Our Positive Climate Future: According to NWF’s Youth Advisory Council, Part One

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has been at the forefront of many of our nation's most significant conservation victories since our founding. Our founder, J.N. "Ding" Darling, had a strong vision of positive change for our nation's wildlife that was rooted in the principles of partnership and collaboration.

In 1936, he brought together stakeholders from across the country to form a unified agenda for wildlife conservation. This groundbreaking event activated individuals and organizations across the country to protect wildlife and our natural resources. Almost 90 years later, NWF remains a vital convener in the conservation movement, uniting wildlife enthusiasts and advocates to ensure that wildlife, people, and ecosystems thrive.

In a critical time of accelerating social, climate, and biodiversity crises, the Education and Engagement team is building on our founders' legacy by prioritizing youth perspectives, which are too often undervalued, in conservation and climate decision-making. Through our Youth Advisory Council, we can learn from and integrate their unique expertise as we shape immediate and future strategies to address climate change and serve youth.

We asked our 2025 Youth Advisory Council members to share how they hope to contribute to a positive climate future. Take a moment to learn about these young leaders:

Question: How do you hope to contribute to a positive climate future?

The Power of Education and Community

Education is pivotal to where I come from and who I am. It has preserved our language, culture, and sacred teachings, which aim to protect future generations, including Mother Earth. I hope to pass on these lessons and create collaborative educational spaces that allow youth to form their own relationships with the environment. Such connections can vary from policy to storytelling, but all are integral to sustaining our planet and building interconnected movements towards a positive climate future. - Kianna Pete

For me, a positive climate future starts with learning about the environment, people, and histories around you. Relationships, whether with a neighborhood bird or wildflower, foster stewardship and care. I aim to create opportunities for everybody to be heard, valued, and empowered to make a difference in their community. I've found that collective and community efforts are more sustainable and meaningful than facing climate change (or any other big challenge) alone. - Sami Maldonado

I hope to contribute to a positive climate future through education. People don't often think of education as a climate solution, but it is a crucial one. Growing up, I rarely heard about climate change in school or from the adults around me. I hope that through my advocacy, I can help young people find their community and voice in the climate movement. - Maggie Handelman

Fostering Safety in the Movement and Outdoors

I hope to contribute to a positive climate future by cultivating spaces where everyone is able to feel a connection to the natural world around them. As urbanization grows, the disconnect between people and their environment, energy, and food systems grows. Having spent time volunteering in a community garden and working in urban conservation, I know that creating community through our environment is what will build resilience as we face our climate crisis. I hope to work on climate adaptation in cities that is grounded in environmental justice and engages residents to take ownership over their parks, infrastructure, and environmental decision-making. - Aleena Siddiqui

The climate future I work towards is one where everyone has a hand in building safe and healthy places to live for themselves and their loved ones. I aim to help carry out community-driven climate solutions informed by scientific expertise, lived experiences, and cultural knowledge by researching and coordinating green projects. Whether it's cooling down heat-stricken neighborhoods with native tree planting or powering families through hurricanes with reliable and affordable clean energy, I'm excited to advance climate resilience alongside my neighbors. - Mandy Tran

Protecting Vulnerable Ecosystems

I hope to use my passion and skills to help make spaces for vulnerable ecosystems and organisms to thrive, even in the midst of the crises we face. Similarly, I want to create environments where marginalized or oppressed people have the dignity and ability to stand up for themselves and make their own unique contributions to a positive future. I would also love to help cities reintroduce native plants into their green spaces. - Estelle Long

I hope to contribute to a positive climate future by protecting our native ecosystems. When I was learning about fire ecology, I learned that many prairie species are especially good at trapping CO2 in their roots because of their relationship to fire. I've always looked to nature for guidance, and I think nature has the key to our fight against climate change. - Jackson Byrd

Trusting Our Youth to Lead

By enabling youth to discover their voice in climate activism and education, I hope to make a difference. I wish to contribute to the development of more approachable environmental initiatives that encourage and motivate upcoming leaders to take action in their local communities through the Youth Advisory Council. - Ashley Chumakunetsa

I aim to help restore humanity's relationship with the natural world by supporting youth-centered programming, promoting equitable access to green spaces and planting seeds of environmental justice awareness. I believe a positive climate future starts with rebuilding the emotional and cultural connections people have with their environments-both built and natural. - Alicia Fontenot

Check out Part 2 of our blog to continue learning about these young leaders and their visions for creative responses to climate change.