Smoke signals., April 01, 2025, Page 11, Image 11

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APRIL 1, 2025
11
Tribe stops using pesticide glyphosate
By Nicole Montesano
Smoke Signals staff writer
The Tribe responded to advocacy
from Tribal members regarding
use of the herbicide glyphosate by
discontinuing its use, General Man-
ager Angie Blackwell said in March.
The widely used but sometimes
controversial herbicide is more
broadly known by the brand name
Roundup, although it is also sold
under other names.
Activist and Tribal member Am-
ber Eastman, who had been a lead-
er in advocating for ending use of
glyphosate, initially said she was
grateful for the decision.
“The land can finally begin to
heal and that is restoration we
deserve, the restoration we have
always deserved,” Eastman said.
“hayu masi, Creator, for hearing
our prayers and guiding hearts
toward this decision. The facts
were there and could no longer be
ignored…Years of advocacy from
so many community members are
rejoicing and relieved with this de-
cision, a section made on behalf of
the membership and community it
affected. … I know there was other
chemicals used along with the gly-
phosate and I hope they made the
decision to cease all of those…We
cannot ignore what we are putting
into the ground as a whole is bad for
the environment and contradiction
to our values and connection to the
lands as good stewardship.”
However, Eastman later said she
was upset that a different herbicide
had been substituted. Eastman
wrote to the Tribal Council, saying
that she had “deep concern regard-
ing the continued use of herbicides
on our lands, particularly the recent
replacement of Glyphosate (Glystar)
with Surflan, which contains the ac-
tive ingredient oryzalin. While this
change may have been made with
good intentions, oryzalin carries its
own set of health and environmental
Drop box installed
The Grand Ronde Tribal Police Department, 9655 Grand Ronde
Road, has a medication drop box located in the front lobby.
Lobby hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The drop box is for any prescribed or over-the-counter medication.
If the containers are too large to fit in the drop box, please repackage
them in a zip-lock plastic bag.
Needles and liquids are not allowed in the drop box.
Tribal Police suggest mixing liquid medications with cat litter or
coffee grounds and then throwing them away with the household trash.
For more information, call 503-879-1821. n
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risks that must not be overlooked.
As stewards of our land, we have
a responsibility to ensure that our
practices align with the health and
well-being of our people, our future
generations, and the natural world
we are entrusted to protect.”
Eastman said that she is now
advocating for an end to the use of
herbicides in general around the
Tribal campus and housing.
“Spraying herbicides disrupts the
balance of our ecosystems, affecting
soil health, water sources, and the
plants and animals that are vital
to our traditional practices,” she
said. “The long-term consequences
of these chemicals in our environ-
ment are still not fully understood,
yet the risks are evident.”
She continued, “Our ancestors
thrived for generations by work-
ing in harmony with the land, not
against it. There are alternative,
culturally-aligned land manage-
ment practices that prioritize soil
regeneration, controlled burning,
manual removal and native plant
restoration — methods that not
only protect our people but also en-
hance the resilience of our lands.”
Eastman urged the Tribal Council
to conduct an independent review of
herbicides used and also to develop
alternative land use practices.
Last year, the Tribe obtained a
five-year, $1.9 million grant from the
Environmental Protection Agency to
develop a policy on the use of herbi-
cides and other chemicals. In Decem-
ber, the Tribe conducted a member
survey to gather information about
members’ views with the hope of hav-
ing a program ready to implement by
the end of September 2026.
The grant for the program, how-
ever, may be threatened by the
Trump administration’s actions
involving federal grant freezing and
suspension.
The Facilities Department policy
on herbicides authorizes uses of
specific products, but states that
housing tenants who want to opt
out of having their yards sprayed
may do so if they submit a formal
written request to the Grand Ronde
Housing Department and keep the
area weeded within the bounds
of signs that will be placed by the
Housing Department.
Periodic inspections will be con-
ducted, it notes, and once the no-
spray signs have been placed, they
are not allowed to be moved and
must be kept clean and clear. n
Clothes Closet open
The Clothes Closet is open from 9 a.m. to noon Friday on the Tribal
campus near the Elder Activity Center at the end of Blacktail Drive.
The Clothes Closet accepts clothing, small appliances and pieces of
furniture, electronics and household goods that are clean and in good
condition. It does not accept books, large TVs or furniture, but there is a
community board where people can post those items.
For more information or emergency clothes, contact Lori Walker-Her-
nandez at 559-847-7565. n
Grand Ronde
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