A version of the following article was originally published on the Indigenous Leadership Initiative website.
First Nations Guardians initiatives have grown exponentially over the past decade, expanding from an estimated thirty programs in 2015 to more than two hundred in 2026.
Today, Guardians stand at the forefront of stewardship of their lands and waters. They also monitor, restore, and manage lands and waters from coast to coast to coast, from major population centers to remote Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas. Their work generates profound benefits for the land, communities, and the country.
Now, the most comprehensive assessment of Indigenous Guardians programs to date has outlined the scale of those benefits.
This evaluation, called “Shared Benefits: A Value Assessment of First Nations Guardians Programs,” included sixty-eight First Nations Guardians programs across Canada.
Using a comprehensive return on investment model, it found that each dollar invested returns multiple dollars’ worth in value:
- Every $1 invested in Guardians programs generates an average of $12 worth of benefits for communities, including strengthened stewardship and land protection, preserved cultural knowledge, and deeper connections between youth and culture.
- Every $1 invested in Guardians programs provides an average of $9 worth of benefits for the people who participate, including greater skill building, connection to culture, and health and wellbeing.
These community-level returns represent only part of the value generated. Guardians programs also deliver major public benefits that extend beyond communities, including increased stewardship of species at risk, fisheries, forests, and wetlands, as well as reduced risk of high-intensity wildfire and other climate impacts.
Learn more about the findings of the assessment below:
- Read the Executive Summary.
- Access the full report: “Shared Benefits: A Value Assessment of First Nations Guardians Programs.”
- Learn more about the Indigenous Leadership Initiative.