Every year, the world loses enough forest trees to fill Portugal. Much of that deforestation happens on Indigenous lands and often without their prior and informed consent. But these communities are demanding change and fighting to protect their ancestral lands.
Indigenous groups are doing this by demonstrating effective conservation, patrolling forests, and at times, even taking governments and developers to court with the ultimate goal of protecting fast-disappearing forests.
In recent years, many Indigenous community leaders, such as Nemonte Nenquimo of Ecuador’s Indigenous Waorani, have taken on governments and powerful corporations to protect their ancestral land and way of life. Read More>>