SDI Representatives Attend Oneida Food Sovereignty Summit

Sustainability Education Coordinator Kate Flick and SDI Food Sovereignty Intern Lloyd Frieson attended a Food Sovereignty Summit this April and came back with fresh with ideas to implement at the CMN greenhouse and garden areas. 

The Summit took place in Green Bay from April 15-18, 2013 and was a collaboration between the Oneida Nation, First Nations Development Institute, Intertribal Agriculture Council and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College.  It offered three focused tracks in Sustainable Agricultural Practices, Community Outreach and Development, and Business Management, Finance, and Marketing.  The summit featured different ways Nations across the country were engaging in food sovereignty projects and even provided food from several tribal agricultural operations including walleye, wild rice, salmon, and white corn.

Winona LaDuke, Executive Director of the White Earth Land Recovery Project, gave a keynote address that encouraged people to claim back their food system because it is intrinsically linked to cultural identity.  “Our knowledge system is who we are.  It’s been colonized.," said LaDuke, "We must recover our relationship to time…our sacred food allows us to be who we are.  The Creator did not instruct us to go to Walmart and shop.  Most of us have become people who shop…I don’t think we can say we’re sovereign unless we can feed ourselves”

LaDuke also linked our food systems to climate change and peak oil.  She noted that the food system is dependent on oil; as oil price goes up, food price goes up.  “We are shackling ourselves to a dangerous situation," said LaDuke, "-food insecurity.”

SDI representative Kate Flick presented on a panel about Engaging Native Youth in Agriculture and spoke to her efforts with the USDA POSOH project—designing place-based agriculture centered curriculum, working with college student interns, and engaging high school students in the Sustainability Leadership Cohort.  Several people were curious on the trend towards the technology needs, identities, and addictions of the high school generation with hands-on agricultural work. “Technology is never inherently good or bad," said Flick, " It’s a question of whether the technology can be used to engage critical thinking, rather than mindless use. A book can be mindless." With the video project, the high school students will work on in the cohort in which they implement a project and tell their story. "I am hoping that we can use technology as a tool to empower thought and action while also demonstrating a lifestyle that doesn't need to be “plugged-in” 100% of the time," said Flick.

After the summit, Lloyd reflected on the power of meeting with other people working on food sovereignty, “For me it was very informative and there was a lot of camaraderie with the other Nations.  It helps create a network while also learning about different [food] systems," said Frieson, "There was this guy from New Mexico and he had these big gardens, but they hardly get any water that way.  I’ll go next year just to catch up with some people and see what new projects are brewing.”

Many thanks to the Summit sponsors and organizers, as well as the Nations who provided food for the event from their agricultural operations.

Earth Day Takeaway from SDI Director Chris Caldwell

Posoh,

As some of you may know, Earth Day turned 43 years old on Monday[1]. Thanks to United States Senator Gaylord Nelson’s efforts back in 1970, we now recognize April 22^nd as a day that promotes environmental awareness and protection efforts across the earth. Originally planned as a teach-in opportunity for college campuses to focus on issues of the environment, the event has since grown to inspire the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [2], as well as global efforts like the United Nations General Assembly adoption of Resolution 63/278 to recognize April 22^nd, as International Mother Earth Day[3].

At The Sustainable Development Institute we participate in Earth Day activities because of the common ideals between Earth Day and the SDI mission to promote the values of sustainability. However, the primary inspiration for our mission comes not from Senator Nelson, as important as his contributions have been, but from the long history of the Menominee tribe and its protection of the land, and care for the resources and people. The Menominee Forest history is the example and impetus that is at the heart of what drives SDI and its mission. This year SDI participated in Earth Day activities by holding an Earth Day fair which discussed mining, water resources, climate change, and sustainability pledges, which culminated in a special presentation by Al Gedicks, author of Resource Rebels, who discussed past and current mining issues in Wisconsin. We were able to coordinate this event and especially Mr. Gedicks participation thanks to the CMN SEEDS student group[4].

I think the main message for Earth Day is wherever you draw your inspiration and desire for all things sustainable, it comes down to an individual choice to follow that with action. Whether its simple things like stopping and picking up a piece of garbage, recycling, signing a sustainable living pledge, or something long term like choosing to pursue an education, internships, or a career in an environmental field, or even totally changing the way you approach living in this world. It all takes a personal commitment to the values you choose to follow.

As the new Director of SDI I’ve found myself questioning[5] more and more, what does it really mean to be sustainable? Am I doing everything I can to make better choices not just for my children and grandchildren’s future, but for the future of our forest and our Nation? It can be tough to think about these things with our busy schedules, but it is necessary as individuals and communities if we intend to care for the land and resources we have been given.

Waewaenon,
Chris Caldwell
SDI Director

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[1] My original deadline for this blog was Monday. Please see my excuse at procrastination (sub-titled for my Spanish speaking friends).

[2] http://www.earthday.org/earth-day-history-movement

[3] http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/63/278

[4] AISES, another CMN student group had a table set up. I always have to give my props to AISES from my days with the UW-Madison AISES group.

[5] Well, not totally true, my wife and kids ask me as well. What does sustainability mean? I can’t lie and say it means sitting watching TV all day, Can I?

US Forest Service Research Scientists Visit CMN

On Thursday, April 18, College of Menominee Nation welcomed two US Forest Service Research Scientists. Dr. Anne Timm and Dr. Christel Kern presented information on their research projects. Both Dr. Timm and Dr. Kern work in the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station in Grand Rapids, MN.

Dr. Kern, a Research Forester, talked about ecosystem changes. As a Region 9 certified silviculturist, Dr. Kern presented her research data on northern hardwood silviculture and ground-layer plant ecology.

Dr. Timm, a Research Aquatic Ecologist, presented on her research and monitoring work with aquatic plants, aquatic insects, crayfish, fish, frogs, and more. She showed images of stream restoration projects and assessments of aquatic habitats, streams, assessments of fish passage at road/stream crossings, and talked about how stream restoration projects are prioritized. She noted that climate change may impact species in her research, specifically with trout diet and habitat in the upcoming years. 

Dr. Timm and Dr. Kern  also spent time at the College of Menominee Nation on Friday to discuss possible research, education, and student internship collaborations. College of Menominee Nation, the Sustainable Development Institute, and all the staff, students and faculty in attendance thank Dr. Timm and Dr. Kern for their fascinating presentations!

For more information on their visit, please contact Dr. Mike Dockry, USDA Forest Service Liaison to the College of Menominee Nation at (715) 799-6226 ext. 3222 or mdockry@fs.fed.us.

What happens at a "Small Log Conference" anyway?

This past month, Dean Fellman attended the Small Log Conference in Coeur d’Alene, ID as a representative of CMN/SDI through the Center for First Americans Forestlands. If you've ever wondered what a Small Log Conference is for or what happens at one, check out the post and pictures below:

Coeur d’Alene has a population of about 45,000 and is located 35 miles East of Spokane, WA. The small log conference is a biennial event dating back to 2005, and therefore on its fourth iteration. There has been a growing emphasis over the last 10 to 15 years to develop tools and technology to better utilize smaller diameter logs (round wood).  This is due to an increasing percentage of available timber that is “small”, or roughly under 10” in diameter.  On the western side of the U.S. this is due primarily to second and third cut timber, salvage operations due to forest fires and insect mortality (i.e., mountain pine beetle), and short lived species (such as lodgepole pine) that mature in about 70 years and depending on growing conditions, only reach 7-10” in diameter before biological decline (dying). Most of the species harvested in western states are softwoods (needle bearing trees). Mills out west are geared toward repetitive high volume, and thus many are not efficient in converting a wide range of log diameters.  Hence, some of the mills (and technology) has evolved to accommodate small diameter round wood – logs 6-8” in diameter.  Most of the lumber produced goes into stud (construction) lumber.  Other applications for using these logs include pulp and biomass, but transportation costs generally prohibit shipping the logs (or chips) long distances.  In the eastern U.S. the predominant species harvested are hardwoods (leaf bearing trees).  These mills generally are much lower in volume of output and break down a log to recover higher grades of lumber as well as maximize yield.  While they can accommodate smaller diameter logs, there is very little grade wood in logs under 10” and the process is inefficient (compared to larger logs).  The eastern U.S. and in particular the Lake States (Upper Midwest) have historically enjoyed a robust paper industry, which is the primary destination for most small diameter hardwood.  However, increasing harvest and transportation costs combined with a declining paper industry have raised awareness of the need to consider small diameter technology and biomass applications in the eastern U.S.  The industry must adapt to the resource available.

The Small Log Conference is organized by the Forest Business Network, which is essentially a promotional, advertising, and consulting group centered on the forest products industry and located in Missoula, MT.  The conference is heavily commercialized, and while academia and government were reasonably well-represented, the focus is on industry.  The context of the meeting was also geared primarily to the region of the U.S. known as the Pacific Northwest (PNW).  This region is divided by the Cascade Mountains, which separate the coastal forests next to the Pacific Ocean from the “inland” forests extending east of the Cascades.  While some tree species are present on both regions, they typically have dramatically different characteristics due to rainfall amounts and other environmental factors.  Lumber and trees are referred to as being either inland or coastal (i.e. inland Red Cedar).

The first day of the conference was a full day of tours in NE Washington.  These included a Western Cedar mill (Columbia Cedar), a wood pellet stove manufacturer (Hearth & Home Technologies), and a small diameter – high volume softwood lumber manufacturer (Vaagen Brothers).  What these tours emphasized was the trend by area manufacturers to identify core competencies and then specialize in those areas.  They each find their niche (what they do exceptionally well) and then use common principles such and lean manufacturing and computer optimization to maximize throughput and efficiency.  The result is what appeared to be industry clusters that complimented one another regionally, rather than directly competing against each other. Over 60 people attended the tours. The second and third days of the conference were essentially speaker/audience format with groups of between 2 and 4 speakers forming a “panel”.  These panels represented specific topics or themes such as Innovative Small Log Technology, Biomass/Biofuels/Bioenergy, Economic Development, etc.  There was also a rather large group of Chinese and Korean delegates that were invited to facilitate dialogue and networking related to overseas exporting.  Over 200 people attended the main conference.

While there was a lot of good information and positive energy involved in all aspects of the conference, there was also an underlying somber tone.  The PNW is a major area of timber production nationally, with Oregon claiming the title of highest timber producing State in the country for many years running.  This is also an area where the timber production and related economies were devastated by the “Spotted Owl” controversy some 20 years ago.  The recent collapse of the housing industry has taken a similar toll.  While climate change was not the directly covered in any of the panels, it was mentioned more than once as an area of concern.  However, with these challenges emerge new opportunities for those able and willing to innovate, adjust, and adapt.