Eco-colonialism refers to the continuation of colonial systems through environmental conservation practices that marginalize Indigenous peoples and their knowledge. Western-led efforts often impose external frameworks onto Indigenous lands—displacing communities, dismissing Indigenous science, and enforcing conservation models rooted in extraction and settler colonialism. Instead of recognizing Indigenous peoples as the rightful stewards of their territories, eco-colonialism treats land as separate from its caretakers. True environmental justice must uplift Indigenous sovereignty and ancestral knowledge systems, which offer holistic approaches to land stewardship, ecological balance, and climate resilience.
Reference: Hernandez, J. (2022). Fresh Banana Leaves: Healing Indigenous Landscapes Through Indigenous Science. North Atlantic Books.
