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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (April 15, 2018)
S moke S ignals APRIL 15, 2018 7 General Council briefed on Natural Resources efforts By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor EUGENE — Tribal Natural Re- sources crews have planted more than 100,000 seedlings on the Res- ervation so far in 2018, outpacing the department’s average seedling planting of 64,000 annually, Silvi- culture and Fire Protection Manag- er Colby Drake said at the Sunday, April 8, General Council meeting held in the Many Nations Long- house at the University of Oregon. “We’re getting a lot of good stuff put into the ground,” Drake said about the Tribe’s reforestation efforts. Drake joined Natural Resources Department Manager Michael Wilson in giving a 34-minute pre- sentation to Tribal members who packed the longhouse. Wilson started the presentation with an overview of Willamette Falls and Tribal collection of Pacific lamprey and dip-netting for salmon at the site in Oregon City. “A very important place,” Wilson said. “Very important in our past, in our culture. It’s important to us today and it will be important in the future. … It’s a beautiful place.” Wilson said water quality in the Willamette River is important as well because whatever pollutants are placed in the river in the Eu- gene area will eventually make their way downstream to the falls. “Natural Resources is taking the lead in promoting water quality and working with a lot of different agencies, making sure that water stays healthy and continues to get better,” Wilson said. Wilson also discussed Tribal efforts to understand the life cycle fire to clear the land. All Tribal burn plans on the Reservation must be pre-approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and on fee lands arranged in con- sultation with the Oregon Depart- ment of Forestry to control smoke pollution. Drake said the Tribe primarily Photo by Dean Rhodes – 94 percent – Natural Resources Department Manager Michael plants Douglas Wilson discusses his department’s efforts on the fir on the Reser- Reservation and in the ceded lands during the Sunday, vation because it April 8, General Council meeting held in the Many is merchantable Nations Longhouse on the University of Oregon timber, as well as campus in Eugene. western red cedar in the lowland ar- eas and hemlock in the shade areas of the Pacific lamprey, work on to maintain diversity. keeping Reservation lands healthy Drake also briefed the member- and how that benefits a variety of ship on the Wildland Fire program wildlife, and the Tribe’s efforts to that is self-sufficient and earns grow Native plants, such as camas. the Tribe approximately $200,000 Drake, who said that he is learn- annually. ing that forestry “is a very slow Wilson and Drake fielded seven process,” discussed Tribal efforts questions and comments from the to re-plant its Reservation lands. audience after their presentation. “These 70-year rotations make Tribal Council Chairwoman it difficult to make a quick change Cheryle A. Kennedy complimented on something,” he said. “Our mis- the Natural Resources Department sion statement is to promote the for using traditional Tribal prac- tradition of being good stewards tices to care for the ceded lands in to all natural resources, not just western Oregon. the forest or the Reservation, by Tribal Council Secretary Jon A. accomplishing this by protecting George and Eric Bernando per- and maintaining our forest health formed the cultural drumming and and maintaining the productivity singing to open the meeting and for future uses.” Kennedy asked everyone in atten- Drake discussed the cycle of grow- ing trees, which starts with using Ad created by George Valdez dance to introduce themselves so that Tribal members could connect with family. In addition, Natural Resources staff members Torey Wakeland and Michele Volz supervised a fish distribution. Jessica Volpe, Matthew Wilkin- son and Levina Mankajon won the $100 door prizes and Mya George, Elder Barbara Feehan, Kiera Ching, Les Houck and Tribal spouse Bob Chapman won the $50 door prizes. Two necklaces made by Tribal Council Secretary Jon A. George also were raffled off. The next General Council meet- ing will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, May 6, in the Tribal Community Center in Grand Ronde. Following a lunch provided by Baja Fresh and a brief Other Busi- ness session, which included for- mer Tribal Council member Andy Jenness and Tribal Elder Monty Parazoo thanking Tribal Council for visiting the Eugene area, the meeting was adjourned and about 30 Tribal members participated in a Community Input meeting that solicited ideas for possible advisory vote issues to be placed on the Sep- tember Tribal Council ballot. Tribal General Manager David Fullerton and Tribal Council Chief of Staff Stacia Hernandez facilitat- ed the meeting. There also will be another Community Input meeting regarding possible advisory vote topics after the May 6 General Council meeting. The entire meeting can be viewed on the Tribal website at www.gran- dronde.org by clicking on the News tab and then Video.
