Dahti Tsetso

Dahti Tsetso
Born
Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories
CitizenshipDehcho First Nations and Canada
OccupationsIndigenous environmental advocacy and education
Known forhelping establish Edéhzhíe Protected Area

Dahti Tsetso is a Tłı̨chǫ Dene environmentalist from Canada. She is the CEO of the Our Land for the Future Trust. Her past roles include serving as deputy director of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative and as the director of lands and resources for Dehcho First Nations.[1][2][3]

Early life and education

Tsetso was born in Fort Simpson (Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́), Northwest Territories.[1] She holds a bachelor of science in environmental conservation sciences and a bachelor of arts degree in Native Studies from the University of Alberta, and a Diploma in Indigenous Language Revitalization from the University of Victoria.[4][5]

Environmental advocacy

Tsetso worked for Dehcho First Nations for more than 10 years.[1] While serving as the resource management coordinator for her First Nation, she finalized agreements between Dehcho First Nations and Environment and Climate Change Canada for the Edéhzhíe Protected Area, Canada's first Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area.[6][7][8] Located on the Horn Plateau, the 14,249-square-kilometre region, will be managed cooperatively by the Dehcho First Nations and the Canadian Wildlife Service.[9] Tsetso said this ground-breaking agreement "will give us some capacity to start addressing the goals of our communities and approaching protection in ways that make sense to them, that helps our communities approach stewardship in a meaningful way."[10]

In her role as deputy director of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative, Tsetso led the convening efforts to bring together Indigenous, territorial, federal and private partners to explore a conservation finance mechanism known as Project Finance for Permanence. These efforts resulted in the NWT: Our Land for the Future Agreement, finalized in November 2024. This agreement establishes a $375 million dollar Trust to support the conservation and stewardship ambitions of Indigenous Partners in the NWT. [1][4][11]

During her time with the Dehcho, Tsetso also collaboratively developed the Dehcho K’éhodi Stewardship and Guardians program. [12] Dehcho K'éhodi translates as "taking care the Dehcho" in Dene Zhatié.[13]

Educational programs

The Dehcho K’éhodi Stewardship and Guardians program includes annual Dehcho Youth Ecology and Traditional Knowledge camps, which Tsetso led for several years. Dene elders and Western scientists teach Dehcho youth about environmental issues and help non-Indigenous scientific researchers build relationships with the Dehcho First Nation.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Dahti Tsetso Joins the Indigenous Leadership Initiative as Deputy Director". Indigenous Leadership Initiative. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  2. ↑ "Dahti Tsetso". natureconservancy.ca. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  3. ↑ "Guardians of Edehzhie: Protecting the land during the pandemic". Castanet. April 4, 2021. Retrieved 2025-05-28.
  4. 1 2 Caruso, Mariah (2021-02-09). "'I'm keen and I'm eager': Fort Simpson local becomes new deputy director for Indigenous leadership Initiative". CKLB Radio. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  5. ↑ "UVic program aims to revitalize South Slavey language in N.W.T." CBC News. March 16, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  6. ↑ Galloway, Gloria (October 11, 2018). "Vast region of Northwest Territories declared an Indigenous Protected Area". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  7. ↑ Jefferd-Moore, Kaila (August 8, 2018). "N.W.T. First Nations, federal gov't team up to protect 'breadbasket' of Dehcho region". CBC News. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  8. ↑ Lavoie, Judith (October 12, 2018). "Canada's new Indigenous Protected Area heralds new era of conservation". The Narwhal. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  9. ↑ Edwards, Tim (August 18, 2018). "Edehzhie getting protected status". NWT News/North. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  10. ↑ Zurba, Melanie; Beazley, Karen F.; English, Emilie; Buchmann-Duck, Johanna (2019). Beazley, Karen; Baldwin, Robert (eds.). Biodiversity and Protected Areas. Basel, Switzerland: MDPI AG. p. 157. ISBN 9783038977322.
  11. ↑ Ottenhof, Luke (2021-05-04). "Why Indigenous Guardians are key to Canada's climate future". Canada's National Observer. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  12. ↑ Wiebe, Heidi (January 9, 2017). "Dehcho K'ehodi Workshop" (PDF). Heidi R. Wiebe Consulting Ltd. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  13. ↑ "A Spotlight in Indigenous-led Conservation: The Edéhzhíe Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area". Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Northern Alberta Chapter. 28 July 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  14. ↑ Reid, Andrea J.; Lane, John-Francis; Woodworth, Stephanie (Winter 2020). "Leading on-the-land Science Camps with Indigenous Youth: Towards Reciprocity in Research". Solutions. 11 (1): 42–43. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
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