Wildlife Stewardship On Tribal Lands

This groundbreaking book brings together Native American and Indigenous scholars, wildlife managers, legal experts, and conservationists from dozens of tribes to share their wildlife stewardship philosophies, histories, principles, and practices. Tribes have jurisdiction over some of the healthiest wild areas in North America, collectively managing over 56 million acres of land. This is no accident: in addition to a deep reverence for the land and a strong history of environmental stewardship, Native peoples implement some of the best fish and wildlife preservation and management practices on the continent. Wildlife Stewardship on Tribal Lands is the first comprehensive resource dedicated to the voices and expertise of Native scholars and wildlife professionals. In its pages, nearly one hundred Native and non-native wildlife conservationists, managers, and their collaborators share lessons to guide wildlife professionals in how best to incorporate native methods and how to work effectively with tribal stakeholders. The authors cover topics that include: • Guidelines for conducting research on tribal lands • Traditional ecological knowledge-based management models • The cultural and ecological importance of key species • Legal battles for treaty rights, management authority, and funding • First foods and food sovereignty • Fisheries and migratory bird management • Tribal perspectives on the Endangered Species Act • A history of modern fish and wildlife management on tribal lands The content of this book is not limited to the invaluable reports of research findings, explications of methodologies, and case studies. Capturing oral histories and spiritual knowledge through interviews with tribal leaders and the work of Native artists and writers honors the holistic awareness of the land offered to readers of this unique volume. Ultimately, the contributors to Wildlife Stewardship on Tribal Lands demonstrate how tribal practices are pivotal guideposts for those seeking to protect and harness our natural resources in ways that can help reverse grievous biodiversity losses and ensure the health of our environment for future generations. Contributors: Scott Aikin, Steven Albert, John Antonio, Dale Becker, Bethany Berger, Kimberly Blaeser, Arthur Blazer, Michael Blumm, Michael Brydge, Ashley Carlisle, Frank Cerno Jr., Sally Carufel Williams, Guy Charlton, Samuel Chischilly, Bob Christensen, Gerald Cobell, Cody Desautel, Lauren Divine, Douglas W. Dompier, Ramona Emerson, Kari Eneas, James Fall, Julian J. Fischer, James R. Floyd, James Gensaw Sr., Michael I. Goldstein, Kim Gottschalk, Shaun Grassel, E. Richard Hart, Dylan R. Hedden-Nicely, Caleb Hickman, Serra J. Hoagland, Kraig Holmes, Nathan Jim, R. Roy Johnson, Jovon Jojola, Tamra Jones, Emily Sylvan Kim, Winona LaDuke, Stacy Leeds, Crystal Leonetti, Aaron P. Lestenkof, Chip Livingston, Lorraine Marquez Eiler, Eric Mellink, Paul I. Melovidov, Lara Mengak, Gary Paul Nabhan, Liliana Naves, Vern Northrup, nila northSun, Raymond E. Paddock III, Lizzy Pennock, Nicole Marie Pete, Aaron Poe, Georgiana Pongyesva, Ken Poynter, Mathis Quintana, Seafha Ramos, Janisse Ray, Vanessa L. Ray-Hodge, Amadeo Rea, Mitzi Reed, Marcie Rendon, Sarah F. Rinkevich, Bruce Robson, Andrea Rogers, Thomas C. Rothe, David E. Safine, Patty Schwalenberg, Kyle Secakuku, John Sewall, Todd Sformo, Richard T. Sherman, Ron Skates, Arthur M. Soukkala, Lawrence Stevens, Juliana Suzukawa, Julie Thorstenson, Gloria Tom, Christopher Tran, Craig van der Heiden, John Wheeler, Jessica Wiarda, Tiana Williams-Claussen.

"The editors have brought together a volume of papers and essays written by tribal fish and wildlife managers and researchers about the work they do. This book will help wildlife professionals and conservationists in private and public sectors draw lessons from the expertise of indigenous peoples in North America, and advise them on how best to incorporate long-established successful Native methods in their own practices"--

"The authors examine franchising systems that allow the public and private sectors to work together and consider ways governments and landowners can be good stewards of the public's wildlife using recreation, tax advantages, and cost shares as incentives. Although any enfranchisement system will have problems, the authors show that these problems can be overcome with cooperation and intelligent planning."--BOOK JACKET.

“The Earth says, God has placed me here. The Earth says that God tells me to take care of the Indians on this earth; the Earth says to the Indians that stop on the Earth, feed them right. . . . God says feed the Indians upon the earth.” —Cayuse Chief Young Chief, Walla Walla Council of 1855 America has always been Indian land. Historically and culturally, Native Americans have had a strong appreciation for the land and what it offers. After continually struggling to hold on to their land and losing millions of acres, Native Americans still have a strong and ongoing relationship to their homelands. The land holds spiritual value and offers a way of life through fishing, farming, and hunting. It remains essential—not only for subsistence but also for cultural continuity—that Native Americans regain rights to land they were promised. Beth Rose Middleton examines new and innovative ideas concerning Native land conservancies, providing advice on land trusts, collaborations, and conservation groups. Increasingly, tribes are working to protect their access to culturally important lands by collaborating with Native and non- Native conservation movements. By using private conservation partnerships to reacquire lost land, tribes can ensure the health and sustainability of vital natural resources. In particular, tribal governments are using conservation easements and land trusts to reclaim rights to lost acreage. Through the use of these and other private conservation tools, tribes are able to protect or in some cases buy back the land that was never sold but rather was taken from them. Trust in the Land sets into motion a new wave of ideas concerning land conservation. This informative book will appeal to Native and non-Native individuals and organizations interested in protecting the land as well as environmentalists and government agencies.

Scientists have been warning for years that human activity is heating up the planet and climate change is under way. We are only just beginning to acknowledge the serious effects this will have on all life on Earth. The federal government is crafting broad-scale strategies to protect wildland ecosystems from the worst effects of climate change. One of the greatest challenges is to get the latest science into the hands of resource managers entrusted with vulnerable wildland ecosystems. This book examines climate and land-use changes in montane environments, assesses the vulnerability of species and ecosystems to these changes, and provides resource managers with collaborative management approaches to mitigate expected impacts. Climate Change in Wildlands proposes a new kind of collaboration between scientists and managers--a science-derived framework and common-sense approaches for keeping parks and protected areas healthy on a rapidly changing planet.