Building Future Indigenous Conservation Leaders with Innovative Immersive Learning

“The goal of the program is to get students comfortable with people working in the fields of both Indigenous knowledge and Western science,” says Kristen Redd, program manager for the Canyonlands Research Center. “We want to create a network of people that our students can reach out to for counsel and mentorship. We also encourage students to bring their Indigenous knowledge into their careers.”

Students come from a wide range of Tribes, and while many study science, their majors span everything from botany and health science to building management and even writing.

Bridging Cultures

For NATURE Fellow Jaiden Willeto (Navajo/Diné), the heart of the program is the opportunity to bridge the values of Indigenous knowledge with Western science—bringing Indigenous perspectives into the forefront so that they become a pillar of scientific understanding.

“Indigenous culture sees a balance among all living things,” Willeto explains. “Indigenous culture is thousands of years old, and we have much to learn from that ancient knowledge. But much of it has been lost since settlement and colonization of the country. It’s important to preserve and pass on what remains.”

Willeto says students gain a renewed sense of pride. “NATURE participants take away a feeling that the knowledge passed to them by their community and their Elders is just as important as what they learn in school…that it isn’t ‘less than.’”

Curiosity brought Jalen Panana (Navajo/Diné) to the program. Raised on the Navajo Nation in White Rock, New Mexico, he was intrigued by the idea of exploring the Colorado Plateau—landscapes he had lived near his entire life but never seen in this way.

His project examined the impact of drought through both scientific and cultural lenses. He learned about innovative agricultural practices that could support Diné farming, such as hydroponic techniques and restoring traditional food plants like native tea, corn, beans and squash. He even discovered that Chiilchin, the plant used in a popular Navajo dish, is known in English as sumac—a detail he enjoyed sharing with his stepfather, a Diné medicine man.

“It was an exhilarating experience,” Panana says. “When you keep an open mind and gather as much insight from the teachers and mentors, you can learn so much. We all really grew a lot.”

Rebekah Caneca Garrow (Mohawk) says the learning went in every direction. “We get to exchange stories and cultural practices about our Tribes. That’s important because a big issue we’re facing is that the Indigenous narrative keeps being rewritten. It’s powerful to hear narratives you don’t typically hear in Western society.”

Climate Is a Priority

Many participants see climate change as one of the biggest challenges facing their communities. Nichole Butler (Navajo/Diné) believes the urgency is clear.

“Each year, there are record-breaking temperatures, and the biggest challenge is how we help plants and ecosystems adapt to that type of environment.”

At CRC, students learn from scientists conducting climate-related research. That includes work with a heritage breed of cattle that may be better adapted to arid environments because of their ability to travel longer distances for forage and graze a wider variety of plants than European breeds like Angus.

Students also study biocrusts—the thin, living layer of mosses, lichens, cyanobacteria and fungi that protects desert soils, increases fertility and stores carbon. TNC and the U.S. Geological Survey are testing an innovative method for restoring biocrusts across disturbed landscapes.

“As young leaders forging careers in environment and sustainability, they walk in two worlds,” says Nichole Barger, TNC deputy chief scientist. “They had the opportunity to learn about land management from a Western science perspective while exploring ways to connect to the land within their own traditions. Finding a way to combine Indigenous knowledge and Western science is imperative to creating a sustainable future in the face of a warming climate.”

Gaining Knowledge, Building Confidence

Students are challenged academically and personally. For some, it’s their first extended time away from home and family.

Arian Sage (Navajo/Diné) admits it was daunting at first. “A lot of us were worried that we weren’t going to get along or that traveling might be difficult. But being here, all of us can say it’s a lot easier—and it’s not an environment where being different is bad. It’s a place where you can be yourself.”

That sense of belonging becomes a foundation for confidence and leadership. “Learning from all these different people and having the fellow students with me is really helping me grow,” Sage says.

For Christian Valandra (Rosebud Sioux), the program offered a new way to think about restoration in Indigenous communities. “This is the most I’ve ever learned,” he says. “You choose your own path, your own way. You learn so much!”

But his most lasting lesson was about connection.

“The program gave me more empathy for Mother Earth,” Valandra says. “I have a greater appreciation even for something as small as the blade of grass I’m standing on.”

A Two-Way Path

Since its launch in 2021, the NATURE program has exceeded expectations—broadening opportunities, elevating Indigenous voices and sparking growth for students, mentors and scientists alike. Learning moves in both directions, creating a shared path toward a more inclusive, culturally grounded future for conservation.