National Tribal Environmental Council

NTEC and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) reaffirmed working agreements in a memorandum of understanding committing our organizations to work together in the following actions:

1. To assess the feasibility of creating national tribal conservation areas (TCAs);
2. To assess evolving federal policy and agency activities related to climate change adaptation, and work to ensure tribes have equitable involvement in and receive equitable funding related to those policies and activities; and
3. To reach out to and engage tribal leaders and representatives in the crafting and passage of federal and/or climate change legislation.

There have been initial steps taken on the feasibility study, and the creation of an advisory committee. The feasibility study is in the first phase, and an advisory committee has been formed consisting of John Banks, Penobscot Nation; Chris Caldwell, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin; and Mark Heckert, National Wildlife Federation, Board of Directors.

 Phase I - Progress and Discovery

Initial discovery demonstrates that now is the right time for considering establishment of TCAs as tribes are independently exploring the value of such areas.

Project Activities thus far include:

• Formation of a steering committee
• Formation of an advisory committee with a desire to provide a regional representation of tribes across the U.S.
• Development of a draft feasibility study outline to guide research and other                activities such as identify:
• Existing or planned tribal conservation projects to learn from (e.g., Yakama, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, White Mountain Apache Tribes),
• Tribal and non-tribal organizations involved with conservation with which alliances could be built regarding the establishment of TCAs, and legal and legislative matters affecting the establishment of TCAs
• Benefits of the establishment of TCAs such as land protection and preservation, wildlife, plant and habitat protection, protection of cultural sites and culturally-sensitive areas, ecotourism, potential job creation (e.g., conservation rangers)

 Next Steps

• Continue research and develop feasibility study 
• Add advisory committee members and convene advisory meetings
• Outreach to tribal leaders

Call to Action

The TCA steering committee is seeking additional members to serve on the project’s advisory committee. The steering committee is seeking input and feedback from tribes on the TCA feasibility study. The steering committee would also like to invite tribal government with existing or planned conservation areas to join its effort as part of a pilot project.

For more information, please contact Jerry Pardilla at NTEC ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ), or Garrit Voggesser at NWF ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).