Conservation Matriarchs: Leading through Nationhood

For Indigenous Peoples - the original caretakers of their traditional lands and territories - conservation is rooted in sustaining respectful, reciprocal relationships with the land, waters, and all our relations.

These teachings are often carried, practiced, and passed down through the leadership of Indigenous women.

As knowledge holders, water protectors, harvesters, teachers, and caregivers, Indigenous women have long safeguarded the ecosystems their communities rely on. Today, many continue that work through roles in Guardians programs, community leadership, and national advocacy.

Indigenous Women Guardians: Nationhood in Action

At the recent 2025 First Nations National Guardians Gathering, attended by WCS Canada President & Senior Scientist Justina Ray and members of our Indigenous Communities and Conservation team, this leadership was on full display. The gathering brought together 350 Guardians, leaders, partners, and co-conspirators from coast-to-coast-to-coast for three powerful days of ceremony, learning, sharing, and celebrating Indigenous-led conservation and stewardship.

Over the course of the gathering, we heard from several powerful women, each sharing their experiences, challenges, and joys of working on the land.

The stories reflected the diversity of Indigenous territories, cultures, ways of knowing, and being. While each voice was unique, a common message came through: Nəc’ əmáat - Together as One. This work is about care and connection. It’s about responsibility to community, to generations past and those yet to come, and to the lands, waters, and more-than-human relations. It’s about healing reciprocally with the land and supporting one another while we do so.

Whether they’re leading conservation and stewardship initiatives like Guardian programs and Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs), mentoring the next generation, revitalizing language and place-based knowledge, or being the eyes, ears, and feet on their territories, these women are not just leaders - they’re stewards of a future where Indigenous values are at the forefront.

“If we are going to save this planet, it is the guardians who are going to do that, and it is you [the guardians] who are going to bring everybody along with you.”
– Valérie Courtois, 2025 First Nations National Guardians Gathering, June 10 Welcoming Remarks

Honouring Indigenous Women Through Action

Indigenous women have always been inspirational leaders. Now, more people are recognizing their leadership for what it truly is: essential. Whether in political office, in community, or on the land, matriarchs are leading the way.

That’s why WCS Canada, in partnership with the Indigenous Leadership Initiative (ILI), is honoured to support the First Nations Women Transforming Conservation Fellowship. This initiative uplifts and invests in First Nations women leading conservation across their territories. The fellowship supports their visions, deepens connections across regions, and creates space for their voices to shape the future of conservation in Canada.

The fellowship was established in loving memory of Dr. Cheryl Chetkiewicz, WCS Canada’s former Director of Indigenous Communities and Conservation, whose tireless work and enduring relationships helped guide this program into being. In recognition of this commitment, WCS Canada was deeply honoured to receive the Allyship Award from ILI at this year’s gathering.

Among the inaugural fellowship recipients are:

• Taylor Galvin (Ozaawi Mashkode-Bizhiki), a proud Anishinaabe woman from Brokenhead Ojibway Nation. A graduate student at the University of Manitoba, her Master’s research explores Lake Sturgeon conservation through Indigenous science, storytelling, and community knowledge. Taylor also chairs the Brokenhead Wetland Ecological Reserve and works in environmental monitoring with Tataskweyak Cree Nation, mentoring Indigenous youth and women in plants, medicines, and ceremony.

• Mary-Jo Michell, nłeʔkepmx (Nlaka’pamux) from ƛ̓əq̓ƛ̓aqtn (Kanaka Bar). As an elected Councillor and the Lands and Culture Coordinator at Kanaka Bar Indian Band, Mary-Jo brings together cultural revitalization and land stewardship, guided by teachings from her grandmothers and Elders. She views the tmíxʷ (land/earth) not as a resource but as a sacred relative.

Through the fellowship’s Aunties Circle, these leaders are supported by a nurturing community of intergenerational mentors. This circle offers spiritual, cultural, and practical guidance to help fellows navigate both the challenges and the joys of their important work.

Let’s honour this leadership not just in words, but in action, by supporting their work, amplifying their voices, and making space for the generations of matriarchs still to come.