Stewarding Native Lands Webinars

Sovereign-to-Sovereign Agreements Database: A Resource to Grow the Field of Tribal Co-Management

In this second installment of First Nations’ Tribal Co-Stewardship and Co-Management Webinar Series, Noah Lee, Native American Rights Fund (NARF) fellow and a citizen of the Ho-Chunk Nation, covered the development of the Sovereign-to-Sovereign Cooperative Agreements Repository and the types of resources that can be found within the site. The goal of this database is to effectively consolidate the large variety of information and resources within this field of cooperative agreements to address common goals in land, water, and other environmental stewardship between Tribal Nations and other sovereigns.

Mapping for Land Return

As part of our Fortifying our Forests project, this hands-on webinar will explore funding opportunities for land return, restoration, and management objectives. The webinar will walk through what to expect when applying for the USDA Forest Service’s Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program, what’s needed to make a robust application, and how to use geospatial data to determine eligibility and changes in landscapes of interest.

The webinar will be Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 1 pm MT. Register here.

Indigenous Stewardship on National Forest Lands: Webinar 2: East Region

In this second webinar of a new First Nations’ webinar series, Tribal representatives discuss efforts to support Indigenous stewardship of forest lands in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service in the East Region of the United States. The webinar features Alex Bohman, Forest Ecology Program Coordinator for the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission Biological Services Division, and Tommy Cabe, Forest Resource Specialist for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Natural Resource Department. Together, they present on their collaborative work to steward ancestral lands by restoring traditional values and practices with staff from the U.S. Forest Service.

Scroll down to access materials from Webinar 1: Great Lakes Region

Office Hours for Tribal Access to Private Markets for Climate Mitigation or Forest Resilience Grant Opportunity

In our role as a Community Navigator with the U.S. Forest Service, First Nations is joining the USFS and the National Indian Carbon Coalition to host informal “Office Hours” to discuss ideas and answer questions related to the Tribal Access to Emerging Private Markets for Forest Resilience or Climate Mitigation opportunity. The opportunity is designed to address Tribal-led forest resilience, climate mitigation, water quality, and carbon sequestration efforts. Up to $2 million per project is earmarked for Tribes to develop forest management plans, establish demonstration sites, and prioritize biodiversity protection. The grant deadline is August 21, 2024.

Office Hours will be held:
* June 26, 2024, at 1 pm MT: Register here.
* July 17, 2024, at 1 pm MT: Register here.

Indigenous Stewardship on National Forest Lands: Webinar 1: Great Lakes Region

Webinar #1: Great Lakes Region
In this webinar, Tribal representatives discuss efforts to support Indigenous stewardship of forests in partnerships with the U.S. Forest Service in the Great Lakes region.

The webinar is the first of the Indigenous Stewardship on National Forest Lands Webinar Series that First Nations is hosting in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service. This series will focus on highlighting the innovative Indigenous stewardship practices that Tribes are implementing and the partnerships that have been developed with the Forest Service to steward ancestral homelands that are currently administered as National Forests. 

The webinar features Eric Clarke, Director of the Consortium for Cooperative Ecological Resilience for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, and Keith Karnes, Director of Forestry for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. Together, they present on their collaborative work to steward National Forest Lands by restoring traditional values and practices with staff from the U.S. Forest Service.

Tribal Co-Management and Co-Stewardship: 101

In this webinar, guest speakers Monte Mills and Martin Nie provide a brief history of tribal co-management and co-stewardship and explanations for how they differ. An overview of opportunities available under various federal authorities was also shared, along with considerations for capacity-building and pathways for effective implementation. In addition, how to strengthen agreements to protect tribal values and interests will also be discussed.

About the Speakers

Monte Mills is a Professor of Law and Director of the Native American Law Center at the University of Washington School of Law.

Martin Nie is a Professor of Natural Resources Policy and Director of the Bolle Center for People and Forests in the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation at the University of Montana.

For more information about this webinar, please email Brett Treadway, First Nations Program Associate, at btreadway@firstnations.org

Microgrids: Advancing Tribal Solar Energy Opportunities

As climate change continues to affect the natural world, Tribes should consider microgrids as one option to advance energy sovereignty. In particular, solar and storage microgrids are a renewable alternative that reduces energy insecurity and greenhouse gas emissions. Microgrids also keep resources in communities, lower energy expenses, and allow for predictable costs. Due to the remoteness of many Tribal members’ residences and the high cost of grid expansion, approximately 17,000 Tribal households have no access to electricity. Therefore, microgrids are a viable climate solution to increase community energy access.

In this webinar, a representative from Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) presents general information about solar and storage microgrids. And, Tribal representatives from Blackfeet Community College, Blue Lake Rancheria, and Hualapai Tribal Utility Authority present an overview of their completed tribally led microgrid projects, highlighting project inspiration and benefits, financing, challenges, and recommendations.

Speakers

• Meredith Cowart, Senior Associate, Rocky Mountain Institute
• Melissa Weatherwax, Director of Institutional Development, Blackfeet Community College
• Heidi Moore-Guynup, Director of Tribal and Government Affairs, Blue Lake Rancheria
• Roger Wright, General Manager, Hualapai Tribal Utility Authority

Speaker Bios

Meredith Cowart is a Senior Associate in the Rocky Mountain Institute’s Carbon-Free Electricity Practice where she supports RMI’s e-Lab for energy communities work. Meredith has experience in mediation and dispute resolution and co-designed and facilitated multistakeholder negotiation processes on technically intensive environmental issues. She also has experience conducting research and analysis on forestry, energy, and climate change issues.

Melissa Weatherwax (Blackfeet) is the Director of Institutional Development at Blackfeet Community College. She comes from the Amskapii Pikunii and was raised near Browning, Montana on the Blackfeet Reservation. Melissa is a certified K-12 teacher and has worked at Blackfeet Community College for over 15 years. Her experience included educational systemic reform, coordinating Native Science Fellowships, and advancing the Tribal College net zero pledge.

Heidi Moore-Guynup serves as the Director of Tribal and Government Affairs for the Blue Lake Rancheria. She has extensive experience in community development, strategic planning, conflict resolution, and climate resilience. She is a member of several boards and advisory teams advancing issues associated with community benefits, green port implementation, MMIP protections, and more associated with the proposed offshore wind development. Prior to coming to BLR she served in many roles in  TK-12  education. She’s been a school psychologist, principal, and district superintendent.

Roger Wright is the Generation Manager for the Hualapai Tribal Utility Authority and has been serving the Tribe since May 2023 in this role. He has previously been employed by the Aha Macav Power Service as Engineering Manager for the Fort Mojave Tribe’s wholly owned electric utility. He graduated from California State Polytechnic University in 1980 with a BS in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and spent the early years of his career working in the aerospace industry, primarily for DoD contractors. He has also spent some years teaching mathematics and computer system repair at the local community college.