Explore the cross section of Indigenous knowledge and conservation through the lenses of Victoria Buschman, Iñupiaq Inuit wildlife and conservation biologist from Utqiaġvik, Alaska and Martina Fjällberg, reindeer herding sami from Njaarke herding district in the northwest of Jämtland, Sweden. Together, they will discuss how valuing and preserving Indigenous culture and knowledge is integral to conservation.
This interview is part of an educational series called Channel 49, made possible with support from the U.S. Embassy in Canada.
Channel 49
Thanks to support from the U.S. Embassy in Canada, Channel 49 will feature industry leaders and youth discussing the Arctic, the social and environmental challenges and opportunities it faces, and innovative ways Canada and the U.S. are working together towards bilateral cooperation in the Arctic.
This is an opportunity for youth to learn and engage in important Arctic dialogue and initiatives.
Victoria Qutuuq Buschman
Victoria is an Iñupiaq Inuit wildlife and conservation biologist raised between the vast tundra of Utqiaġvik, Alaska and the tall redwoods of northern California. She is currently finishing her PhD at the University of Washington, though she sits full time at the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources in Nuuk, Greenland. She has lived and worked across the Arctic in an effort to promote how Indigenous peoples fundamentally shape Arctic biodiversity conservation, from research, to management, to actualizing the dreams of new protected areas. Her role in research is to challenge the colonial legacy of conservation and instead promote partnerships with Indigenous methodologies, knowledge, and governance to develop ethically-conscious, culturally-relevant, and fully knowledge-based conservation efforts in the Arctic.
Martina Fjällberg
Buaregh! Martina Fjällberg is 21 years old. She is a reindeer herding sami from Njaarke herding district in the northwest of Jämtland, Sweden. She is currently living in Umeå, Sweden where she is studying the bachelor’s program in Biology and Geology at Umeå University. She is also a board member of the Sami youth organisation Sáminuorra where they work with questions and concerns regarding the Sami youth, as well as having a lot of fun arranging activities for their members. Thanks to her heritage she feels very passionate about questions regarding Sami culture and especially reindeer herding. In the past couple of years she has found herself being especially involved with questions about how climate change is affecting their culture. Outside of this she loves being outdoors and feels most at peace when she is in nature and especially when she is back home in the mountains where they have their reindeer in the summers.
DISCOVER MORE
How to meaningfully participate in conservation as a young person
Being a young person trying to break into the conservation world can be intimidating. While there are many opportunities out there, a lot of youth...
How to meaningfully participate in conservation as a young person
Being a young person trying to break into the conservation world can be intimidating. While there are many opportunities out there, a lot of youth...
Climate Action Cohort Reflections
Focused on building climate leaders, the CAC brings together 10 Canadian youth alumni each year to bridge the gaps between policy decisions,...