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Despite representing less than 5 percent<\/a> of the world\u2019s population, Indigenous peoples steward more than a quarter of Earth\u2019s land and seas and protect a significant share of Earth\u2019s biodiversity.<\/p>\n Studies show<\/a> that when Indigenous peoples have the right to govern their land, biodiversity increases and forests are protected.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n On International Day of the World\u2019s Indigenous Peoples, Conservation News is highlighting three stories about Indigenous peoples on the frontlines of protecting the nature they rely on.<\/span><\/p>\n Meliponas are not your average bee. They are tiny and stingless. And Indigenous communities in the Amazon have used their medicinal honey<\/a> for centuries to ward off microbial and fungal infections. Plus, they are critical for plant pollination and regrowing forests.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For countless generations, people have relied on Melipona bees \u2013 now the tables are turning. The bees are under threat from deforestation, pesticides and climate change, and Indigenous women are working to ensure that their ancestral knowledge helps them survive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n