Investing in Future Stewards:
Our Partnership with the Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps
As our work in New Mexico has expanded, we’ve focused on partnerships that unite conservation efforts with local employment opportunities, attending to the connections between ecological and economic stability. One of our key partners, the Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps (ALCC), has been instrumental in employing Native youth and adults to carry out conservation and restoration initatives within their ancestral lands.
“We are able to reconnect our participants to sacred places, culturally significant places. And oftentimes it’s the first time that these folks have ever visited these locations, these places that they've heard about in their origin stories and prayers and songs….So it’s a way to continue the heritage that’s been passed down as the caretakers, the stewards, the protectors of these places.” – Chas Robles, ALCC Executive Director
ALCC reduces barriers to participation in conservation work by collaborating with Tribal communities, offering stable employment, and providing all necessary equipment, clothing, and gear. From constructing fencing, to building river restoration structures, to reforesting fire-disturbed areas, we’ve partnered with ALCC to implement much of our work in the region. Hiring Native crews not only supports local employment, but also builds on a broader momentum to reintegrate traditional knowledge and cultivate Tribal leadership in land management.
“One of the biggest issues facing our Indigenous lands is having the resources to be able to manage those lands in the ways Tribes know are needed….Making sure that those resources get to the Tribes and that they’re able to utilize their traditional knowledge to manage those lands, pairing them with Western science, but placing value on that traditional knowledge. That’s something I've been excited to see more funders prioritizing.” – Chas Robles, ALCC Executive Director
Our recent award of a 1.1 million dollar America the Beautiful Challenge grant will help sustain our partnership with ALCC over the next four years as our restoration work in the Jemez Mountains expands. Receiving long-term commitments from funders means we can make long-term commitments to the projects, goals, and livelihoods of our partners.
“Investing in Native youth and young adults is a top priority for our Indigenous Lands Program. Providing them with career readiness opportunities with hands-on projects allows them to learn new skills, build networks, and get compensated for their work, creating income for them and their families. Native youth are our future warriors and stewards - it’s critical that they are involved in today’s conservation work to be prepared for tomorrow’s management.” - James Calabaza, TWP Indigenous Lands Program Director
