Supporting Stewardship of Traditional Lands
Water First partners with Indigenous communities on projects that address current priorities. By combining traditional knowledge with environmental science, these projects encourage local land stewardship.
Young adults learn skills that help their communities to best manage their water resources.
Our approach of connecting technical skills training and traditional knowledge with hands-on experience is what sets Water First apart.
Through consultations with communities and our First Nations Advisory Council, we have developed projects that fall into two general categories:
- Restoration projects rehabilitate waterways to reduce runoff or erosion and increase local fish populations.
- Baseline water quality and contaminant studies train young adults on environmental sampling methods. Communities get an analysis of their environmental water quality and information about potential exposure to contaminants through water or eating traditionally harvested foods.