The NATURE (Native American Tribes Upholding Restoration & Education) Program is an 8-week science and conservation leadership program for Indigenous college students from, or with a strong interest in, the Four Corners region.
Hosted by the Nature Conservancy's Canyonlands Research Center and Utah State University, NATURE is an immersive program that provides students with essential skills and training to work at the interface of science and sustainable land management. By connecting a small cohort of students with the region’s leading Indigenous and non-Indigenous scientists and conservation practitioners, NATURE seeks to empower the next generation of environmental leaders and elevate diverse voices in finding solutions to the Colorado Plateau’s climate and conservation challenges.
Watch the video below to hear from students in the 2023 NATURE cohort.
Hosted by the Nature Conservancy's Canyonlands Research Center and Utah State University, NATURE is an immersive program that provides students with essential skills and training to work at the interface of science and sustainable land management. By connecting a small cohort of students with the region’s leading Indigenous and non-Indigenous scientists and conservation practitioners, NATURE seeks to empower the next generation of environmental leaders and elevate diverse voices in finding solutions to the Colorado Plateau’s climate and conservation challenges.
Watch the video below to hear from students in the 2023 NATURE cohort.
Connecting with the land
NATURE PROGRAM [2:57] Highlights from the 2023 NATURE Program
OUR MISSIOn
To empower the next generation of Indigenous leaders in science, conservation, and land management on the Colorado Plateau
Our core values
One of the core values of the NATURE program is program co-creation. Each year, the program curriculum and capstone projects are co-created with that year’s cohort of students. The program intentionally creates opportunities for students to share their thoughts and feedback on the topics covered, the skills they will learn, and the speakers invited. This ensures that the program is tailored to the unique needs of the students it serves.
Another core value of the program is elevating diverse voices and knowledge. The program recognizes the importance of listening to, understanding, and teaching from multiple knowledge systems, including Western Science and Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). The program invites both Indigenous and non-Indigenous experts to participate as instructors to give students the opportunity to engage with and learn from both ways of knowing.
The NATURE program also emphasizes connection to land. The program is based out of TNC’s Canyonlands Research Center (CRC), located within the Bears Ears National Monument and on ancestral homelands sacred to many Indigenous peoples including the Ute, Diné, and Pueblo. The CRC is a working ranch and outdoor laboratory collaborating with various universities and public agencies seeking to advance climate science and sustainable land use. The center provides a unique opportunity for Indigenous students to develop meaningful relationships with scientists, land managers, and a landscape that is both culturally and scientifically significant.
One of the core values of the NATURE program is program co-creation. Each year, the program curriculum and capstone projects are co-created with that year’s cohort of students. The program intentionally creates opportunities for students to share their thoughts and feedback on the topics covered, the skills they will learn, and the speakers invited. This ensures that the program is tailored to the unique needs of the students it serves.
Another core value of the program is elevating diverse voices and knowledge. The program recognizes the importance of listening to, understanding, and teaching from multiple knowledge systems, including Western Science and Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). The program invites both Indigenous and non-Indigenous experts to participate as instructors to give students the opportunity to engage with and learn from both ways of knowing.
The NATURE program also emphasizes connection to land. The program is based out of TNC’s Canyonlands Research Center (CRC), located within the Bears Ears National Monument and on ancestral homelands sacred to many Indigenous peoples including the Ute, Diné, and Pueblo. The CRC is a working ranch and outdoor laboratory collaborating with various universities and public agencies seeking to advance climate science and sustainable land use. The center provides a unique opportunity for Indigenous students to develop meaningful relationships with scientists, land managers, and a landscape that is both culturally and scientifically significant.
About the NATURE logo: Our logo was designed by the 2022 NATURE cohort of Indigenous students. The imagery reflects these students' personal relationships to land, culture, and science on the Colorado Plateau. Diné graphic designer Vernan Kee produced the final design.