The Origins of Public Lands and Wilderness: A talk with Len Necefer, Founder of NativesOutdoors

Len Necefer is an outdoor advocate, academic and the founder of NativesOutdoors, a company that is working directly with tribal governments, community organizations, and individuals on increasing access to outdoor recreation and connecting resources and opportunities within the outdoor industry.

To better understand the connections, struggles, and current events that link outdoor spaces and Indigenous clans, we asked Len to join us and share important historical facts, acts, experiences and more. With 574 Federally recognized tribes, there is a lot of history and turmoil around lands, ownership and protection.

Watch our talk with Len below:

You can find several of the movies Len has produced to bring awareness to outdoor spaces, like Welcome to Gwichyaa Zhee. This film explores the connection of threats faced to Bears Ears National Monument and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge through stories and perspectives of the Diné (Navajo) and Gwich’in communities.