Sustainable and Innovative Solutions PanelSustainable and Innovative Solutions PanelHuckleberry SummitHuckleberry Summit

June 21, 2007June 21, 2007Don MotanicDon Motanic

Intertribal Timber Council, Technical SpecialistIntertribal Timber Council, Technical Specialist

““An independent assessment on monitoring the An independent assessment on monitoring the effectiveness the federal-tribal relationships under the effectiveness the federal-tribal relationships under the

Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP)Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) – –

A Huckleberry Trust Walk”A Huckleberry Trust Walk”

A Huckleberry Trust WalkA Huckleberry Trust Walk BackgroundBackground

• Intertribal Timber CouncilIntertribal Timber Council Non profit serving 60+ tribes Non profit serving 60+ tribes

nationwidenationwide Conducted 31 symposium since Conducted 31 symposium since

1977 with proceedings1977 with proceedings• Focus on issues with findings and Focus on issues with findings and

recommendationsrecommendations Two symposiums w/ non timber Two symposiums w/ non timber

forest products workshopsforest products workshops• 20002000• 20042004

Participated w/ Affiliated Tribes of Participated w/ Affiliated Tribes of NW Indians 2005 Trading at the NW Indians 2005 Trading at the River – Focus on HuckleberriesRiver – Focus on Huckleberries

• Warm Springs – Louie PittWarm Springs – Louie Pitt• Cow Creek Band of Umpqua – USFS Cow Creek Band of Umpqua – USFS

Special Interest AreaSpecial Interest Area

A Huckleberry Trust WalkA Huckleberry Trust Walk BackgroundBackground

Trust WalkTrust Walk• In a trust walk, two people In a trust walk, two people

alternate being leader and alternate being leader and blindfolded follower. blindfolded follower.

individuals take turns as the individuals take turns as the blind follower or leaderblind follower or leader

guide each other through an guide each other through an obstacle course obstacle course

both learn communication both learn communication skills and develop a sense of skills and develop a sense of trust.trust.

• While attempting to manage While attempting to manage huckleberries on federal lands, huckleberries on federal lands, who plays the leader and who who plays the leader and who plays the blind?plays the blind?

A Huckleberry Trust WalkA Huckleberry Trust Walk BackgroundBackground

Special Trust Walk Federal-Tribal Gov’tSpecial Trust Walk Federal-Tribal Gov’tTribes are not just another “stakeholder”Tribes are not just another “stakeholder”(This slide needs to join handshake sign)(This slide needs to join handshake sign)

Like a forest and the huckleberry fields, Like a forest and the huckleberry fields, where my family has gathered for many where my family has gathered for many years, the relationship between Indian years, the relationship between Indian tribes and the United States is dynamic. tribes and the United States is dynamic.

Rooted in the U.S. Constitution, the Rooted in the U.S. Constitution, the relationship between tribes and the relationship between tribes and the United States varies and can be United States varies and can be established many ways established many ways •treaties (1855 treaties predate states)treaties (1855 treaties predate states)•statutes statutes •executive ordersexecutive orders•judicial decisions judicial decisions

A Huckleberry Trust WalkA Huckleberry Trust Walk

Monitoring Trust Walk – Pilot Project on Monitoring Trust Walk – Pilot Project on Effectiveness Monitoring NW Forest Effectiveness Monitoring NW Forest Plan on federal-tribal relationshipsPlan on federal-tribal relationships• PurposePurpose• ObjectivesObjectives• DesignDesign• MethodMethod• ParticipationParticipation

A Huckleberry Trust WalkA Huckleberry Trust Walk Monitoring Trust Walk – Pilot Monitoring Trust Walk – Pilot

ProjectProject• PurposePurpose

76 tribes were part of the NW Forest Plan76 tribes were part of the NW Forest Plan• Intergovernmental Advisory Committee Intergovernmental Advisory Committee

included three intertribal organizationsincluded three intertribal organizations ITC, NW Indian Fisheries ITC, NW Indian Fisheries

Commission, Cal Indian Fire Forest Commission, Cal Indian Fire Forest Management CouncilManagement Council

A Huckleberry Trust WalkA Huckleberry Trust Walk Monitoring Trust Walk – Pilot ProjectMonitoring Trust Walk – Pilot Project

• PurposePurpose NW Forest Plan required effectiveness NW Forest Plan required effectiveness

monitoring as it related to tribal-federal monitoring as it related to tribal-federal relationships and effected resources, relationships and effected resources, which includes huckleberrieswhich includes huckleberries

A third party monitoring process was A third party monitoring process was recommended in a report on the recommended in a report on the Effectiveness of the Federal-Tribal Effectiveness of the Federal-Tribal Relationship during the first 10 year Relationship during the first 10 year period of the NWFP period of the NWFP

• The tribal reps did not want the federal The tribal reps did not want the federal government to self monitoring its own government to self monitoring its own performance. Its like the feds are… performance. Its like the feds are…

““pitching and umpiring”pitching and umpiring”• Lessons learned will be valuable w/ third Lessons learned will be valuable w/ third

partyparty

A Huckleberry Trust WalkA Huckleberry Trust Walk Monitoring Trust Walk – Pilot ProjectMonitoring Trust Walk – Pilot Project

• ObjectivesObjectives Report on government to government relationships at Report on government to government relationships at

local levellocal level Collect information on how:Collect information on how:

• Relationship is functioningRelationship is functioning• Resources of tribal interest are being managedResources of tribal interest are being managed• Feedback is being processed between governmentsFeedback is being processed between governments

Summarize the regional outcomes for federal Summarize the regional outcomes for federal executives in Washington, Oregon and Northern executives in Washington, Oregon and Northern California and make appropriate changes to guidelines, California and make appropriate changes to guidelines, such as permit process for huckleberries.such as permit process for huckleberries.

A Huckleberry Trust WalkA Huckleberry Trust Walk

Monitoring Trust Walk – Pilot ProjectMonitoring Trust Walk – Pilot Project• DesignDesign

Completed through questionnaires and case Completed through questionnaires and case studiesstudies

• Invite all 76 tribes to participateInvite all 76 tribes to participate• Onsite and telephone surveysOnsite and telephone surveys

Case StudiesCase Studies• What’s workingWhat’s working• What’s not workingWhat’s not working• Highlight new ideas, tools, processes, agreementsHighlight new ideas, tools, processes, agreements

A Huckleberry Trust WalkA Huckleberry Trust Walk Monitoring Trust Walk – Pilot Monitoring Trust Walk – Pilot

ProjectProject Case StudiesCase Studies

• What’s workingWhat’s working• What’s not workingWhat’s not working• Highlight new ideas, tools, Highlight new ideas, tools,

processes, agreementsprocesses, agreements ExamplesExamples

Tribal Wildfire GuideTribal Wildfire Guide Building BridgesBuilding Bridges Evergreen 2005 “Indian Evergreen 2005 “Indian

forestry, a model for forestry, a model for National Forests?”National Forests?”

Tribal Nursery Needs Tribal Nursery Needs AssessmentAssessment

31 Indian Timber 31 Indian Timber symposium proceedingssymposium proceedings

A Huckleberry Trust WalkA Huckleberry Trust Walk

Monitoring Trust Walk – Pilot ProjectMonitoring Trust Walk – Pilot Project• MethodMethod

Conducted by a third party contractorConducted by a third party contractor Contractor will be solicited by federal Contractor will be solicited by federal

agency tribal relations program managers agency tribal relations program managers with intertribal organization assistancewith intertribal organization assistance

A Method Similar to the Independent A Method Similar to the Independent Assessment of Indian Forest Lands and Assessment of Indian Forest Lands and Forest Management in the United States for Forest Management in the United States for 1993 and 20031993 and 2003

A Huckleberry Trust WalkA Huckleberry Trust Walk

Monitoring Trust Walk – Monitoring Trust Walk – Pilot ProjectPilot Project• ParticipationParticipation

Contractor will Contractor will participate w/ Local participate w/ Local Tribal-Federal Contact Tribal-Federal Contact TeamsTeams

• Example: Cow Creek Example: Cow Creek Band of Umpqua and Band of Umpqua and Umpqua and Rogue Umpqua and Rogue River-Sisikiyou River-Sisikiyou National Forest w/ National Forest w/ Huckleberry Patch Huckleberry Patch Special Interest AreaSpecial Interest Area

A Huckleberry Trust WalkA Huckleberry Trust Walk

Monitoring Trust Walk – Pilot ProjectMonitoring Trust Walk – Pilot Project• ParticipationParticipation

Contractor will participate w/ Local Tribal-Federal Contractor will participate w/ Local Tribal-Federal Contact TeamsContact Teams

• Example: Mescalero Tribe in NM utilizing Tribal Example: Mescalero Tribe in NM utilizing Tribal Forest Protection Act to perform stewardship Forest Protection Act to perform stewardship contracts on Lincoln NFcontracts on Lincoln NF

See Mescalero Tribe’s “view on the boarder”See Mescalero Tribe’s “view on the boarder”

Mescalero Reservation Lincoln N.F.

View on the BorderView on the Border

A Huckleberry Trust WalkA Huckleberry Trust Walk ConclusionsConclusions

• By using a third party By using a third party monitoring process monitoring process there will be less there will be less surprisessurprises

• The monitoring process The monitoring process provides feedback to provides feedback to improve the resourceimprove the resource

• More communication More communication will lead to a safer will lead to a safer huckleberry trust walkhuckleberry trust walk

A Huckleberry Trust WalkA Huckleberry Trust Walk Why are we here?Why are we here?

• To honor our pastTo honor our past• Inspire vision for todayInspire vision for today• Create the agreements, Create the agreements,

structures and monitor the structures and monitor the trust walk for tomorrowtrust walk for tomorrow

• THE ENDTHE END• ““Let’s go fishing while the Let’s go fishing while the

berries ripen”berries ripen”1997

2007

1965