In our mission to protect the Potomac River, we acknowledge and honor the first stewards of these lands

Potomac Conservancy’s mission to safeguard the lands and waters of the Potomac River and its tributaries is anchored in the recognition that settlers took these lands and waters from Indigenous people. We acknowledge and honor the first stewards of these lands. We respect the ancestral rights, culture, and dignities of Indigenous peoples and nations of the Potomac River region. 

For thousands of years, the Potomac watershed was home to a number of sophisticated Indigenous communities, with distinct cultures and a deep connection to the land. We are continuing to better understand the rich history of the land we occupy as a first step in becoming more effective allies to our Indigenous neighbors. 

The tireless advocacy of Indigenous communities has led to a growing acknowledgment of historic injustices. In a positive development, many tribes have started to reclaim their culture and language in recent years. However, there is still more work to do, especially for allies. 

We recognize that the land dispossession and genocide of these sovereign nations and their people is not just a relic of this country’s shameful past. The ongoing disenfranchisement and disregard for the rights of sovereign nations perpetuate inequity and cause harm to present-day Indigenous communities.  

As allies, we pledge to step into meaningful action. 

Our Commitments

• We will continue to listen, learn, change, and grow; 

• We will use our privilege, power, and platform to lift up Indigenous voices; 

• We will hold ourselves and others accountable;  

• We will dedicate resources, including financial, to support environmental issues that Indigenous leaders identify.

Some of the initial steps Potomac Conservancy has taken are: 

• Internal education on the Indigenous history of our region, including historical and modern tribes and regional Indigenous land stewardship 

• Annual sponsorship of and participation in the Sovereign Nations of Virginia Conference 

• Initial dialogue and meeting with tribal members and attendance at annual Pow-wows to begin to build more meaningful relationships 

• Chickahominy Indian Tribe 

• Chickahominy Indian Tribe – Eastern Division 

• Mattaponi Tribe, 

• Nasemond Indian Nation, 

• Pamunkey Indian Tribe, 

• Rappahannock Tribe, Inc., 

• Upper Mattaponi Tribe

• Patawomeck Indian Tribe

• Piscataway Conoy Tribe  

•  Monacan Indian Nation 

• Shawnee Tribe 

We invite others to join us on this path of learning and action. A good place to start is with the history pages on the websites of Indigenous Nations who are or were active in the Potomac River basin.  

Indigenous Communities in the news

• First Tribe in the U.S. Adopts Constitution Enshrining the Enforceable Rights of Nature - Center for Democratic and Environmental Rights (Oct. 14, 2024)

• For a young Native advocate, public lands hold the key - Bay Journal (Sept. 30, 2024)

• In Chesapeake region, Indigenous council sees conservation, sovereignty as one - Bay Journal (Sept. 19, 2024)

• Will Virginia tribes finally get their say? - Virginia Mercury (April 2, 2024)

• The Quest for Federal Recognition - VPM (March 14, 2023)

• ‘We Are Still Here’ - Maryland Today (Nov. 29, 2023)

• Native Americans back proposed Chesapeake Bay National Recreation Area - Washington Post (Nov. 25, 2022)

• Nansemond Indian Nation Ancestral Territory Returned in Suffolk, Va. - Chesapeake Bay Magazine (Nov. 22, 2022)

• Unearthing Native American history on an island in Southern Maryland - Washington Post (Nov. 7, 2022)

• D.C. bill would honor 17th-century treaty by granting Native Americans free fishing licenses - Washington Post (Nov. 27, 2019)

• A Native American tribe once called D.C. home. It’s had no living members for centuries - Washington Post (Nov. 22, 2018)

• ‘Do it for the water’: Native Americans carry Potomac water on prayerful, 400-mile journey - Washington Post (Oct. 16, 2016)

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