Voices of the Land: Amplifying Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Action

In honor of Mother Earth Day, we invite you to listen to the voices that have long spoken for her.

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Forests are more than trees—they are living ecosystems of culture, sustenance, and ancestral wisdom. For Indigenous Peoples, forests provide not only food and medicine, but also identity and a profound spiritual connection to Mother Earth.

And yet, with accelerating deforestation, what is at stake is not only biodiversity—but generations of Indigenous knowledge and responsible forest management practices that have quietly sustained the planet.

🌱 This Mother Earth Day, we are proud to mark the soft launch of Voices of the Land, a global campaign by the FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSC-IF)—in collaboration with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)—that uplifts Indigenous Knowledge Systems as vital, time-tested solutions for climate resilience and responsible forest stewardship.

🎥 Voices of the Land | Soft Launch Video

Filmed in Aotearoa (New Zealand) during the Oceania Regional Meeting of the Permanent Indigenous Peoples Committee (PIPC), this video captures voices from the land—Indigenous leaders and youth expressing what forest stewardship and honoring Mother Earth means to them.

More than a vision statement, the video is a call to action. It provokes emotion, invites global collaboration, and urges decision-makers, organizations, and allies to recognize Indigenous leadership in climate solutions.

🌍 Why Voices of the Land?

This Mother Earth Day, we remember:

Indigenous Peoples protect 80% of the Earth’s biodiversity—yet their knowledge, languages, and cultural practices remain under threat.
25% of the world’s land is managed by Indigenous communities who have maintained these landscapes through generations of stewardship.

This campaign is a response to an ecological emergency—and a cultural one.

Voices of the Land seeks to bridge Indigenous knowledge with global sustainability efforts, advocate for Indigenous rights, and spark real action through policy, funding, and partnerships.

🌐 This Mother Earth Day, how will you stand with her?
Whether you’re a policymaker, business leader, environmental advocate, or ally, there are many ways to be part of this movement:

🤝 Advocate: Use your platform to elevate Indigenous voices in climate conversations.
🌾 Contribute: Support Indigenous-led initiatives through funding, technology, or resources.
📢 Share: Amplify the campaign in your networks and help build a global chorus for change.

📩 Interested in collaborating? Reach out to us at fsc.if@fsc.org
Together, let’s create space for Indigenous guardians of the forest to lead the way.

🌎 This Mother Earth Day, let’s not just celebrate the Earth—we must protect those who have protected her for generations.

Voices That Echo Through the Forest

Minnie Degawan at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

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From the mountain ridges of the Philippines to the halls of the United Nations, the voices of Indigenous Peoples continue to rise—not in protest alone, but in wisdom, resilience, and deep-rooted knowledge of how to live in balance with nature.

This April, as world leaders and Indigenous representatives gather in New York for the 24th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), our Managing Director Minnie Degawan—a proud Kankanaey Igorot woman—will be there, carrying the stories and hopes of Indigenous communities from around the globe. With the theme of this year’s session focused on “Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” the moment is not just symbolic—it’s strategic. It’s a time to spotlight good practices, confront persistent challenges, and most of all, listen to those who have safeguarded the planet for generations.

As part of our Voices of the Land campaign, Minnie’s presence at the Forum is more than participation—it’s a powerful act of advocacy. In a heartfelt video message to mark the occasion, she shares, “we believe that the knowledge of Indigenous Peoples is essential to the health of our planet.” Through Voices of the Land, we are sharing real stories of Indigenous leadership in forest stewardship, language preservation, and climate resilience—stories that often go unheard, but are vital to reimagining a sustainable future.

The campaign and the Forum intersect in their urgency. While Indigenous Peoples manage over 25% of the Earth’s land surface and protect 80% of its biodiversity, their rights remain fragile, their languages endangered, and their contributions under-recognized. At the FSC Indigenous Foundation, we’re committed to changing that narrative—by investing in Indigenous-led solutions, creating platforms for Indigenous voices, and calling for meaningful partnerships across all sectors.

We are also proud to share that Ms. Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Chair of the FSC Indigenous Foundation Council, is leading this year’s Forum as the Chair of the UNPFII. Her leadership marks a moment of great promise—one in which Indigenous voices are not only represented, but guiding the way forward.

And with Mother Earth Day approaching on April 22, this is a time to reconnect with our roots, renew our commitments, and honor the Earth—as Indigenous Peoples have done since time immemorial.

📢 Get Involved:

Watch Minnie’s video message and share it with your network.
Follow us on social media for live updates from UNPFII 2025.
Support Indigenous-led solutions and fund transformation: contact us at fsc.if@fsc.org