Land Acknowledgment
& Call to Action

Photo by Kyle Strauss.

The Oregon Land Justice Project and its participants recognize the importance of honoring Indigenous peoples with ancestral ties to the land that is today the state of Oregon.

Since time immemorial, they have played an important role as this land’s original and best stewards. The interconnection between land, water, animals, plants and people is inherent, and the health of one is necessary for the health of all. We thank them for their continued stewardship and for sharing their knowledge on how we may care for the land together, so that it may take care of us. 

While it is necessary to acknowledge tribes and Indigenous peoples, acknowledgement is simply not enough. The best way to honor Indigenous peoples is to support them in their efforts to undo the impacts of colonization and land loss. To follow this acknowledgement with action, we challenge ourselves and all land trusts to take the following actions:

  1. Return land to tribes without conditions or limitations (or advocate for land back)

  2. Protect all natural and cultural resources including First Foods, medicines, and sacred sites

  3. Support tribal sovereignty, self-determination, and tribal economies

  4. Proactively use your power and resources to help advocate for Indigenous rights, including the right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent

  5. Build equitable, mutually-beneficial relationships with tribes, tribal organizations and communities

  6. Amplify and uplift Indigenous voices

  7. Educate yourself and the generations after you about tribal histories, lifeways, cultures, treaties, values and priorities


(Modeled after Ecotrust’s Call to Action for Indigenous Communities and the Legislative Commission on Indian Services’ Land Acknowledgement Guidance Document)