The Equator Prize
In 2020, the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation was named one of ten winners of the Equator Prize for our decades-long work in advocating for and establishing the Thaidene Nëné Indigenous Protected Area.
Łutsël K’é was selected from among nearly 600 nominations in more than 120 countries for community-led projects that are providing nature-based solutions to climate change and promoting sustainable development.
The Equator Prize is organized by the Equator Initiative within the United Nations Development Programme. It is awarded biennially to recognize outstanding community efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
Łutsël K’é was selected from among nearly 600 nominations in more than 120 countries for community-led projects that are providing nature-based solutions to climate change and promoting sustainable development.
The Equator Prize is organized by the Equator Initiative within the United Nations Development Programme. It is awarded biennially to recognize outstanding community efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
The prize citation reads:
"After 40 years of advocacy, the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation achieved the vision of protecting their land and waters for future generations in 2019 by signing agreements with national and territorial governments to officially create Thaidene Nëné, a 26,000 square kilometer protected area between the Canadian boreal forest and the arctic tundra. This intact landscape features some of the cleanest freshwater in the world and provides habitat for grizzly bears, wolves, moose, wolverine and some of the last herds of barren-ground caribou. It is also a globally significant carbon sink. This indigenous-led conservation model is made possible through the use of an innovative conservation finance mechanism called the Thaidene Nëné Trust, which is critical to the long-term conservation and lasting stewardship of this protected area. The Trust and indigenous local leadership lay the groundwork for this model of effective co-management."
"After 40 years of advocacy, the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation achieved the vision of protecting their land and waters for future generations in 2019 by signing agreements with national and territorial governments to officially create Thaidene Nëné, a 26,000 square kilometer protected area between the Canadian boreal forest and the arctic tundra. This intact landscape features some of the cleanest freshwater in the world and provides habitat for grizzly bears, wolves, moose, wolverine and some of the last herds of barren-ground caribou. It is also a globally significant carbon sink. This indigenous-led conservation model is made possible through the use of an innovative conservation finance mechanism called the Thaidene Nëné Trust, which is critical to the long-term conservation and lasting stewardship of this protected area. The Trust and indigenous local leadership lay the groundwork for this model of effective co-management."