Poster Details
AN ALTERNATIVE PATH TO DEVELOPING TRIBAL WETLAND PROGRAMS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Self-governance, tribal heritage, and cultural identity are directly dependent upon high quality water and associated Traditional resources, as guaranteed by treaty. However, geographic isolation of Tribal water resource management professionals hampers the cohesiveness of an important professional support network. For the past 7 years, a Tribal Wetland Working Group (TWIG) has facilitated collaborative, science-based decision making while encouraging peer relationships and creating opportunities that facilitate natural resource management policies and methods consistent with Tribal values. Wetland Program Plans are locally developed efforts, centered around a particular Tribal communities traditional patterns using wetlands and aquatic resources. Outcomes of these efforts have contributed to a significant increase in the number of Tribes creating Wetland Program Plans across the Region and novel combination of work between EPA and PNW Tribes. Wetland Program Plans are important, foundational Thirty eight Tribes have participated in TWIG workshops and trainings, and the number of Tribal wetland program plans has risen from 3 in 2010 to 17 in 2016. Thus, TWIG has contributed to Tribes increasingly numerous wetland programs that reflect the values of individual communities.
Scott O'Daniel (Primary Presenter/Author), Confederated Umatilla Tribes, scottodaniel@ctuir.org;
Rudy Salakory ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Cowlitz Tribe, rsalakory@cowlitz.org;
Heather Bartlett ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Cow Creek Tribe, heather.bartlett@cowcreek.com;
Tom Elliot ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Yakama Tribes, tnelliot@Yakama.com;
Matt Baerwalde ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Snoqualmie Tribe, Mattb@snoqualmietribe.us;
Tracie Nadeau ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), EPA, Nadeau.Tracie@epamail.epa.gov;