October 3, 2002
Page 3
Ranch: tribes have reputation for stewardship of land
Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Spnngs, Oregon
TOP: Geological map of tha
Pina Craak Ranch display
currant uniqua diatribution
of land. Landowners, BLM
and tha trlbaa ara working to
conaolldata land to maka
public land mora accessible.
Tha land axchangaa, which
could happen fairly soon
through legislation, ara
beneficial to both tha public
and landowners, who end
up with larger blocks of
accessible land.
BOTTOM: Ron Suppah, Sr of
tha Tribal Council and
Charles Jackson, secretary
treasurer, chat near one of
many plctograph sites at
Pine Creek Ranch.
r1l3E?r in
i i P
,n -.if A It-
Shannon KeavenySpilyay
(Continued from page 1)
Land consolidation that requires some
trading between neighboring private
landholders and the Bureau of Land
Management is pressing to happen soon.
The outcome won't effect landmass, or
riverfront access but instead transfer
random land chunks, surrounded on all
sides by tribal land and owned by non
tribal members, to the exterior bound
aries. See map depiction of current land
distribution.
Berry struggles the most with inva
sive plant species, such as yellow star
thisde and Russian knapweed. These
plants, explained Berry, can degrade
wildlife habitat and watershed health by
outcompeting native plants.
Livestock grazing is limited, under the
terms of the Tribe's Memorandum of
Agreement (MOA) with BPA, but can
be used under some circumstances as a
management tool.
That, said Berry, could happen soon.
He explained, "Some of the first uses
of livestock will probably be on a BLM
grazing allotment associated with the
ranch. Other possibilities could be tar
get grazing for control of noxious weed
populations."
The current ranch was purchased in
1999, and expanded in 2001 with ac
quisition of the neighboring Wagner
Ranch, by the Warm Springs tribes with
funds provided by the BPA as part of
'A lot of people who visit
the ranch are surprised to
learn how much work the
tribes do to protect natural
resources throughout their
ceded lands."
Mark Berry
Manager of ranch
their mitigation.
. BPA is mandated to compensate fish
and wildlife habitat losses caused by
Columbia River dams with other
projects that enhance river systems in
other areas. BPA chose Confederated
Tribes of Warm Springs as stewards
to implement a natural resource man
agement plan on the huge spread of
land.
The tribes have a history of good
stewardship on their reservation and
ceded lands to ensure the protection
of water quality, riparian vegetation,
fish and wildlife habitat, and therefore,
cultural resources. In 1986, tribal adop
tion of Resolution 7410 mandated all
resource management decisions would
officially follow these conservation
guidelines.
Their reputation appealed to BPA's
obligation to offset wildlife habitat
losses in that area caused by the John Day
Dam on the Columbia River.
Pine Creek has historically been over
grazed by catde and felt the woes of con
ventional chemical agriculture. The result
is an ecosystem that now batdes non-native
annual grasses, flourishing juniper
groves, rapidly spreading noxious weeds,
channeling of streams, dwindling native
salmon runs, diminishing elk and deer
populations, and severely eroded ripar
ian zones.
Berry, employed and living at the ranch
for the last two years, is happy to see
"tourists" passing by and stopping to read
the educational signs at the entrance of
the ranch on Highway 218 that he helped
the project create.
The Warm Springs ranch tour jumps
from site to site and listens as he explains
the ranch's progress.
"There was a count of 12 steelhead
this year," he says of Pine Creek, "and
now we're going to expand this culvert."
Due to the ecological devastation of
the past, the desired project goal could
take decades but progress, as Berry
proudly relates, is already being made.
Once there, the tribes will continue to
manage it "in perpetuity."
Tribal members can visit the ranch at any
time. The drive is about one and half hours
from Warm Springs. For more information, con
tact Mark Berry at 489-3477.
Warm Springs issues
first 401 certification
After nearly 8 years of negotiations with EPA, the
tribes exercise their right as a sovereign nation to
legislate their own water rights
Shannon Keaveny
Spilyay Tymoo
In August, The Confederate Tribes of Warm Springs became
' the first Oregon tribe to issue a section 401 Clean Water Act Cer-
tification. . ..,., , , .
; Pordand General Electric and the Confederate Tribes of Warm
; Springs were the recipients of the certificate for the Pelton-Round
; Butte Hydroelectric Project.
The ability to issue certification for the Clean Water Act "gives
' leverage to the tribe to make sure water, ecosystems, and fisheries
are protected," said Deepak Sehgal, tribal environmental office
director.
In 1999 the Confederated Tribes were delegated authority by
; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish and man
', age water on the reservation. The authority includes the waters of
the Deschutes River and Metolius River.
The Tribes jurisdiction, explains Sehgal, is similar to the state of
' Oregon's Department of Environmental Affairs regulation of state
; waters.
The difference, he added, is now we can make our own stan
; dards that are more likely to include cultural and resource values.
"We can establish stricter policy. It is up to us, as a sovereign
' nation, to make that decision."
Such water regulatory authority is rare among tribes across the
U.S. Only 14 other tribes have the authority. Warm Springs is the
only tribe among Oregon's 9 federally recognized tribal govern
ments to gain this authority.
The Confederated Tribes of Umatilla is expected to follow the
tribes of Warm Springs example.
Staff at tribal Natural Resources began working on the water
quality standards in the mid-1990s. Formal approval in October,
2001 of the tribes' water quality standards was a milestone in
management of the natural resources of the reservation.
Approval of the standards is one component of a broader wa
ter management plan that was initiated decades ago.
"We've been managing our water resources since the 1960s"
said Sehgal.
School: teacher contract ratified
Boys and Girls Club offers best deal in town
Afterschool
programs draw
largest groups in
theregion
By Shannon Keaveny
Spilyay Tymoo
For 82 cents a month,
Warm, Springs parents can
send their children to a
safe, cultural and interesting
place.
The Boys and Girls Club of
Warm Springs, which opened in
May 2001, hosts up to 75 kids
between the ages of 6 and 18
years old after school with num
bers growing.
Frank Smith, director of the
Boys and Girls Club says, "We
have the highest number of kids
in the region. By winter, I ex
pect to have 125 kids."
Smith thinks kids like it there
because they like the staff.
He explains, "Children feel
safer when they are in a super
vised situation. We teach three
elements of respect and at first
some have trouble but then they
come around."
Good behavior is also en
couraged with Club Bucks, cou
pon money that can be used in
the store. The store sells healthy
snacks and school supplies.
The club's participants have
a variety of options to choose
from.
Power Hour is dedicated to
after school studying. Tutors,
teacher aides, and snacks are
provided.
Often high school students
come before an exam, says
Smith.
Last Friday, the seasonal fish
ing club began. Open to all age
groups, club members are
taught how to fish and clean their
fish, proper safety measures,
cook fish on an open fire, and
the tradition of giving.
They fish at areas on the
Deschutes River, the Warm
Springs River, and reservation
lakes. Tribal member treaty fish
ing rights are related.
Smith notes, "It is important
our kids know they have no fish
limit but, at the same time, just
take what you need. Also, their
permits are free with proper
tribal identification."
The youngest in the fishing
group can learn the basics of
how to cast and tie their hooks.
"It is fun, good exercise, plus
they learn a life skill.", stated
Smith.
Other fall clubs offered at
The Boys andGirls Club are the
Torch Club, for ages 11-13, and
the Keystone Club, for ages 14
18, where kids learn good lead
ership and character building;
and basketball, starting on Nov.
1, including a basketball clinic
to learn basics, such as dribbling.
Smith and his staff are cur
rently working on getting the
supplies to build a sweat lodge
and prepare for the next cultural
season, oral storytelling. Club
members will build the lodge.
"Our people learn from the
stories we tell and we hope to
incorporate it into the sweat
lodge," explains Smith about his
hopes for some community in
volvement in the sweats, "In our
grant for the Boys and the Girls
Club, teaching culture is sup
posed to be a part of all our
programs. We hope some of die
community leaders will help us
do that with the sweat lodge."
The Boys and Girls Club has
a staff of five. Three of the
employees are newly hired.
Their names are Jim
Sanderville, education coordina
tor; Anthony Mitchell, Jr., game
room coordinator; Gean
Sampson, gym coordinator.
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and Asiarf arill SDecialties andsalmon and fresh fruit
and peel 'n eat shrimp and fresh baked breads and muffins
v ' . and steaks to order ttid soups galore and pies
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(Continued from page 1)
"Things are going to get
worse, either way we will take a
cut." he added.
The state, he explained, is
projecting a $1.5 billion short
fall in the next biennium. Next
summer the certified staff
(teachers) and classified staff
contracts expire. 509-J will have
to renegotiate two union con
tracts. "We don't know what they
will ask for yet." said Riley
Also, he added, "The district
has no reserve funds, in particu
lar for the Warm Springs
school."
Teacher contract ratified
Aside from discussing budget
cuts, 509-J Board of Directors
ratified their teacher's contract
at their last bi-monthly meeting.
The district agreed to pay
$620 per teacher each month,
amounting to over $7,000 per
teacher every year. In return,
teachers gave up their insurance
prescription cards.
Perhaps, the biggest change
was the board's agreement to
eliminate teachers early retire
ment plan. The plan was an in
centive for long-term teachers
to retire prematurely with finan
cial benefits. Position openings
were then filled with younger,
less expensive teachers.
Teachers hired after Dec.31,
1994 gave up their early retire
ment plan in exchange for Tax
Sheltered Annuity (TSA) in
which the 509-J will pay $10 per
month.
S l (.MP II.
I
VZNVD
Introducing The Chinook Room.
Somewhere between plastic plates and crisp linen napkins is a premier buffet -breakfast,
lunch and dinner. And it's served in The Chinook Room, Kah-Nee-Ta's tasteful,
all-new approach to a timeless tradition. A tempting spread of salads, steaks cooked to
order, and Asian specialties cooked before your eyes are Just a few samples of how we've
taken the term "buffet" to a higher level. '
Warm Springs Tribal members receive a 20 discount in The Chinook Room
and the newly remodeled fine dining Juniper Room by presenting their Tribal I.D.
HIGH DESERT RESORT & CASINO
541.553.1 1 1 2
Open dally.
1
t