Kirby Jock, DNR Tribal Relations Manager, speaks at a Native American Heritage Month event in the Natural Resources Building rotunda on Thursday, November 29. Governor Christine Gregoire proclaimed November 2012 as Native American Heritage Month to recognize and share the rich Native American Heritage of Washington State. THANKS to all who participated in observances during the month. Photo: Bob Redling/DNR.
DNR staff hang tribal banners in Natural Resources Building. Photo: DNR, Bryan Flint
November was proclaimed Native American Heritage month by both President Obama and Governor Gregoire. Embedded in the heritage of the Tribes are respect and veneration of the natural world, and we invite you to join us in celebrating this culture.
On display through November in the Natural Resources Building rotunda are panels showing a few of the many examples of salmon habitat restoration efforts that the tribes and partners are carrying out statewide—and region wide.
Also on view are banners representing the federally enrolled tribes in the state. Originally, the banners were hung in the Nisqually Tribe Cultural Center, offering a backdrop for the 2011 Natural Resources Tribal Summit in September 2011, hosted by DNR and the Nisqually Tribe.
Throughout the year, Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark, the tribes and DNR work together to address natural resources issues important to all. Our tribal relations manager helps DNR and the tribes coordinate many efforts regarding natural resources, and issues of interest concerning the 5 million acres of state lands that the department manages, the tribal geoduck fishery, and more.
See our newest info-graphics: Map of major tribal watershed restoration partnership in Washington State.
The Hoh and Makah tribes combine efforts to restore a wetland.
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Nearly 100 canoes arrived in Olympia on July 29 for the last leg of the 2012 Canoe Journey., hosted this year by the Squaxin Island Tribe. Hundreds – maybe thousands – of families and spectators greeted the paddlers, some of whom began their journey on July 9. More information at http://www.paddletosquaxin2012.org. Photo: Toni Droscher/DNR.
Throughout the year, Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark, the tribes and DNR work together to address natural resources issues important to all. Our tribal relations manager helps DNR and the tribes coordinate numerous efforts involving natural resources, and other issues concerning the tribal geoduck fishery, watershed restoration, the 5.6 million acres of state trust lands DNR manages, and other shared concerns.
See our info-graphic: Map of major tribal watershed restoration partnerships in Washington State.
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The Pacific yew is an important tree, culturally to Native Americans in this region and as the original source of the compounds now manufactured to make the anti-cancer drug Taxol.
Can a tree save a life? Of course, when it’s a Pacific yew. A native conifer to the Pacific Northwest, the Pacific yew is one of the saddest looking trees around. It may look straggly, but it’s a good thing this tree exists.
Long ago, native people of the Pacific Northwest Coast considered yew wood very valuable, using it for weapons and implements that require strength and toughness. Today, the Pacific yew may have little commercial importance as lumber, but it is where scientists first discovered the combination of chemicals that led to Taxol. This anti-cancer chemotherapy drug was originally derived from the bark of the yew. (But whatever you do, don’t eat the berries. They’re poisonous!)
There are surprising and numerous benefits from all types of trees. You can learn more about them through the Trees Are Good website.
And, all week long, KUOW-FM is bringing you stories about Pacific Northwest trees and the role they play in our region and in our lives. Tune in and find out what you don’t know about the trees in your own backyard.
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Four Columbia River treaty tribes in three states — Yakima Nation, Nex Perce, Umatilla and Warm Springs — have worked together since 1977 to restore salmon runs to their former volume in the Columbia River above the Bonneville Dam. Once an estimated 5 million to 11 million fish annually, those runs have declined by more than 90 percent because of overfishing, dams and loss of critical habitat.
This DNR infographic produced for Native American Heritage Month (November) shows the locations and types of dozens of tribal projects across the vast Columbia River Basin. The plan is called ‘Wy-Kan-Ush-Mi Wa-Kish-Wit’ (Spirit of the Salmon). Take a look at our infographic to learn more.
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DNR staff hang tribal banners in Natural Resources Building. Photo: Bryan Flint/DNR.
November was proclaimed Native American Heritage month by both President Obama and Governor Gregoire. Embedded in the heritage of the Tribes are respect and veneration of the natural world, and we invite you to join us in celebrating this culture.
On display through November in the Natural Resources Building rotunda are panels showing a few of the many examples of salmon habitat restoration efforts that the tribes and partners are carrying out statewide—and region wide.
Also on view are banners representing the federally enrolled tribes in the state. Originally, the banners were hung in the Nisqually Tribe Cultural Center, offering a backdrop for the 2011 Natural Resources Tribal Summit in September 2011, hosted by DNR and the Nisqually Tribe.
Throughout the year, Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark, the tribes and DNR work together to address natural resources issues important to all. Our tribal relations manager helps DNR and the tribes coordinate many efforts regarding natural resources, and issues of interest concerning the 5 million acres of state lands that the department manages, the tribal geoduck fishery, and more.
During the month we will let you know about tribal speakers or other things of interest, so keep an eye on DNR’s Twitter.
See our newest info-graphics: Map of major tribal watershed restoration partnership in Washington State.
The Hoh and Makah tribes combine efforts to restore a wetland.
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Here are the top Ear to the Ground blog postings that you and others clicked on in September:
DNR wildfire update (9/8/2011): Goldmark meets with Monastery Fire evacuees
Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark met with evacuees from the Monastery Fire Complex near Goldendale this afternoon. He told evacuees and residents that controlling the fire is a high priority for DNR… read more.
Goldmark seizes educational opportunity for defending homes from wildfire; Monastery Complex Fire destroyed 29 homes
Twenty nine homes were destroyed in the Monastery Complex Fire, but many more were saved by the efforts of firefighters and by homeowners’ use of what is called ‘defensible space… see the video
Celebrate wild mushrooms: Harvesting in DNR-managed forests for your personal use
Moister weather—but still warm—began in western Washington this weekend, and many mycologists and other wild mushroom enthusiasts celebrated ‘Mushroom Picking Day’… read more
Monastery Complex Fire: What is ‘state mobilization’ and why do we call some fires ‘complex’?
You may have heard or read news reports about “state mobilization” in response to recent wildfires, such as the Monastery Complex Fire (some news reports call it the ‘Satus Fire’… read more
Summit of Tribes, Commissioner Goldmark and DNR
The day was filled with the business of natural resources and tribal interests; the evening was filled with drums and echoing songs, dances and feasting on traditional foods… read more
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This week, while the Second Annual Natural Resources Tribal Summit was taking place in Nisqually, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) hosted tribal youth in an experience of learning about healthy forests and firefighting.
First, the students explored Webster Forest Nursery to see how DNR grows seeds to seedlings. The seedlings are then planted to reforest state trust lands around the state.
After the tour, the students played a game that included throwing imitation Spruce Budworms at two different types of forests to see if they would stick (survive). One tapestry showed a healthy forest with a variety of species of trees and the other showed a crowded forest with a large amount of Douglas-fir trees. They discovered that the budworm tends to survive 3 out of 3 times in a crowded forest, and in the healthy forest, the budworm only survived 1 out of 3 times. This helped the students understand the importance of forest health and what it takes to manage Washington’s forests.
The firefighting session came next. Most of the students couldn’t wait to put on the Personal Protection Equipment that firefighters wear when on a wildland fire. They modeled a Nomex shirt and pants, along with a hardhat and fire shelter. Next came hands-on practice, shooting water from a fire hose.
Overall, while the adults participated in policy discussion at the Tribal Summit, the tribal youth participated in a hands-on exploration of some of the programs that DNR manages.
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Commissioner Peter Goldmark and tribal leaders engage in lively and fruitful discussions at the Natural Resources Tribal Summit. Photo: Nancy Charbonneau/DNR.
The day was filled with the business of natural resources and tribal interests; the evening was filled with drums and echoing songs, dances and feasting on traditional foods—from nettle tea, Dungeness crab to elk, buffalo, bitter roots, moss, and bear, just to name a few.
Monday, September 12, 2011, brought the second Natural Resources Tribal Summit, to which Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark had invited the representatives of 29 federally recognized tribes of Washington State. The conference was hosted at the Nisqually Tribe’s Sxwda?dəb Cultural Center.
Tribal leaders sat with Commissioner Goldmark at a circle of tables to listen and talk, to see how far we have come in the past year and learn where our next steps can take us as we coordinate natural resource issues important to the tribes and DNR. The agency works with the tribes in a government-to-government relationship regarding the 5.6 million acres of state lands of which DNR is steward. Commissioner Goldmark and DNR respect the tribes and the cultural significance that these lands have for them.
Tribal youth experience
While adults were busy at the summit, tribal youth took part in learning opportunities with DNR staff. They toured DNR’s Webster Forest Nursery that supplies millions of seedlings to replant forested state trust lands. They also learned about native insects that can threaten Washington’s forests when conditions are right—specifically the spruce budworm that attacks Douglas-fir and grand fir. They got a hands-on taste of wildland fire fighting as a career—wearing the Nomex and gear, and experienced shooting water from a fire hose.
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Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark talks with a tribal elder at the Traditional Foods Summit, Tuesday in Seattle (her backpack contains cattails which have several edible parts). Photo: Janet Pearce/DNR.
Yesterday, Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark spoke to attendees at the Traditional Foods Summit held in conjuction with annual meeting of the Society for Applied Anthropology in Seattle. More than 30 tribes, universities, agencies, and companies gathered to talk about natural and cultural resource management. The goal is to work collaboratively with land managers and applied social scientists to improve access to and use of traditional foods.
Various individuals and organizations had traditional food-related displays, posters and demonstrations.
Through this collaboration, Tribes, natural and cultural resource managing agencies, and applied social scientists will better understand and manage for the needs and rights of tribal and aboriginal communities.
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