The Global First Nations Restoration Gathering brought together Indigenous leaders, practitioners, and knowledge holders from around the world who are leading restoration across lands, waters, and ecosystems. Rooted in place‑based knowledge and cultural responsibility, this five‑day gathering created a shared space to exchange experiences, learn from one another, and strengthen relationships grounded in care for Country.
Participants shared stories of restoration practice from diverse regions, exploring both achievements and ongoing challenges. Through open and respectful dialogue, the gathering encouraged honest conversations about what has worked, what has not, and why. These discussions were essential to deepening understanding and supporting restoration approaches that are led by First Nations peoples and guided by cultural knowledge, self‑determination, and long‑term responsibility to Country.
The program brought together time on Country, site‑based learning, workshops, and collective reflection. Participants engaged with local First Nations organisations, Indigenous‑led conservation initiatives, and institutions working at the intersection of restoration, research, and sustainability. Experiences throughout the week highlighted Indigenous approaches to caring for Country, and the diverse pathways communities are taking to re‑embed cultural practices within contemporary environmental contexts.
A central aim of the gathering is to build an international network of mutual support among First Nations peoples involved in restoration. By strengthening connections across countries and cultures, the event sought to foster ongoing collaboration, solidarity, and shared learning that continues long after the gathering concludes.
The final day focused on collective reflection and future pathways. Participants worked together to identify key insights, discuss gaps and challenges that need greater attention, and explore ways to sustain and deepen relationships between Indigenous communities globally.
Mitchell Gibbs is a proud Dunghutti man through kinship, and Lecturer, Postdoctoral and Fulbright Fellow at The University of Sydney in the Schools of Geosciences. From Indigenous Traditional Owners and knowledge holders, he learns about our environments and ways to manage those environments using shellfish-associated practices handed down through oral and lived histories and putting this into practice with habitat restoration work with the Gamay Rangers and the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council.
