North America/International

A Line in the Sand
This is an excellent site, with several sections on land and related issues.

Aboriginal Law and Legislation Online
A large list of international, Canadian and US legal documents pertaining to aboriginal people, including legislation and court decisions.

Aboriginal Overkill and Native Burning: Implications for Modern Ecosystem Management
Discusses the importance of American Indian burning techniques, and the supposed overkilling of certain game animals, for how scientists think about ecosystem stability. (Charles E. Kay, Archive: Department of Anthropology, SUNY Buffalo, 1994).

Alternative Treaty between NGOS and Indigenous Peoples
This "Copenhagen Alternative Declaration" was issued by the NGO Forum at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, 3-14 June 1992, Rio de Janeiro. One section addresses specific actions to be taken by NGOs relative to indigenous peoples and their concerns with development. (NGO Forum, United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, 3-14 June 1992, Rio de Janeiro, 1992).

Alternatives to Development: Environmental Values of Indigenous Peoples
Describes differences between native and industrial nations and make the recommendation that indigenous people should be in control of the rate and nature of change in their territories and societies. (Northwest Regional Conference on the Emerging International Economic Order, Archive: Fourth World Documentation Project, 1979).

American Fisheries Society, Native Peoples' Fisheries Section
"The Native Peoples' Fisheries Section comprises native and non-native fisheries professionals who have an interest in ensuring that the perspectives of indigenous peoples are represented in the activities of the Society." Not frequently maintained.

American Indian Ethnobotany Database
This is an impressive database. You can search for plants, people, specific uses for plants, etc. and receive a list complete with bibliographic citations. Very useful! (Dan Moerman, 1996).

American Indians and the Natural World
A presentation of the Carnegie Museum's collections using the theme of the relationship of the various Native American nations to the natural world around them. So their gallery on the Tlingit includes a page on their relationship to trees, for example. (Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 1998).

Ancient Cosmology and World Astronomy, North America
Part of a larger site on ethnoastronomy, this section includes articles on astronomy in Alaska (Inuit), the plains (Sioux, Pawnee) and the southwest (Navajo and Pueblo). Actually the articles discuss more than astronomy.

Biological Conservation: Extinction and Depletion from Over-Exploitation
This article presents the evidence for the extinction of certain species through Native American hunting during the late pleistocene, as well as information on buffalo and seal hunting, and the fur trade. (Peter J. Bryant, In Biodiversity and Conservation: A Hypertext Book, 1998).

Comments on the Human Genome Diversity Project
An archive of postings to NATIVE-L on the Human Genome Diversity Project, provided by NativeNet. (1991-6).

Communicating Across Cultures
Steve Newcomb discusses the nature of native-environmental alliances and what environmentalists should bring to these relationships. (Steve Newcomb, Earth First! Journal (Litha). Archive: NAE, 1996).

Convention on Biological Diversity—Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge
Another page thrown up and forgotten, this includes some information about article 8(j) of the Convention, which specifies that the signatories will "respect, preserve and maintain knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities…relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity…" (1997).

EcoNet
A very active source of environmental information from the Institute for Global Communications.

Environmental Issues
A very good encyclopedia article. (David R. Lewis, In Native America in the Twentieth Century: An Encyclopedia. Mary B. Davis ed. New York: Garland Publishing, 1994).

Environmental Organizations Web Directory
Very comprehensive list of environmental organizations, either giving an address or internet site. I don't think it's being updated anymore.

Ethnobotany and Economic Botany of the North American Flora
(C. B. Jr. Heiser, In Flora of North America, vol 1. Introduction. Pp. 199-206. New York, 1993).

Ethnobotany and Paleoethnobotany: A Bibliography
A very weighty bibliography on all matters botanical in Native North America, both archaeologically and recently. (Michael A. Pfeiffer, Archive: Southwestern Archaeology, 1993).

First Nations Protocol
Some basic advice to environmentalists who wish to establish working relationships with native communities. (Kakwirakeron and Dave Good, Frontlines. First Nations Environmental Network. Archive: NAE).

Fourth World Documentation Project
A key site on the internet, the FWDP archives numerous native government documents from around the world. However, the FWDP stopped adding documents some time in 1997.

Gaia Forest Conservation Archives
This site is packed with recent press releases on forestry in Canada and the United States, including a full discussion of indigenous campaigns and issues. (Ecological Enterprises).

Honor the Earth
It's a fundraising and issues awareness organization. A key resource which is not to be missed is their weekly Internet radio show and archives. How often do I say that? Listen in.

Index of Native American Resources on the Internet
If not the most, then one of the most complete indices of Native American resources. (Karen M. Strom).

Indian Moons, Days & Other Calendar Stuff
Did you ever wonder what a specific Indian nation called the different moons of the year? This page was created to answer just that question. (Phil Konstantin, 1997).

Indigenous Agricultural and Environmental Knowledge Systems
A thematic essay on traditional environmental knowledge (TEK). (Consortium for International Earth Science Information Network, 1995).

Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor
The Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor serves all people with an interest in the role that indigenous knowledge (local knowledge, traditional knowledge) plays in participatory approaches to sustainable development. (Many of the articles here involve environmental knowledge).

Indigenous Peoples Biodiversity Information Network
"IBIN is proposed as a mechanism to exchange information about experiences and projects and to increase collaboration among indigenous groups working on common causes related to biodiversity use and conservation." It's unclear whether this site has done down or not. (1996-8).

Indigenous Women's Network: Our Future, Our Responsibility
(Winona LaDuke, Speech given at the Plenary Session of the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, Bejing, 31 August 1995, 1995).

Meteors and Native Americans
Reports of meteors in Native American oral history. (Gary W. Kronk, 1995).

National Aboriginal Forestry Association
The Association's mission statement says they are "advancing the concepts of aboriginal control and sustainable development of forest resources to serve the needs of aboriginal communities."

National Environmental Coalition of Native Americans
This organization works to prevent nuclear waste dumps on native lands.

Native Activists Call on Environmentalists to Surrender Legacy of Conquest
Reports on Winona LaDuke's presentation at the West Coast Ancient Forest Activities Conference. (Patrick Mazza, Cascadia Planet, 1995).

Native American Home Pages
Lisa Mitten maintains one of the two best general directories of Native American resources on the Internet.

NativeTech: Native American Technology and Art
For learning about the many ways that native peoples put their environment to use, this site provides an excellent start. NativeTech covers a wide range of materials, art forms and technologies.

NativeWeb
This is another very good index of Native American resources on the Internet, organized a little differently than the Index.

Natural Resources Research Information Pages
Focused on natural resources and not the environment, but very thorough. Includes links to general environment catalogues.

Poison Fire, Sacred Earth: Testimonies, Lectures Conclusions
Extensive excerpts from the testimony given in 1992 at the World Uranium Hearing in Salzburg, Austria. Many Native Americans spokespersons participated and this is an excellent on-line resource. (World Uranium Hearing, World Uranium Hearing, Salzburg, 1992., 1992).

Programme for Traditional Resource Rights
The Programme is dedicated to furthering the rights of all 'indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles'. By acting as a base for information, research and publicity the Programme aims to extend to Indigenous peoples and local communities knowledge of appropriate mechanisms for protecting the integrity of their knowledge and resources. Based in Oxford, the Programme has addressed issues around the world. They have bulletins and other resources focusing mostly on an international level.

Recent Historical Studies of the Ecological Indian
(Archive: Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment).

References on the American Indian Use of Fire in Ecosystems
Research on the management of terrestrial ecosystems by American Indians through controlled burning. This one has gone bust because it is in some strange file format. (Gerald W. Williams, Archive: Department of Anthropology, SUNY Buffalo, 1994).

Reflections on Rock Art and Astronomy
Mostly about the burgeoning interdisciplinary field of archeoethnoastronomy (say that ten times fast). Findings are from North America. (Von Del Chaimberlain and Hansen Planetarium, Archaeoastronomy and Ethnoastronomy Newsletter 14(December). University of Maryland: The Center for Archaeoastronomy, 1994).

Researching Native North American Environmental Issues on the Internet
A short article on Internet resources and how to integrate them into a significant research project. Summarizes the reference, database and library resources available via the Internet. (Alx V. Dark, Native Americans and the Environment, 1996).

Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Global Environmental Change
A thematic essay on international indigenous rights, including links to further issues. (Consortium for International Earth Science Information Network).

Rio Earth Summit Documents
A collection of documents produced by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (1992), also known as the Earth Summit, and various preparatory activities that led to the conference. (Consortium for International Earth Science Information Network).

Starlore of the American Indian
Constellations, stories about constellations. (Brad Snowder, Archive: Western Washington University Planetarium).

Supernova Petroglyph
Anasazi rock art documents a supernova explosion. (Dan Greening, 1996).

To The Limits
All about Native American Moon watching, and too technical for me. (David Dearborn, Archaeoastronomy & Ethnoastronomy News 3. University of Maryland: The Center for Archaeoastronomy, 1992).

Traditional Food, Health and Nutrition
Native American food and recipe resources. A fun page. Sadly, I should mention that this colorful and interesting web site was created by Paula Giese, who has passed away. (Paula Giese, 1997).

Traditional Herbal and Plant Knowledge, Identifications
Botany and ethnobotany resources for exploring Native American herbal knowledge. Another asset of this site is that it provides resources for K-12 educators as well as people who are involved in professional research. (Paula Giese, 1997).

Transnational Corporations and Their Effect on Indigenous Lands
Natural resource extraction and development pressures figure in the report as important human rights issues. (World Council of Indigenous Peoples, Report presented to the International NGO Conference on Indigenous Peoples and the Land. Archive: Fourth World Documentation Project, 1981).

U.S./Canada Pacific Salmon Treaty Implementation
(PDF format. Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, 4 pp).

Uranium Industry and Indigenous Peoples of North America
(Four Directions Council, Submission to the United Nations, Economic and Social Council, Commission on Human Rights, Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. Archive: Fourth World Documentation Project, 1987).

Wotanging Ikche
This e-mail newsletter (available via the WWW as well) has become an institution of the Internet, IMHO. It is an entertaining place to get general news about Native America.