Indifly Expands To Wind River Reservation

Indifly was born out of a Costa-led project to help a village deep in the heart of Guyana’s rainforest develop a fly fishing ecotourism business.

Costa’s bold effort spawned an organization with a vision of sustainable local economies that empower communities to conserve natural resources and a world in which indigenous peoples are empowered and inspired by entrepreneurship and environmental stewardship.

Home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes, the Wind River Indian Reservation is one of the most spectacular wild and remote places in the lower 48. The 2.3 million acre reservation includes more than 1,100 miles of streams and 265 lakes. Rich in culture, history, and natural resources, the residents of Wind River face many challenges to protect their pristine resources including barriers to youth engagement in the outdoors, limited management and enforcement resources, and an unemployment rate of more than 70 percent.

Indifly has invested many years on the Reservation learning about the culture of each Tribe, developing relationships built on trust, and assessing viability of an Indifly project. During this time, Indifly successfully developed key relationships, and in October 2018, the Wind River Inter-Tribal Council unanimously approved the project.

In partnership with Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes Fish & Game, the effort to empower the community and create sustainable livelihoods on the Reservation is well underway. Costa continues their commitment to Indifly and the Wind River Project with a donation of $50,000 to further these efforts.

To learn more and support the effort on the Wind River Indian Reservation visit www.indifly.org.