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Lac Courte Oreilles
Band
Tribal Partnership Projects
Contacting the Office:
BHW Federal Building
One Federal Drive
Fort Snelling, MN 55111
Phone: 612-713-5108
Fax: 612-713-5280
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Return to Tribal Grants Main Page2003 Tribal Wildlife Grant
$249,800
LCO Fisheries Program Development including Lake and Stream Surveys
Kristine Maki, 715-634-0102Native American Liaison Annual Report Features Tribal Partnerships and Cooperative Projects
In FY 2001, Native American Liaison projects and activities featured a balance of coordination and communication between Service representatives at various levels, members of tribal governments and multi-tribal agencies. There was a significant increase in outreach activities benefiting individual tribes which often provided indirect benefits for additional tribes. A summary of specific activities include the following. A new Native American Directory for Region 3 tribes was completed in October and updated with web sites and email addresses in July.
The liaison participated in the "Government on Display" event at the Mall of America featuring the Gray wolf. Cross regional communication and partnerships were supported by coordinating information concerning the down listing of the wolf with Region 6 and joining Regions 2 and 6 in the FWS Memorandum Of Agreement with Intertribal Bison Cooperative. Strengthening our partnership with tribal organizations is a high priority and the "power of the press" is an excellent tool. Service activities relevant to tribal tradition and values are featured in articles contained in Native American publications. A news article describing the proposed down listing for the western great lakes population of the gray wolf was prepared and submitted to the Editor of Native American Fish and Wildlife Society Publication From the Eagles Nest. Information on the proposed rule, comment time line and tribal impact were included in the article. A second news article was prepared and submitted to the Editor of the Lac Courte Oreilles Journal Times featuring Service demonstration of an interactive hunter education display to the LCO Boys and Girls Club. The system enabled youth to experience a traditional tribal activity by using laser shotguns and rifles to "hunt big game" in a controlled classroom. Specific activities were provided to individual tribes demonstrating a broad range of partnership opportunities and resource benefits. In fisheries Service field offices worked with 8 tribes and one inter-tribal organization in completing surveys, assessments and plans on sturgeon, coaster brook trout and other trust species.
Tribes also joined Service personnel to conduct recreational fishing events for youth during National Fishing and Boating Week. Several National Wildlife Refuges are located near tribal reservations or in treaty ceded areas. Tribal coordination and communication regarding refuge operations increased during the year. Service participated in tribal training and government to government communication on refuge issues benefiting resources important to the tribe. Special activities were conducted to involve tribal members in reestablishment of the Whooping Crane.
Tribal participation in ecosystem activities included the Bad River Band which proposed Bald and Golden Eagle Protection in Tribal Fish and Wildlife Code; the joining of Federal, Tribal and State Agencies with Commercial Fishers in the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem Team to benefit ecosystem resources by funding four projects that support priorities of lake sturgeon restoration and Great Lakes Islands protection; and the Red Lake Nation who became the first tribe to host an ecosystem team meeting. Tribal coordination of endangered species issues continued but at a reduced level from last year.
Follow-up activities were conducted with the tribes involved in the NRDA settlement on the Nemadji River on the proposed action related to the exchange of land on South Fox Island, MI. The region continued to fulfill tribal trust responsibilities by pursuing the transfer of equipment to tribes. Surplus diesel generators were found for the Natural Resources Department at Bad River Indian Reservation, surplus fish trucks found a new home at the Mole Lake and Leech Lake tribes for use by their fish hatchery programs and the region identified a process to provide surplus computers to tribal youth. Interagency activities helped to bridge the partnership with tribes. The regional liaison represented the Service in joining the Bureau of Indian Affairs in honoring their Regional Forester who was promoted to a position at the BIA National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, ID; coordinated regional activities supporting the youth fishing event sponsored for the 11th year by BIA and Red Lake Band at the Minnesota Valley NWR and participated with Service regional managers during an open forum partnership meeting with resource leaders from State of Minnesota. Activities and support for tribal natural resource personnel included events at professional societies. As a member of the Native Peoples'' Fisheries Section the regional liaison prepared a detailed report of Section activities to the Section President. Specific items were linked to the elements in the strategic plan of the American Fisheries Society and rationale was provided to demonstrate how the Section supports the Society goals. A half day 12 paper symposium sponsored by the Section during the Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society was organized and moderated. Four other Sections of the Society co-sponsored the symposium entitled A Partnerships in Tribal Fisheries - A Basis for Fishery Success in the 21st Century. Funding was arranged to support the travel of two tribal presenters. The annual meeting of Native American Fish & Wildlife Society was held May 21-24 in Lincoln City, OR. and active participation occurred during the Service Native American Liaison session.
Interpersonal relationships are the keystone to tribal partnerships. Activities to build on the Service/ Tribal relationship included: support and identification of a funding source for a PROTECTORS OF THE EARTH YOUTH CAMP: ( a one week camp was held for American Indian and African American students to study scientific and cultural knowledge regarding natural resource topics); a presentation to Optimist International Chapter on Tribal/Service Youth Fishing Event; coordinating and attending an awards banquet held by Red Lake Nation to Honor a Service Employee for his volunteer support to National Fishing Week for the past 10 years; the Brandenburg Prairie Foundation created a dynamic dual picture poster depicting a thundering Bison herd on the top half and three trumpeter swans in flight on the bottom signed copies of the poster were provided tribal representatives to recognize their contribution to natural resources; at the invitation of the Red Lake Nation the regional liaison represented the Service and became a honorary member of the tribal DNR during the final services for Lawrence Bedeau, Director of Natural Resources for Red Lake Nation who passed on.
The Regional leadership beginning with the Regional Director supported many issues concerning tribes. Regional Director, Bill Hartwig lead Service participation in Annual Conference of the Great Lakes Region of the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society by delivering the keynote address. An estimated 100 attendees represented the 34 tribes and 4 tribal organizations in the Region as well as other Federal agencies and States. The meeting was hosted by the Bay Mills Indian Community at their Resort in Brimley, Michigan. Service guests included Mr. Pat Durham, Native American Liaison, Washington, DC and Mr. Jim Brown, Native American Liaison, Region 4 Atlanta. The Conference theme focused on partnerships and major topics included: political opportunities with the new administration, availability of eagle parts and feathers and status of guidelines, availability of bison from units of the National Wildlife Refuge System and update of cooperative Tribal/Service projects benefiting fish and wildlife resources. The Service recognized Faith McGruther, Regional Director (GLNAFWS) for her leadership and organizational efforts with a signed framed copy of the Brandenburg Foundation A Prairie Poster. The Native American Liaison office provided support to the Native American Liaison in the Washington Office by reviewing the GPRA tribal partnership performance measures and drafting more measurable elements, and organizing and hosting the October National Service Liaison conference call. The liaison shared the tribal partnership GPRA goal with project leaders at the Regional fisheries meeting and attended Tribal Cultural and Historic Preservation Training. .
Resource Outputs: The Native American Liaison Annual Report summarizes the Highlights and accomplishments of the tribal partnership activities involving Region 3 offices. The achievements support the trust responsibility the Federal Government has to Tribal Governments and the Partnership activities related to the Service GPRA Goal.
Partners: The Regions tribal trust responsibilities include 35 tribes, 11 each in Minnesota and Wisconsin, 12 in Michigan and 1 in Iowa. The Region also coordinates programs, activities and issues with 4 multi-tribal groups which include: the Minnesota-Chippewa Tribe in Minnesota; the 1854 Treaty Authority in Duluth, MN; the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLFWIC) which includes the Voigt task force) in Wisconsin; and the Chippewa-Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA) in Michigan previously the Chippewa-Ottawa Treaty Fishery Management Authority.
Service Joins Forces with Forest Service, DNR, and Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe to Study Lake Sturgeon
Upstream from the Chippewa Flowage in northern Wisconsin, a small hydro-power dam on the East Fork of the Chippewa River blocks lake sturgeon from moving upstream into suitable spawning and nursery habitat. Lake sturgeon are known to inhabit the Chippewa Flowage downstream and reaches of the East Fork Chippewa River above the dam. However little is known about habitat use, population status, or the effects of this dam on lake sturgeon. Area biologists are concerned that the inability of lake sturgeon to move upstream into additional habitat may limit reproduction and recruitment for this species of special concern. The LaCrosse Fisheries Resource Office with funding from FWS Ecological Services, the U.S. Forest Service, Wisconsin DNR and Lac Court Oreilles Band of Ojibwe pooled resources and staff to implement a radio telemetry study and document habitat use and movement behavior of lake sturgeon in this reach of the Chippewa River system. On a cold rainy week in early May, La Crosse FRO, assisted by the Forest Service and Wisconsin DNR, captured 22 lake sturgeon and tagged 14 with external radio tags. Lac Courte Oreilles Band is currently tracking each fish bi-weekly and an automated data logger set up by La Crosse FRO is documenting the presence and absence of lake sturgeon at the tail-water of the dam. Wisconsin DNR will analyze the data and results will be used in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission re-licensing process of the dam. Offices Involved: R3-LaCrosse FRO, R3-Ecological Services Partners: Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources, U.S. Forest Service, Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Ojibwe
