Indigenous stewardship and protecting biodiversity

Indigenous peoples have lived on their lands for countless generations.

But who are they, and what lessons might they have for the rest of us?

We speak to two Indigenous leaders from opposite sides of the world: Deen Sanders of the Worimi Nation from Aboriginal Australia, and Fawn Sharp from the Quinault Indian Nation in Washington State, USA.

Links:

• GFC on Natural Capital 2025-26: https://initiatives.weforum.org/global-future-council-on-natural-capital/home

• World Economic Forum (2023), Embedding Indigenous Knowledge in the Conservation and Restoration of Landscapes: https://www.weforum.org/publications/embedding-indigenous-knowledge-in-the-conservation-and-restoration-of-landscapes/

• Quinault Indian Nation: https://www.quinaultindiannation.com/

• The Worimi: https://worimiconservationlands.com/the-worimi-warrimay-have-always-been-and-remain-today-the-traditional-custodians-of-a-large-area-of-land-the-worimi-nation-oral-history-passed-down-by-the-elders-record-that-the-w/

• World Economic Forum (2025), Mainstreaming Natural Capital: https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Mainstreaming_Natural_Capital_2025.pdf

Related articles:

• This Indigenous principle could transform how we invest in nature: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2022/09/indigenous-principle-invest-in-nature/

• What centring Indigenous knowledge really means when it comes to nature-based solutions: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2023/04/what-centring-indigenous-knowledge-really-means-when-it-comes-to-nature-based-solutions/

• Indigenous leadership is the key to unlocking value in nature-based solutions: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2023/04/what-centring-indigenous-knowledge-really-means-when-it-comes-to-nature-based-solutions/

• Representation matters, but it's knowledge input that really matters: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2023/03/representation-knowledge-sharing-indigenous/

Related podcasts:

Why our future must be 'nature positive': https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/nature-positive-marco-lambertini/

Ocean: how David Attenborough's new film will transform how you see Earth: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/ocean-david-attenborough-colin-butfield/

Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:

YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts

Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164

Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560

Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552