FSC-IF February Newsletter 2026

Across territories and regions, Indigenous leadership continues to shape climate and forest action, and February was a month of connection and collaboration that strengthened this shared commitment in the FSC Indigenous Foundation.

Indigenous Lands Symposium 2026 in Canada 

The Indigenous Lands Symposium brought together leaders, Elders, youth, and partners from across Canada and beyond to center resurgence, restoration, and Indigenous rights in forest stewardship. The gathering created space for powerful dialogue on land governance, Free, Prior and Informed Consent, and the global relevance of Indigenous knowledge systems in addressing climate and biodiversity challenges.  

A dedicated Indigenous exchange with FSC Australia and New Zealand further strengthened cross-regional relationships, as leaders shared experiences of asserting rights, advancing Care for Country, and leveraging tools such as FSC certification to support Indigenous-led stewardship. The week underscored the strength of international solidarity and the importance of learning from one another to advance Indigenous leadership worldwide. 

At the symposium, the panel “Beyond the Boreal” featured FSC-IF managing director Minnie Degawan, FSC PIPC alternate for Oceania Tolita Davis-Angeles, and Indigenous leader Jacqueline Lorangi, who shared cross-regional perspectives and lessons from around the world, with Minnie providing an overview of the key global challenges facing Indigenous Peoples and forest stewardship, and Tolita speaking on “the impacts of colonisation and how this is limiting First Nations Care for Country and how mechanisms like Forest Stewardship Council certification present pathways to increase First Nations opportunities to implement Care for Country practices.”

Webinar on Community-Led Forest Economies  

In the WRI webinar, Indigenous leaders from across regions reaffirmed that securing land rights, strengthening community forest governance, and ensuring direct access to climate finance are essential to advancing climate action, protecting biodiversity, and sustaining Indigenous-led economies.  

Among the panelists in the webinar were Ms. Alina Santiago and Kalea Aquino, both Indigenous women from the FSC Indigenous Foundation, who shared outstanding community leadership stories in forest stewardship and beyond.

Watch the recording:

Boosting Indigenous Nature-Based Business Models 

Indigenous women’s leadership continues to drive meaningful action in forest conservation. In the Emberá Purú community in Panama, leaders like Briceida Upua are strengthening local knowledge and stewardship of their territories. From January 22 to 25, FSC Indigenous Foundation, in coordination with Health in Harmony and If Not Us Then Who, facilitated community workshops to review bioacoustic monitoring results based on a biodiversity baseline established in their forests. 

Listen to Briceida’s story:

Through this collaborative process, 211 species were validated, including 199 birds, five mammals, and seven amphibians. This marks a significant advancement in community-led biodiversity knowledge. The initiative reinforced the importance of forest conservation and upheld the community’s rights to manage and use this information under the principles of Indigenous data sovereignty, demonstrating the vital role Indigenous women play in safeguarding their lands and knowledge systems.

FSC-IF in GATC annual planning meeting 

FSC Indigenous Foundation was honored to participate in the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities’ annual planning meeting for 2026, hosted in Panama by the Alianza Mesoamericana de Pueblos y Bosques and the territorial authorities of Guna Yala and Emberá from February 22nd to 27th.

Participants aligned key priorities for the year ahead, including governance and budget discussions, updates from member organizations, the Women’s and Youth Movements, the Shandia Platform, and the development of the 2026 strategy.

During the gathering, FSC-IF Managing Director Minnie Degawan underscored the urgent need for stronger Indigenous solidarity in the face of climate change, biodiversity loss, and shrinking civic space, emphasizing that no single organization can address these challenges alone. She reaffirmed FSC-IF’s commitment to collaboration with GATC, including joint fundraising, technical exchange, and practical support such as strengthening global alliances across regions.  

Aissatou Ibrahim, FSC PIPC Representative for Francophone Africa and co-leader of the GATC Women’s Movement, highlighted the shared struggles faced by Indigenous communities across basins and raised concerns about the lack of dedicated funding for the Women’s Movement. She stressed that it’s a very serious problem because women are the core of the family, and the family is what makes up the community. 

Research Spotlight

First Nations-led Circular Bioeconomies: Social and Economic Impacts and Social Perceptions 

This report provides an in-depth analysis of First Nations-led circular bioeconomies in Australia, examining their social, economic, environmental, and cultural impacts. It captures the perspectives of various First Nations groups, emphasising their traditional responsibilities for caring for Country, preserving ancestral knowledge systems, and engaging in sustainable practices that support community wellbeing and environmental health. 

Researchers: Tolita Davis-Angeles and Timothy McBride 

Upcoming activities in March:

20th Community-Based Adaptation Conference hosted by IIED  

The 20th International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change (CBA20) will be held from 11 to 14 May 2026 in Manila, Philippines, convening global practitioners to share lessons, strengthen partnerships, and advance locally led climate adaptation in practice. 

Re-Earth Initiative’s Climate Policy Fellowship for Indigenous Youth 

Re-Earth Initiative is proud to launch its Climate Policy Fellowship for Indigenous Youth. A year-long capacity-building and policy engagement program designed to support Indigenous youth in meaningfully engaging in international climate negotiations under the UNFCCC.  Applications for the 2026 cohort open on March 2nd and will be reviewed on a rolling basis until March 16th.

We thank our allies and partners for their continued support and collaboration. We also invite financial institutions and organizations interested in investing in Indigenous nature-based solutions to connect with us so we can work together to strengthen Indigenous-led climate and forest action worldwide.