This session explores how federal acknowledgment of unrecognized tribes is a powerful but often overlooked tool for advancing environmental justice, restoring damaged ecosystems, and enabling tribal co-management that benefits entire communities. Centering on the experience of one unrecognized tribe - whose sacred homeland was destroyed by large-scale mining without consultation - the session illustrates how lack of recognition limits legal recourse and environmental protection. Broader examples of watershed restoration and culturally grounded conservation will frame a conversation about how acknowledgment supports land stewardship, treaty enforcement, and access to federal environmental programs. Attendees will engage in dialogue about current barriers, share their own community strategies, and receive practical tools. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how tribal sovereignty and ecological resilience are interconnected, and be encouraged to support recognition efforts as a pathway to environmental repair.
