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Tribal representatives, conservation partners and federal agency leaders met Oct. 29 at United Tribes Technical College at the Lewis Goodhouse Wellness Center for the North Dakota Tribal Advisory Council meeting.
The council provides a forum for Tribal Nations to share natural resource priorities, conservation efforts and recommendations with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. NRCS and its partners also provided updates on programs, technical assistance, training opportunities and partnership efforts.
Dan Hovland, NRCS state conservationist in North Dakota, welcomed participants and discussed the council’s purpose. “The Tribal Advisory Council provides an important opportunity to listen, learn and work together on conservation priorities that matter to Tribal Nations. The insights and recommendations shared through this council help us strengthen partnerships, improve program delivery and ensure conservation assistance is responsive to the needs and goals of Tribal communities across North Dakota,” said Hovland.
NRCS Tribal liaisons, who serve as key points of contact between NRCS and Tribal Nations, shared updates on conservation priorities, program delivery and partnership efforts within the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, Spirit Lake Nation Reservation, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians Reservation and Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. Participating NRCS liaisons included Jonathan Hercik, Adam Flaagan, Jeff Desjarlais and Bruz Van Dusen.
Representatives from NRCS, the USDA Farm Service Agency, USDA Rural Development, Intertribal Agriculture Council, Bureau of Indian Affairs, North Dakota Association of Soil Conservation Districts and North Dakota Conservation District Employees Association shared updates on conservation programs, funding opportunities, technical assistance and partnership efforts supporting agricultural producers across Tribal communities.
Agenda items included discussions about NRCS program and technical assistance delivery, Alternative Funding Agreements and Tribal Conservation Districts. Jeanne Jasper, acting NRCS national Tribal liaison, provided updates on Alternative Funding Agreements and Tribal Conservation Districts. Lisa Yellow Luger of the USDA Office of Tribal Relations and Tina Jennen of the Central Region Tribal Conservation Committee also provided program updates.
Additional presentations focused on Plant Materials Center (PMC) projects involving sweetgrass and coordination with Tribal Historic Preservation Offices on cultural resources. Lucas Schmiesing, PMC manager, discussed sweetgrass activities, while Richard Webb, acting Assistant State Conservationist for Management and Strategy, discussed programmatic agreements related to cultural resources.
Participants also continued conversations raised during the council’s June 9 meeting, including technical assistance, conservation planning, education and outreach, interagency coordination, program funding and improving access to conservation assistance. Tribal representatives also identified concerns involving fencing on forested land, contracts involving different entities and differences among agency application timelines.
The meeting concluded with participants reaffirming their commitment to strengthening conservation partnerships and addressing shared natural resource priorities across Tribal lands in North Dakota .
Jimmy Emmons, NRCS Assistant Chief, emphasized the importance of those relationships and the progress being made through ongoing cooperation, saying, “I’m just glad to be a small part of the big wheel here and helping things move along for the tribes.”
USDA-NRCS North Dakota news release
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