If you’re looking for some good planet-facing news this week—just as COP30 moves into its second week in Belém, Brazil—consider checking out our new series, Underreported Earth: “Tree Tales.”  The IG trail is HERE. 

Moderated by The Guardian’s Tracy McVeigh, three Pulitzer Center–supported investigative journalists reveal how they uncovered powerful stories about deforestation and conservation in Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). They discuss how each story made a difference and drove real impact.

Ana Bottallo (Brazil)

Science and Health reporter for Folha de São Paulo, Ana Bottallo shares how she left a career in biological science to pursue journalism. We learn what led her to the mangrove forests of northern Brazil —and how predatory fishing practices are putting them at risk.

During her investigation, she found that Indigenous communities are leading the fight to protect these vital forests—yet their voices were not being heard. Her reporting helped spotlight their efforts, traditions, and role in conservation. Afterward, government agencies and Indigenous communities began collaborating, and new protections were implemented for the mangroves.

Elisângela Mendonça (Brazil/UK)

Brazilian journalist Elisângela Mendonça, formerly with The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) and now with Global Witness, traveled deep into the Amazon to investigate how beef farming —driven not just by the meat industry but also by the booming global collagen market—is accelerating deforestation. She captured firsthand footage of illegal ranches encroaching on Indigenous land and clearing forests to create pasture.

Her reporting had an impact: one major corporation vowed to stop buying from a supplier implicated in the investigation. She also encourages consumers to remain vigilant about the origins of collagen products.

Josephine Moulds (UK)

London-based journalist Josephine Moulds, reporting for TBIJ, recounts her reporting trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo to cover the government’s fossil fuel drilling auctions — auctions that threaten the Congo Basin rainforest.

Josephine spent three weeks in the DRC, meeting with local communities who had not been consulted about the auctions or their potential impacts on their lives and the rainforest.

Spanning six countries and covering 1.7 million square miles, the Congo Basin is the world’s second-largest rainforest. Yet it faces increasing pressure from logging, agriculture, and now fossil fuel drilling. Josephine’s reporting uncovered two major stories: evidence of a government minister rigging the auction, and the crucial role of Indigenous communities fighting to protect their ancestral forest.

We hope all three stories inspire discussion, as they exemplify journalism’s essential role in driving environmental awareness and positive change—and remind us why defending forests matters everywhere.

These conversations will be livestreamed by EARTHDAY.ORG on our YouTube, Facebook, and X accounts on November 17-19 at 1:00pm EST, then available for on-demand viewing. Facebook: Ep.1, Ep.2, Ep.3   and YouTube:  Ep.1, Ep.2, Ep.3.

Speak up for trees in whatever forum you can, be they trees in your local community or by supporting the work of those defending the forests of Brazil, the Congo and beyond. If you would like to support EARTHDAY.ORG’s mission further – please consider donating to our Canopy Tree Project today and if you found useful information in this article, make sure to sign up for our email list to get the latest news. Plus, please consider becoming an EARTHDAY.ORGvolunteer. We can make a difference – get educated, get inspired, get involved!

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is cleared for use with attribution. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

The post Does Investigative Journalism Make a Difference? 3 Stories That Prove It Does appeared first on Earth Day.

On November 9th, a flotilla with dozens of Indigenous leaders arrived in Belém, Brazil for COP30, after sailing from the Andes to Brazil. A major goal of these leaders was to gain a larger role in the management of Indigenous territories as many face damage from climate change and human activities like mining and oil drilling. 

This year’s COP is being called the “Forest COP,” not only because it is being held in the Amazon rainforest, but because of an anticipated focus on forest and biodiversity protection. So it is not surprising that Indigenous leaders are making their voices louder.

COP, hosted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is an  annual meeting intended to allow countries, non-governmental organizations, and other parties to meet to review progress on climate change mitigation and negotiating agreements on how to address climate change.

COP30 is being hosted in Belém, Brazil, a city in the Amazon rainforest which is home to hundreds of Indigenous communities. A report released last week by Earth Insight and the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities, outlines that one-third of the Amazon rainforest is occupied by Indigenous or local communities. The report outlines that about 17% of their territory is now facing encroachment by oil and gas drilling as well as mining and logging concessions. 

It’s a similar situation in Africa’s Congo Basin where fossil fuel companies are vying to explore and drill in the rainforest. Journalist Josephine Mould talks about her reporting on a new EDO series, made in partnership with the Pulitzer Center and hosted by The Guardian’s Tracy McVeigh, called Underreported Earth: “Tree Tales”.

Indigenous territories are home to almost 40% of the world’s forests, and these forests consistently face lower deforestation rates than state protected areas. As of 2023, 80% of the remaining biodiversity in the world is protected by Indigenous communities. 

Indigenous peoples around the world are often the first to experience the impacts of climate change as they have strong ties to the environment and its natural resources. Journalist Ana Bottalo discovered in her reporting that the local and Indigenous communities of Brazil’s mangroves are the ones protecting it, and most vocally championing its importance.

As the climate crisis deepens and land degradation worsens, the full inclusion of Indigenous voices at global climate summits is no longer optional—it’s essential.

COP30 and Indigenous Voices: Need to Be Heard

The first COP meeting took place in Berlin, Germany in 1995. Indigenous Peoples did attend, and their knowledge was acknowledged as important for understanding and adapting to climate change. However, they participated only as observers, and historically they have not been granted real decision-making power in the official negotiations.

In order to support a larger presence of Indigenous Peoples, the COP30 Presidency established the Círculo dos Povos (Circle of Peoples) to ensure the representation of Indigenous peoples and local communities in COP30 processes. Additionally, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples implemented the Kuntari Katu Program, a training course to prepare Indigenous leaders for climate negotiations.

COP30 is expected to have the largest Indigenous participation in the history of the conference. Sonia Guajajara, Minister of Indigenous Peoples, estimated that COP30 would see 3,000 members of Indigenous peoples from around the world participating in debates; 1,000 of which are anticipated to take part in official negotiations. 500 will be from Brazil, and 500 will be from other countries. For reference, the previous record for Indigenous participation at a COP was at COP28 in Dubai, with 350 people present.

The president of this year’s COP, Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, has emphasized the significance of including Indigenous communities and other groups that have been historically marginalized from global economic and political processes.

But despite this increased presence, frustrations remain. On November 14, Indigenous groups from the Munduruku people blockaded the main entrance to the COP30 venue, demanding a meeting with Brazil’s President Lula—and drawing attention to the deep disconnect between those most affected by Amazon destruction and the political elite inside.

Security forces, including military and riot police, were deployed to control the protest. Indigenous leader Raoni Metuktire warned that continued Amazon destruction would have “chaos” for the planet. 

Key Agendas and Demands 

With the participation of Indigenous Peoples, contribute to negotiations surrounding climate change adaptation and mitigation? On November 6, the COP30 World Leaders Summit had multiple countries make commitments to supporting land rights and financing to Indigenous Peoples, local, and Afro-descendant communities; part of these commitments involved recognizing 395 million acres of land and financing $1.8 billion towards strengthening land rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. 

Last week, countries committed over 5.5 billion USD to the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), intended to protect and restore tropical forests. In addition to this large sum of money, the TFFF will allocate at least 20% of resources to Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

A major demand to be addressed at COP30 is Indigenous land demarcation and financing for climate mitigation tools. Land demarcation is the process of making land formally protected and owned by Indigenous Peoples through a formal legal land tenure process. In Brazil alone, there are 107 Indigenous Lands waiting for the finalization to be demarcated.

If you want to learn more about why forests matter – please watch our brand new series UNDERREPORTED EARTH – “TREE TALES”– IG TRAIL. 

Tracy McVeigh from The Guardian speaks with three top investigative journalists about their groundbreaking reporting: Elisangela Mendonça uncovers how the Amazon rainforest is being threatened by the collagen industry. Josephine Moulds takes us into the Congo Basin, where fossil fuel auctions are endangering one of the world’s most vital forest ecosystems. Ana Bottallo travels deep into the Amazonian mangroves to witness how local communities fought —  to have their voices heard. The episodes go live November 17/18th/19th across EARTHDAY.ORG social media on Facebook: Ep.1, Ep.2, Ep.3   and YouTube:  Ep.1, Ep.2, Ep.3.

EARTHDAY.ORG’s Canopy Tree Project supports reforestation through close collaboration with local communities. With COP30 negotiations occurring over this next week, consider supporting initiatives like the Canopy Tree Project to supplement the international agreements being made to protect our forests.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is cleared for use with attribution. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

The post The Amazon Takes the Mic: Indigenous Power Reshapes COP30 appeared first on Earth Day.

To many Indigenous communities, the significance of trees lies beyond their abundant nature of providing us with oxygen, shelter, and food. They are considered sacred sanctuaries, and amongst their vastness, possess both ancestral and protective qualities. This understanding stems from the belief that we share a deep reciprocal relationship with this species that dates back almost 350 million years. 

Many Indigenous communities participate in rituals that involve communicating to trees, offering gifts, or putting on performances to honor them. In turn, they develop an understanding that their wellbeing is tethered to the health of their environment. As Indigenous People’s Day is upon us, some call it Columbus Day, it is imperative to recognize that Indigenous peoples long and ongoing successful history of protecting 80% of Earth’s remaining biodiversity reveals Indigenous wisdom should be a center point in environmental policies and practices. 

By examining the African baobab and live-long trees of Africa, the mangrove tree native to Australia, and the khejri tree of Rajasthan, India, we will not only discover the vital properties these trees offer to the surrounding communities, but how they are viewed as pillars of respect for the natural world. 

Healing Properties of the African Baobab and Live-long Trees 

Traditional medicine runs deep in many African cultures. While modern medicine is widely used globally, it often has roots in nature and traditional knowledge. But due to the high costs and lack of accessibility of modern medicine as well as trust in traditional medicines, as of 2021, around 80% of Southern Africa’s population relies on medicinal plants for their health care. 

The African baobab tree, scientifically known as Adansonia digitata, is widespread across the continent, especially flourishing in a belt of land stretching from Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east. In South Africa, its natural distribution is limited primarily from the Limpopo River to the Stoutpansberg mountain range, up in the north. This tree’s significance goes beyond its geographic range; it symbolizes the deep cultural and medicinal importance of traditional plant knowledge across Africa.

The San, a diverse community of hunter-gatherers who are bound by their historical and linguistic similarities, are the oldest inhabitants of Southern Africa. The San speak of a tale where one of their Gods disliked the baobab growing in his realm, so he threw it down to Earth where it landed upside down. Thus, the baobab has become known as “the upside-down tree,” which makes perfect sense if you look at their vast, thick trunks topped by a mass of root-like branches. 

Most, if not all parts of the baobab are given a medicinal purpose. Its leaves are used to treat kidney and bladder issues, as well asthma and insect bites. Polyphenols, tannins, and flavonoids in the leaves have anti-inflammatory, fever-reducing, and antidiarrheal properties. Leaves can be eaten fresh, dried, or powdered.

The baobab bark houses an alkaloid known as Adansonia. Alkaloids are organic compounds that contain nitrogen, and typically have a physiological effect, meaning it impacts how the body works when consumed. Bark can impact metabolic processes and immune responses which are helpful when fighting malaria and fever. 

That’s not all, the tree bears fruits that are large oval shaped. They look a little like young coconuts but they contain a much prized pulp. This fruit pulp of the baobab is rich in vitamin C, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, antioxidants, and dietary fiber. It has a slightly sour, citrus-like taste and is often used to make drinks, flavor foods, or consumed as a powder. It can be effective in reducing the risk of hyperlipidemia — a condition where there are high levels of fat particles in the bloodstream. 

Other parts of the baobab are also used as tools. For example, when mixed with water, the pollen of the baobab flower produces glue. Additionally, the bark’s fiber is used to make items including baskets, rope, and even musical instrument strings.   

Another prominent tree of Africa is the live-long tree, its scientific name is Lannea discolor, and it grows in the South African provinces of KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, and North West, and the countries of Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, and Mozambique. The tree likes to grow on rocky ridges in dry and sandy soils.  

The tree’s roots, leaves, or bark are used to make natural poultices, materials that help to reduce inflammation, pain and protect wounds. The tree’s leaves can be used to make a soft and moist cushion and are often used to help to alleviate boils, sore eyes, and abscesses.  

As well as making poultices the roots, leaves, and bark can be steeped in hot or cold water to extract their beneficial compounds which include flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, and triterpenoids. Often this tree, like tea, helps with a range of medical issues but is typically used to soothe bad stomachs, diarrhea, and constipation.  

Coastal Forests, Carriers of Sacred Mangroves   

Torres Strait Islanders, the Indigenous people of the Torres Strait Islands, which are situated between Queensland, Australia and Papua New Guinea, and Aboriginal Australians, who are the Indigenous people of the continent’s mainland, are stewards of the region’s mangroves. 

Mangroves are species of trees and shrubs that live in the salty coastal intertidal zone between the land and the sea, or sea water estuaries. Mangrove forests only grow in tropical and subtropical latitudes near the equator because they cannot withstand freezing temperatures and they are famous for their tangled roots that often grow above the water line. They are a vital natural flood barrier protecting coastal communities from the tides, prevent soil erosion and are also a safe haven for juvenile reef fish and invertebrates. 

The Torres Strait Islanders and Aboriginal Australians both prize the mangroves for their vital role in maintaining the environment but both cultures also harbor strong spiritual connections with the mangroves, as they do with the land and all living beings. They believe in the interconnectedness of all elements of the Earth and therefore view themselves as an extension of their surroundings. These First Peoples vividly also understand how important this ecosystem is to their own survival. 

Mangrove trees help feed them – the fruit of mangrove species, such as the nypa palm, is edible after preparation, along with the nectar of its flowers. Plus a vast range of invertebrates calling the mangroves and the waters their roots are immersed in home: such as clams, mud crabs, mangrove worms, and fish. The Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders recognize the importance of preserving this bounty and practice sustainable living. For instance, they only collect mud crabs when they are in season. In the off season, they allow the crab population to recover until the season begins again. In this way, they continue to be aware of the natural life cycle around them and work in harmony with it. 

Just as with the balboa and the long-live tree, many illnesses from headaches, ulcers, and boils, have reportedly been treated with mangrove plants. Again it is the leaves, bark, roots, and fruits which are used in traditional medicine, due to the natural antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal properties.

Additionally, certain mangrove trees including the cedar, cannonball, and grey species, are known for their sturdy wood, which is often used to build boats, as well as make spears and boomerangs.        

The Resilient Khejri Tree of Rajasthan, India   

The khejri tree, its scientific name is Prosopis cineraria, is the state tree of Rajasthan, in the north west region of India. This tree has huge historical and cultural significance in the region dating back to the 18th century. 

In 1730, Bishnoi members, a Hindu community in the Thar Desert of India, sacrificed their lives to protect the khejri trees. The Bishnoi, who can be traced back to the 15th century, follow the teachings of Guru Jambheshwar, who prioritized the necessity of environmental conservation and non-violence. 

So it was that in 1730 when the Maharaja of Jodhpur sent soldiers to cut down khejri trees in the Bishnoi village of Khejarli, that the local people were forced to protect them as part of their religious practices. Men, women, and children wrapped themselves around the trees to physically block them from being felled. 363 died in the process. This act of self-sacrifice moved the Maharaja to stop and he not only apologized but issued a royal decree banning the cutting of trees in Bishnoi villages from then on. This event became known as the Khejarli Massacre.

It is said that their sacrifice in 1730 sparked India’s first environmental movement.

To this day, the khejri trees are an invaluable resource. Rajasthan sees little rainfall, and temperatures remain high. However, thanks to the protective canopy of the khejri, farmers are able to grow pearl millet, a type of grain that thrives in dry climates, and is a staple for the people of Rajasthan. 

Furthermore, the tree’s deep roots can access groundwater that many shallow crops cannot, and the khejri’s leaves, once they fall and decompose, help add organic matter to the soil. 

The khejri also provides timber for construction including houses and boats. In times of food shortage, its bark can be processed into flour and then used in cakes. The tree has also been used for a variety of medicinal purposes such as bronchitis, muscle tremors, and asthma.  

Become Part of the Movement

These are just some of the life saving properties we owe to trees. But every single one of us alive owes them. Trees are the silent guardians of all life: they give us the air we breathe and the shade that cools our world. They give us food, wood, provide habitats for millions of other species, they protect our soil and they heal our souls when we are down. Trees will forever be an integral part of our environment, and it is our responsibility to protect them.

Through the Canopy Tree Project, EARTHDAY.ORG has planted tens of millions of trees across the globe working with local communities on the ground, with the primary focus of reforestation, alongside the ongoing goals of combating climate change and protecting biodiversity. Donating as little as $1 today can plant a tree. 

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On August 9 every year, the world marks International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. A day that reminds us that Indigenous peoples are some of the world’s oldest and most successful environmental guardians. Before “climate education” was a term in classrooms, First and Indigenous  people were educating through generations of lived experience and embedding their profound cultural connections to land, water, and biodiversity into everyday life.Indigenous knowledge is not only the past. It is alive, adapting, and urgently present. From the rainforests of Southeast Asia to the Arctic tundra to the Australian outback, Indigenous peoples are custodians for about 80% of the Earth’s remaining biodiversity, yet they comprise only about 6% of the world’s population. This exemplary stewardship is not an accident. It is the result of centuries of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) transmitted through oral narrative, seasonal ceremonies, and land-based learning. 

 Yet today, the climate crisis comes for their homelands first and unjustly  the climate crisis now imperils Indigenous homelands and their ancient ways of life more than perhaps any other population. We may view them as victims of the climate crisis, but on another level, they are powerful innovators and leaders. Here are some ways they are still teaching us that doing right by the planet and climate education cannot be separated.

The Mentawai (Indonesia) – Forest as Classroom

On the Mentawai Islands, school is about forest life. Kids learn from shamans (sikerei) to harvest sago, heal themselves with plants, and respect the spirits of the land. Recent studies (2023) show that forests managed by Indigenous peoples such as the Mentawai have more stored carbon and preserve more biodiversity than government managed or commercial forests. These lands alone globally contain more than 20% of tropical forest carbon and are central to climate stability.

The Yurok and Karuk (USA) – Cultural Burning to Prevent Wildfires

For centuries, Native American (The Yurok and Karuk) tribes in Northern California have used cultural burning (controlled, seasonal fires) to reduce wildfire risk and create healthy landscapes. However, for many decades, these traditional practices were prohibited by state policies (read: California Act of 1850 article 10 and Weeks Act of 1911), which suppressed cultural burning in favor of Euro-American forest management. After this long period of fire suppression, their knowledge is now rightly influencing forest policy. A 2023 study found that in areas where cultural burns were allowed again, the risk of high-severity wildfires dropped by around 60%.

The Ngāti Awa (New Zealand) – Restoring Life Below Water

When mussel populations declined in Ōhiwa Harbour, the Ngāti Awa people combined two tactics- no-fish areas with reseeding of shellfish. Since 2019, Ngāti Awa’s ecological restoration at Ōhiwa Harbour has grown mussel numbers from around 80,000 to more than 45 million individual mussels by 2024, proving  that Indigenous knowledge (mātauranga Māori) and science can effectively rejuvenate marine ecosystems.

The Lepcha (India) – Farming in Harmony with the Mountains

Sikkim farmers of Lepcha in the Eastern Himalayas employ terracing, crop rotation, and bird and cloud weather indicators to grow food without chemicals. Their agroforestry maintains mountain biodiversity and fosters intergenerational respect for nature’s rhythms.

The Tagbanwa (Philippines) – Sea Guardians of Palawan

In Palawan shores, Tagbanwa communities structure marine spaces through sacred laws and fishing calendars.Their territories have no-take zones, seasonal harvesting, and deep respect for the spirits of the sea. A 2023 article from the ICCA Consortium and a 2024 case study from the Darwin Initiative demonstrate that such Indigenous practices have protected coral reefs, replenished marine ecosystems, and deterred destructive fishing. 

The Sámi (Arctic Europe) – Herding Reindeer, Navigating a Warming World

The Sámi have relied on snow and animal patterns to guide reindeer herding for centuries. Now melting permafrost and unpredictable winters imperil that knowledge, and their future. Sámi young people are taking the initiative, calling for climate policies that honor both Indigenous science and sovereignty.

What Can We Do 

These six communities remind us that living in harmony with nature is not new, but is rooted in Indigenous knowledge and tradition. Yet across the globe, the individuals who possess this knowledge typically are in danger of losing their lands, language, and ways of life.

Here a few ways we can support and stand with Indigenous peoples:

• Respect land and Indigenous rights. Land is not just a resource, its identity, history, and future. Maintaining Indigenous land rights allows communities to continue their stewardship.
• Support Indigenous-led efforts. Funding and following the lead of Indigenous organizations enables local solutions to global problems.
• Make room for Indigenous leadership. From youth movements to climate summits, representation matters. Listening is step one.
• Learn together. Parents, students, and educators can assist in bringing Indigenous knowledge into how we learn and teach about climate change.
• Keep the conversation going. Whether through books, films, courses, or daily discussion, talking about Indigenous contributions keeps them visible.

The world’s oldest climate educators are still teaching us. Our job is to listen to them, learn from them, and act – so that the next generation grows up valuing their deep knowledge that’s kept the planet thriving for centuries. 

On this International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, it is important to celebrate their wisdom, as well as create space for it in our own classrooms.  The future and success of climate education needs it.

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Of the more than 4,000 religions worldwide, several hundred are considered Indigenous religions, associated with distinct cultural beliefs and traditions. Many of these beliefs relate to the importance of nature and our responsibility as humans to be environmental stewards. 

It is widely acknowledged that Indigenous people, despite making up just 5% of the global population, protect a significant amount of the planet’s remaining biodiversity. Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is a term for the collective Indigenous knowledge and beliefs about nature and man’s place in it, and serves as an alternative to the more objective and resource-oriented Western worldview of the environment as something to be exploited. 

Though it is impossible to describe the environmental worldviews of every Indigenous culture in this brief article, we have highlighted just a few of the numerous environmental themes and practices central to various Indigenous belief systems around the world. 

Animism

Many traditional Indigenous values are rooted in a respect for the natural world and the belief that humans, rather than sitting atop a hierarchy of living things, are simply part of a circle in which all life has equal value. Animism is a worldview in which every living being, and even natural features such as rivers and mountains, has a spirit, and therefore is deserving of our respect and gratitude. 

The Maōri people in New Zealand, for example, see humans and nature as kin, a belief which guides their common values of conserving natural resources for the benefit of all. The Maōri word kaitiakitanga encompasses the idea of guardianship and protecting the environment in order to respect the ancestors and ensure a healthy planet for future generations. 

In 2017, the New Zealand government made history by granting the Te Awa Tupua River personhood, recognizing it as an ancestor to the Maōri people, and thus allowing the river to have the same legal status as any New Zealand citizen. 

Animals in particular hold special value in many Indigenous religions and cultures. Some Native American and First Nations tribes, such as the Lakota tribe of Sioux Nation and the Tlingit peoples of the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, use ‘spirit animals’ to convey personal, family and community stories and values. 

Spirit animals are also a part of the Native American zodiac, in which the astronomical conditions at the time of one’s birth are believed to inform one’s personality and relationship with nature. For example, the spirit animal of someone born between April 20-May 20 is the beaver, symbolizing determination, resourcefulness and productivity. People born under the sign of the beaver are considered to be ‘homemakers,’ building a strong home and community for themselves and their loved ones. 

Similarly, in Hawaiian culture sharks are sacred animals and believed to be a type of ‘aumakua — spiritual beings which can be family guardians, messengers between humans and gods, and manifestations of ancestors. These beliefs have fundamentally shaped local resource management and conservation strategies, with communities protecting the wildlife and ecosystems which carry such deeply personal and cultural importance. 

In 1995, a group of families in Kaupulehu, Hawaii founded the Kaupulehu Marine Life Advisory Committee to protect local marine resources. In 2016, they successfully created a 10-year “no take” zone across 3 miles of coastal waters, and continue to work toward new legislation with  particular emphasis on shark conservation. 

Animism is also intrinsically connected to the worship of nature and the recognition of divine presence in natural spaces. 

Divinity in Nature 

Shintoism, often considered the Indigenous religion of Japan, originated around the 6th century BC. Shintoists worship kami — the spirits or deities present in the world around us, including those which created the universe and those which exist within natural phenomena, such as storms and earthquakes, and physical objects like rocks, streams, trees, animals and even humans. 

Shinto rituals, which often include purification ceremonies, the presentation of offerings, dance and prayers, aim to celebrate and strengthen the bond between people, nature and the spiritual realm. 

The Yoruba people, an ethnic group living primarily in Nigeria, Benin and Togo, worship dozens of gods and goddesses, known as Orishas, who embody different spiritual concepts and natural phenomena. These include Okό, the god of agriculture and farming, Xango, who is associated with masculinity, justice, lighting and thunder, and Yemoja, the goddess of the ocean and mother of all living things. 

The belief that God created the Earth, as well as the idea that man has the responsibility to oversee and protect the planet, both contribute to the Yoruba peoples’ conservation values and devotion to environmental stewardship. 

Sacred groves, for example, are forests believed to be inhabited by deities and which have thus been managed by the Yoruba people and protected from extractive activities, such as logging, for thousands of years. These sacred groves, of which few remain today, are known to have higher tree species diversity than formal ecological reserves, in addition to more diverse medicinal plant species. 

Seasonal Calendar Cycles 

Many Indigenous cultures around the world observe calendar cycles that are different to the 12-month calendar most of us use. Instead, these calendars often reflect the values central to their communities.

The nomadic Sámi people of Norway, Sweden, Finland and parts of Russia are known for herding reindeer as their primary livelihood. Because their lives revolve so tightly around reindeer, they have adopted an 8-season calendar which reflects the life cycle and migration patterns of reindeer. 

As a Shamanic and animistic culture, the Sámi also hold deeply spiritual beliefs about nature and man’s place in it. They worship many natural forces as gods, goddesses and ancestral spirits, including the sun, the moon, thunder, wind and the Northern Lights. Every year, they celebrate the Sun Festival, at Midsummer, during which they give thanks for the sun’s warmth and light, and pray for a successful year of reindeer husbandry. 

Similarly, the Haudenosaunee Nations of Northeast North America observe a 13-month calendar based on the lunar cycle, and celebrate many annual festivals, including the Mid-Winter Festival, the Maple Festival, the Strawberry Festival, and the Green Corn Festival. Each one honors a different “gift” from nature and provides an opportunity for communities to come together to give thanks for the season’s bounty. 

March 20 marks this year’s Spring Equinox — the time at which the Sun crosses the celestial equator, bathing Earth’s northern hemisphere in light and warmth. It is the astronomical beginning of Spring, and often viewed as a time of reflection and renewal. 

Place-based Agriculture & Conservation 

As the original stewards of their ancestral lands, Indigenous peoples around the world possess unique and intimate knowledge of their natural surroundings, and of how best to care for them. 

Aboriginal communities in Australia believe that humans and nature were created as one. The agricultural and land management practices of these communities, such as the raising of livestock, harvesting of crops, and controlled burning of forests to mitigate large-scale wildfires, reflect this belief and place value on a balanced existence between people and land. 

In Mexico, Indigenous people — who total more than 16 million people yet make up just over 15% of the country’s population — play an important role in managing and protecting Mexico’s diverse natural resources, from sustainable agriculture and traditional fire management to forest restoration, often at great risk to their safety. 

Indigenous communities throughout Southeast Asia have learned how to predict climate events and other phenomena by observing natural occurrences. 

For thousands of years, Indigenous communities in An Hai, Vietnam have been able to forecast periods of drought and rain based on the appearance of the moon and the flight patterns of dragonflies, allowing them to make informed decisions about the types of crops to plant and the best planting times. 

For a region which is challenged by a lack of fresh water for agricultural use and which has limited access to meteorological forecasting methods, this traditional knowledge is invaluable to the local residents’ way of life.  

Indigenous Peoples as Ecological Guardians

Like the Maōri, many Indigenous communities consider themselves ‘guardians’ of their local environmental resources. 

Within the 2.7 million square miles of the Amazon Rainforest, there are approximately 400 distinct tribes which call the rainforest home. The Guajajara tribe, in the Brazilian state of Maranhão, are particularly known for their fierce protection of their local forests from illegal loggers, and continue to risk their lives daily for their home. 

In East Africa, the semi-nomadic Maasai people consider themselves the protectors of wildlife. While in the past young Maasai men would be asked to kill a lion as a sign of strength and bravery, this practice is now discouraged by elders due to a decline in lion populations. Instead, they raise livestock for food, milk, and leather. 

Like many Indigenous Peoples who practice a “take only what you need” lifestyle, the Maasai believe in respecting animals in both life and death, giving thanks to the animal for its life and using the entire animal so nothing goes to waste. 

A Lesson For All

Despite differences in culture, religion, governing practices and geographic region, a common belief across Indigenous communities is that of a shared responsibility to care for the natural world and protect it for future generations — a noble idea which can inspire all of us to take action!

EARTHDAY.ORG continues to work closely with the faith community — highlighting the ways different religious groups engage with environmental activism, and providing resources for congregations to share with their members.

If your interest in environmental beliefs around the world has been piqued, take a moment to explore our EARTHDAY.ORG article on nature-based values of five major world religions, as well as an op-ed by an EARTHDAY.ORG staff member about what Genesis teaches Chrisians about the virtue in being environmental stewards. 

Whatever your religious, faith or spiritual beliefs it is never too late to support Earth Day  – support  Earth Action Day and educate yourself & others – on all the things you CAN do to be part of the solution to protecting our planet! Earth Action Day provides an opportunity to learn about climate science, renewable energy and the impact of microplastics on human health. Use these materials to get educated. Are you ready to make a difference? Great – join us.

Whatever you do for EARTH ACTION DAY use our free Social Media Kit to amplify, share and repost about your actions.

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With environmental disasters like the Australia bushfires and Hurricane Dorian, it’s easy to feel helpless. Still, artist John Dyer shows us that there are positive things we can do for the planet.

His project, Last Chance to Paint, connects children to nature and indigenous cultures through art and music. Through the project, children can form lasting personal bonds with subjects, raising their awareness about and value for the environment.

“It’s important that the environment and biodiversity are celebrated,” said Dyer. “It’s not always about the disastrous things — it can be about simple things.”

Growing up on the coast of Cornwall in the United Kingdom, Dyer has always admired the environment. He began Last Chance to Paint in 2019 after realizing the positive effects that nature and art have had on his own children. With this project, children and schools can remotely explore new environments and cultures through art, music and video.

In June 2019, Dyer and the Last Chance to Paint team traveled to the Amazon rainforest to visit the Yawanawá. Paintings by Dyer, Amazon Indigenous Artist Nixiwaka Yawanawá and Yawanawá children depict the rainforest as a connected system of life, tradition and tribal spirits. Unfortunately, rapid deforestation of the Amazon is threatening Yawanawá traditions and other indigenous cultures.

In September 2019, Dyer and Last Chance to Paint travelled to Borneo to meet the Penan tribe and paint orangutans. The palm oil industry has deforested more than 80% of the Borneo rainforest, threatening the survival of these primates. Despite efforts to care for orangutans and return them safely to their habitat, Dyer believes this may be the last moment in time to paint them.

“What we do to the rainforest, to the Amazon tribes, we do to ourselves,” he said. “The way Last Chance to Paint is pitched is as an optimistic project that is celebrating what we all stand to lose.”

Music is also an important element of the trips. During the trip to the Amazon rainforest, the Last Chance to Paint team recorded Yawanawá music and played music as a cultural exchange. During a school assembly, students mimicked the sounds of a rainforest using only hand percussion.

Students anywhere can tune into 5-minute daily videos where Dyer vlogs his journeys and answers questions submitted by students. The videos let students experience these environments more closely, reinforcing their emotional connections to the subjects. Schools can also stay connected by submitting their art to Dyer’s World Gallery.

Along with student art, this gallery features paintings created on Dyer’s past trips and inspiration for his next trip to Africa, where he hopes to meet the world’s last two Northern white rhinos. By drawing or painting the environment, Dyer hopes that young artists will not only appreciate painting but also build connections with the subjects themselves that will inform the choices they make.

 “If you take [children] on a positive journey of art, color and life and meet amazing people, animals and environments, the overall impression or connection will be a positive one and one of love and caring,” said Dyer.

Dyer recently became an Artist for Earth for Earth Day Network. Artists for Earth is a global campaign that seizes the power of art to educate and inspire action to protect the Earth. Through this campaign, Dyer will have an additional platform to showcase his art to larger audiences.

Dyer looks toward Earth Day as a special moment to come together over our common love for the world and hopes to hold a 24-hour painting project which people can participate in live online.

Interested in becoming an Artist for the Earth? Register today.

Image at top: “Twilight Orangutans” by John Dyer. Credit: John Dyer.

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Humans and climate change are driving species to extinction at unprecedented rates. To slow or eventually reverse these declines, we need to better manage our land to preserve habitats and secure biodiversity – the variety of life on Earth. To that end, a study published this week confirms what many communities have known for years: To preserve biodiversity, we must turn to indigenous peoples for guidance and management.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Science and Policy, compared levels of biodiversity in thousands of areas in Australia, Brazil and Canada and was the first of its kind to compare biodiversity and land management on such a large scale. Researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) compared 15,621 geotropical areas across three continents, with great variations across climate, species and geography.

While area size and geographic location did not have a major impact on species diversity, one aspect had a major influence on biodiversity – indigenous land management. The researchers found that indigenous-managed lands have the highest levels of biodiversity of vertebrate species. Protected lands like parks followed, and randomly selected nonprotected areas had the least amount of biodiversity.

A traditional way of preserving species and habitats is by expanding protected areas – parks, forests, reserves – through legislation. While protected lands are a cornerstone of biological conservation, it may not be enough, especially in the face of climate change and human activity. Adding indigenous land management practices can help these vulnerable areas.

About 370 million indigenous people live across 90 countries. Indigenous peoples (also known as first peoples/nations, tribes, and other local and traditional terms) currently occupy, own, manage or have land tenure over 25- 50 percent of the Earth’s land. However, legal ownership of these lands is only 10%, as many indigenous communities aren’t able to prove in court that the land they’ve occupied for hundreds of years is legally theirs, leaving an opening for industries to establish claims or annexations of ancestral territories for resource exploitation.

“Going forward, collaborating with Indigenous land stewards will be essential in ensuring that species thrive and survive,” said lead author Richard Schuster, in a statement.

The success of collaboration depends on government agencies understanding and recognizing indigenous relationships to the environment and involving them in conservation efforts from an early stage. Attention to these and other factors like intergenerational involvement and cross-cultural education can lead to environmental success.

The study noted that in the past, settlers have banned indigenous people from exercising their customary land use practices, forcibly removing both the people and these practices from the land. With the climate crisis in full effect, governments must recognize the unique and impactful perspectives that indigenous communities bring to environmental conservation, and include these communities to collaborate on solutions.

The UBC researchers were not the first to suggest including indigenous land practices in current conservation efforts. Earlier this year, researchers found that traditional practices like purposeful burning, waste deposition and interplanting can increase biodiversity and species resilience.

This week’s study came around the release of another major report on climate change and land, Thursday’s special report on Climate Change and Land by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The UN climate report highlights the need for better land-use and agriculture practices to curb the impacts of climate change, and was the first time the IPCC cited indigenous people and their knowledge as resources in the fight against climate change.

“Agricultural practices that include indigenous and local knowledge can contribute to overcoming the combined challenges of climate change, food security, biodiversity conservation, and combating desertification and land degradation,” the report said.

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