Sovereign Nations of Virginia Conference

Ancestral Wisdom Guides Today's Paths: Indigenous Conservation and Rights of Nature

The 2025 Sovereign Nations of Virginia Conference will brings together tribes across the state.

It will feature presentations and discussions on important topics in Indigenous conservation and environmental stewardship.

Frank Bibeau, head of CDER’s Tribal Rights of Nature Program, and Thomas Linzey, CDER’s Senior Legal Counsel, will present at the conference on their work to advance the rights of nature. This includes CDER’s work with the Rappahannock Tribe of Virginia, which in 2024 became the first Tribal Nation to enshrine the rights of nature within a tribal constitution.

Additional topics include conservation easements that work for tribes, the development of an Indigenous Guardians Network, and Indigenous land management practices.

Conference registration is free. To learn more and to register, click here.