is an important and ambitious goal. It has elevated our combined abilities to address many challenges such as climate change, sustaining and protecting valued natural resources, and strengthening Tribal tradition, culture, and communities. Together we are fostering a positive future for the Indigenous Southwest.
We see great opportunities in this work and are pleased to see the energy that this partnership has created. The possibilities of working together with Tribes is enormous, and we look forward to this growing and evolving.
