KarunaNews Story

As the movement known as “landback” grows, a new policy brief shows how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques can be used to identify public and protected land in relation to current reservation boundaries and presents maps showcasing the scope of landback opportunities. Landback is a movement to restore Native lands to Indigenous peoples who were the original stewards of the land. “The policy brief is really kind of a conversation starter…It brings together some summary information and some basic facts just about the history of land loss in America as it relates to Native Nations and American Indian Tribes over the last 100 to 150 years…,” said Laura Taylor, co-author of the brief. The brief is intended for lawmakers or government officials who are interested in understanding how they can help facilitate landback.