Contacting the Office:
Julie Morin, Acting Native American Specialist
e-mail: Julie_Morin@fws.gov
BHW Federal Building
One Federal Drive
Fort Snelling, MN 55111
Phone: 612-713-5108
Fax: 612-713-5280
Return
to Wisconsin Page
Return to Tribal Grants Main Page
2003 Tribal Wildlife
Grant
$249,800
LCO Fisheries Program Development including Lake and Stream Surveys
Kristine Maki, 715-634-0102
Native
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
