SUSTAINABILITY LEADERSHIP COHORT RETURNS FROM FLOOD AND FIRE ECOLOGY TRIP TO COLORADO

2014 SLC Cohort

A group of high school students, college interns, and Sustainable Development Institute staff traveled to Colorado to learn about water and fire issues, climate change’s impacts on the ecology of the region, and what sustainability means in different places as part of the USDA POSOH project. While camping out in the mountains for 5 days, the group received an eye-opening overview of the landscape through tours and hiking, while also working on service-learning projects in areas recently impacted by major floods and fires.

Before going out to rough it in the mountains, the program began at The Alliance Center in Denver, CO, the hub for sustainability in Colorado, to hear from local sustainability experts and learn more about increased fire load and intensity as well as drought and flood issues facing Colorado.

Kristin Maharg, Program Manager, for the Colorado Foundation for Water Education called Colorado the land of extremes and described some of the challenges and opportunities with the scarce resource in the west–water. “Colorado, being at the headwaters of many major watersheds in the west, is a water steward for many states out here, as well as Mexico.  We are trying to move from a capitalistic view of water to a more collaborative perspective.” Many were shocked to learn that water was treated like private property in Colorado, which became later fuel for many a campfire discussion.

SLC Crew hike to their camping spot

The view from the SLC Campsite

The SLC then packed up and headed to the mountains just west of Denver to camp out for the next 4 nights and 5 days (where they didn’t have cellphone service…ahhhh!!!). They got used to the higher elevation and also learned camping skills, fire ecology, and wildfire management. They traveled around the landscape to learn first hand about fire and water issues in the area which are exacerbated by climate change, particularly the devastating floods that impacted Colorado in September 2013. As the group drove around, they could see the connection between the charred landscape and bigger floods, as there wasn’t vegetation to slow down more intense rainfalls.

 SLC Students and Mentors work together to set up camp

The camp battles it out in a game of "Ninja!"

Students and Mentors enjoy their time around the campfire

They were also able to connect to community-based learning as they helped complete much-needed flood restoration projects. For example, at Calwood Education Center, the group worked as a team to rebuild some stairs, which were destroyed by the flood. The trail had been closed since the flood but thanks to the work of the SLC, could now be reopened. Calwood Education Center was grateful since the trail ran down to a former mica mine that many 5th graders use to learn about geology.

SLC Students work to install stairs on Colorado Mountainside

The SLC Crew sit on their completed stairwell

(Foreground from Left: Standing - Justin "Jud" Gauthier,

Lorenzo Warrington, and Mylia Olson. Sitting - Susan Webster, Manih Boyd,

Santana Caldwell, Chelsey Haberl, Cherie Thunder, Angie Wilber)

(Background from Left: Standing - Rebecca Edler. Sitting - McKaylee Duquain, Jacob Schwitzer,

Brandon Warrington, Jason Edler, Travis Spice, Nicholas Schwitzer, and Kate Flick.)

The crew wrapped up their time in the mountains and stopped in Boulder, CO to meet SDI Climate Science Center partners from Rising Voices.  They spoke with climate change scientist Dr. Jeffery Morisette about including indigenous perspectives in climate change science as well as career opportunities in these fields.

Many thanks to the Cottonwood Institute for helping to organize such a great learning experience!

The Cohort enjoying some downtime in Boulder, CO.

SDI Intern McKaylee Duquian gets caught up investigating

the ash from part of the burnt environment

SLC Students looking at the bark of a pine

The Cohort explores the area around their campgrounds

The sight our explorers found

SLC Members pose like Rosie the Riveter after doing 

hard work volunteering to help clean up in the Lyons Community post-flood.

SLC Crew striking a pose at a river during the beginning of their Colorado Trip

SUSTAINABILITY LEADERSHIP COHORT HOSTS YOUTH SPEAK EVENT

The USDA P.O.S.O.H. Project recently sponsored the Oskēh-Mamāceqtāwak Kēketōwak: Youth Speak Event hosted by the College of Menominee Nation’s High School Sustainability Leadership Cohort (SLC) to showcase different opportunities for area youth and provide a platform for young people to have their voices heard. On Friday, Dec 6, 2013, about 100 people gathered to celebrate these youth voices, which took various shapes and forms.

Menominee High School Singers

Menominee Prayer by Forrest Madosh Jr.

Dr. Patty Loew, a UW-Madison professor who hails from Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and focuses outreach efforts on Native youth and digital story-telling, introduced the video/action research panel. She emphasized the importance of youth being at the heart of the storytelling process and the power they had in speaking to many sustainability issues we face. She facilitated a group of Bad River youth in creating the appropriately named film, "Protect Our Future". It spoke to the environmental and cultural threats from the proposed taconite mine in the Penokee Hills near Bad River’s Reservation in Northern Wisconsin.

A packed house in CMN's Cultural Learning Center

watches the student's video presentations

“Your parents and grandparents may remember fighting mining issues with the Crandon Mine…Now we are facing another threat.” Dr. Loew said, noting the intergenerational commonality of the mining issue for tribes in Wisconsin. After viewing the student video, Mr. John Teller, Assistant Dean of Continuing Education and Menominee Language Liaison at the College of Menominee Nation commented, “That [Protect Our Future] video should be shown everywhere.It should get out far and wide. They showed some clips of other taconite mines in Minnesota, and it’s just ugly.”

Head of the Sustainability Leadership Cohort, Kate Flick,

introduces the 2013 Cohort for a Q&A Session

SLC Student Jacob Schwitzer fields a question from the audience.

The SLC high school students from Menominee Indian and Shawano High schools also introduced and showed their action research projects. Dylan Enno, Jaime Oshkeshquoam, Chelsey Haberl, and Susan Webster filmed, produced, and edited a film about obstacles to Menominee athletes reaching their full athletic potential called "Work Hard Play Hard". Brandon Reiter, Mylia Olson, and Jade Oneil constructed some garden beds over the summer and showed pictures of their project (as well as serving tea from the dried plant leaves). Jacob Schwitzer, Nicholas Schwitzer, and Ania Smith created a film "Nama’o: The Ancient Story Teller" on the sturgeons’ relationship to the Menominee people in the past, present, and future.

SLC Student Dylan Enno humorously answers a question

The SLC fielded a variety of questions from the audience on their projects: what’s next, what were your greatest challenges and accomplishments, will you create more films, where are you sharing the films, etc? Though the group had bumps along the way, it was clear they had formed a unique bond and appreciated the rewards of project-based learning. Dylan Enno summed it up when he said, “We had our share of challenges…but in the end, we are like family.”

Members of the 2013 Sustainability Leadership Cohort and their Mentors

(From Left: SLC Students Dylan Enno, Jacob Schwitzer, Nicholas Schwitzer,

Jaime Oshkeshequoam, Mylia Olson, Chelsey Haberl, Brandon Reiter, Susan Webster,

SLC Leader Kate Flick, SLC Mentors Cherie Thunder, Connie Rasmussen, and Lloyd "Boobie" Frieson)

Ecological Data Collecting: "There is valuable information..."

Three interns with the College of Menominee Nation Sustainable Development Institute are working on a project called "Measuring the Pulse (MTP)." In this post, Brennan Waupoose, MTP Ecological Data Collector, describes his experience and work below.

"Following the Summer Institute, the Ecological Data Collectors went to the Wabikon Lake plot located within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest near Laona, WI. We spent two days learning Condit’s protocol used by the Smithsonian Institute to create an inventory of tree species and size. This protocol is very advanced compared to the “fixed-radius” method sometimes used by Menominee Tribal Enterprises. Every 20-meter subplot has PVC pipes at every 5 meters (25 total) for a “roping” method to create a layout for mapping the trees.

After learning Condit’s protocol, we then returned to our site at College of Menominee Nation where we installed a one-hectare plot, which measures 100 meters by 100 meters, nearly 2.5 acres. This site will be used as a Training plot in the near future for CMN’s Natural Resource program and also serve as a control for scientific research of the Menominee forest. The plot has been divided into 25-20 meter square subplots known as quadrants or “quads”. The quads are used to map and create a census of the forest plot documenting all living trees greater than 2.5 cm. The process includes mapping, sequentially tagging, measuring diameter at breast height (DBH), identifying tree species, and recording each tree on data sheets in a consistent manner to ensure data integrity. Without consistency a re-census of the plot will have flaws between the original data and the re-census.

This has been a great learning experience so far.  Considering the amount of detail used in the protocol, there is valuable information that can be produced within this site and I see myself using this site to continue my tree-ring research."

Post written by Brennan Waupoose

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.

POSOH Field Test Retreat: A Collaborative Place-Based Curriculum Process

Team members test curriculum lessons and provide feedback

Teachers, community members, cultural experts, undergrad and graduate students and other school practitioners from the Northeastern WI area gathered in Madison, WI last week to test curriculum lessons for POSOH, a Menominee place-based education project.  Kate Flick, SDI Education Coordinator, participated in testing lessons on the 8^th grade unit which focuses on the two following questions: “How does our place provide us with food?” and “In what ways do our food practices affect our place?” The process integrates scientific and tribal cultural practices into relevant learning material for local middle school students.

Students discover food from a place-based scientific viewpoint

Students begin to understand scientific concepts about how matter moves through earth systems, where it is neither created nor destroyed, but changed into different forms.  Linda Orie, former Menominee Indian Tribal School middle school teacher and current UW-Madison education and psychology graduate student, noted that the unit is very cylindrical. “[It is] reiterating cycles,” she noted, “Students learn about the carbon cycle, indigenous view of cycles, and the food cycle.”

Food serves as the centerpiece of the students’ intellectual journey. Students trace the basic transformation of food from digestion, to the plant life cycle, to different agricultural systems. First, students discover how the digestive process prepares food to serve as the building blocks of their bodies. In order to tell the story of a particular food, students learn the plant life cycle and how plants grow in different environments. They compare a continuum of agriculture practices commonly used in their area from traditional wild-rice harvesting, 3-sisters gardening practices, hunting, and berry gathering, to other corporate Food Inc. style production and high-tech family-owned dairy methane energy production farms.

Through curriculum pieces, students transform their idea of food from something purchased at the store to a much more in-depth understanding of sustainability values and land-use decisions. In the end, students will be able to assess and measure various sustainability indicators and understand the trade-offs of each system. Students also learn how the values and practices of agriculture systems impact their diet and sense of place. In the end, students should be able to “locate” and define their own value system and apply land-use decisions to a hypothetical land tract by using an integrated socio-cultural and scientific lens.

Food is all about science and biology 

Paula Fernandez, cultural resource specialist at Menominee Indian School District, touched on the integration between an indigenous world view and a scientific world view. “In all indigenous cultures, everything is a circle and we go through this life in a circle…connecting with other cycles, said Fernandez, "Even the fact that we come from the earth is central.” In this case, the food we eat, which comes from the earth, becomes a way for students to track this cycling in a scientific viewpoint.

Participants integrate Native words into lessons

The feedback process was demanding but rewarding.  After a particularly challenging exchange about what sustainability indicators to use and how to assess them, Hedi Baxter Lauffer, UW-Madison project head of POSOH, brought everyone together. “Having this process, where we actually get to step back and talk to each other about what we want students to learn is a gift,” said Lauffer, “Sometimes having a discussion about the hard stuff is painful, but then it really is a collaborative process when you stick with it.”

UW-Madison project head of POSOH Hedi Baxter Lauffer

Last summer, the group participated in a rigorous design process where they were asked ”What should area 8^th graders take away from a place-based unit focused on food, sustainability, values, and land use practices?” Since then, the UW-Madison curriculum development team transformed the content into practical ideas, lessons, and activities which follow the new State and National Common Core educational standards. The 8^th grade unit will continue to undergo development and will be field tested later this year. If you have any questions, please contact field test participant and College of Menominee Nation Sustainable Development Institute Education Coordinator Kate Flick.

A birds eye view of the field test retreat 

SDI Puts on Middle School Night Hike and Lock-in Activity

On February 8, twenty-four Menominee Indian Middle School students participated in an overnight lock-in at the College of Menominee Nation Keshena campus. Students explored astronomy through hands-on night activities and participated in scientific, sustainable, and cultural programming.  “Nothing like this had been done on the CMN campus before, but we knew it could be done,” said Kate Flick, event organizer and SDI Education Coordinator, “It turned out great! Primarily it was to have fun, but it’s always nice when you can do fun events and teach and learn at the same time.”

Paula Fernandez, Cultural Resource Specialist for Menominee Indian School District, guided students in stories and emphasized that the group respect the night-time. Paula shared that Menominee people traditionally do not go out at night; this is the time for the sprits. Students were particularly respectful while they looked at the stars and participated in night time activities.

Students hiked on the CMN walking trail and gathered in a clearing where they identified the seven sisters/seven brothers and told the story of how those stars came to be. The stars were exceptionally visible and it was especially dark –a new moon cycle was about to begin. Students were able to match start color to their temperature and “temperament.” (As Kate described it, “The bright blue-ish/white stars are the ones burning hot and fast like hyperactive youngsters.  Yellow are a little mellower, not as hot and burn a little slower, like middle-aged people—and red stars are low temperature and burn slowly, like grandparents.  It's kind of like fire.“)

Later, around a fire, students and staff told stories. “They are very impressive story tellers!” said Kate. Musician Wade Fernandez provided the group with a performance where he played the flute in the wintry night air. Students told more stories and made s’mores before heading inside. Students slept in the CMN Commons Building where they watched movies, played pool, and got a little sleep.  

Participants woke up to a magical snowy morning where snowflakes hung on tree branches like crystals. Participants went for a morning walk—which turned into outdoor games a snowball fight! The students had a great time and the event was a big hit. Programming supplemented student’s in-class learning where they are currently learning about astronomy, stars, and the universe. SDI sends a huge thank you to all the chaperons who helped during the event.

Project Aims at Reducing Plastic Waste on Campus

Article provided from the College of Menominee Nation website. 

Larger view

A team of 24 students from the College of Menominee Nation have accomplished an ongoing demonstration project designed to reduce the waste of plastic water bottles.

With funds from a two-month fundraising campaign during fall semester, the team has purchased two retro-fitted water fountains for the College. The units enable re-use of water bottles and encourage conservation by keeping a running tabulation for users of how many disposable plastic bottles have been “saved” from landfills.

The project was funded with money raised by the students and a match gift from the College’s Scott Zager Venture Fund.

Students in the Sustainable Development class of Professor William Van Lopik said the project is intended to draw attention to a major landfill problem. With people in the U.S. buying more than 28 billion plastic bottles a year, reducing the amount of plastic bottles being purchased and recycling existing plastic bottles are both important issues.

The project team notes that their College is especially active in encouraging students and the community “to live with the land rather than pollute or destroy their surroundings.” With re-filling stations now located in Fowler Library and Shirley Daly Hall (2nd Floor), students, staff and visitors have one more option for doing their part toward waste reduction.

Mani Boyd served as project leader and other team members were Stephanie Bugler, Teanna Davis, Ravena Fowler, Oren Hill-Sackatook, Barbara Johnson, Brenda Miller, Chase Quinney, Carol Red Kettle, Beth Schultz, Barbara Warrington, Susan M. Waukau, Chad Courtney, Cierra Dickenson, Delores Grignon, Gwendolyn Hawpetoss, Laundi Keepseagle, Tara Kirchner, Franny Kitson- Denny, Kayle Klitz, Greta Nelson, Monea Warrington, Jenna Waupoose, and Joshua Waupoose.

The Scott Zager Venture Fund was established at the College in 2008 in memory of Zager, a Brown University student from Illinois who was a grandnephew of the late Father David Kiefer of St. Anthony Parish on the Menominee Reservation. Zager’s parents, David and Gina Zager, and his maternal grandmother, Kathryn Peot, created the fund to help support innovative student projects at the College. Including two projects conducted this fall, the fund has assisted 46 students working independently or in teams on activities ranging from the establishment of an on-campus coffee shop to doing research at a biological field station in Costa Rica.

Sustainability Event at Ashwaubenon High School

Sustainability Event Planner Intern Laundi Keepseagle and Sustainability Education Coordinator Kate Flick recently visited Ashwaubenon High School to give a lesson on sustainability to two Forestry and Natural Resources Classes.  High school students worked collaboratively to make and present posters on their vision of sustainability which included concepts like 7 generations, linear vs. holistic thought, interconnection, and the interdisciplinary nature of sustainability. See photos below!

Tsachila Indian Nation of Ecuador Cultural Exchange Visit

On Tuesday, October 23^rd 2012, College of Menominee Nation welcomed guests from the Tsachila Indian Nation of Ecuador. It was their first visit to the United States. College of Menominee Nation, CMN Sustainable Development Institute, and Menominee Tribal legislature representatives were excited and honored to welcome them to Menominee soil. “We are always interested in learning from other Tribes. It helps us understand our responsibility with other Indigenous Peoples,” said Dr. Verna Fowler during a welcome address, “It also helps us understand how lucky we are to live in the United States.”

Tsachila representatives Henrry and Diana Calazacon gave a presentation and shared their story. They were accompanied by UW Marathon County Host and Interpreter Dr. Ronald Lippi.

The Tsachila live on seven small reservations in Ecuador. The people are known for their medicines and diverse knowledge of rain-forest plant use. In addition, Tsachilas are fine musicians as well. “The music helps us harmonize with nature,” said Henrry Calazacon.  And although the Tsachila honor both a sun god and waterfall goddess, Henrry tells that their real god is nature itself.

Today, the Tsachila are faced with many challenges including deforestation and even relocation due to the discovery of oil under Tsachila reservation lands. Urban sprawl from nearby cities, primarily Santo Domingo, threatens land use development and accelerates pollution.

Legally owned Tsachila forests have been and continue to be taken over by loggers, ranchers, and issues are ignored by the Ecuadorian government. “When it came to standing up to firearms, it really wasn't much of a match,” said Henrry, “Traditionally, we have our own resources and food with fishing and harvesting, but now it’s becoming polluted. We have a very healthy diet when we can get our own food, but don’t know how much longer it will last.”

Though there have been lawsuits filed in efforts to keep rivers clean, Henrry notes that the big powerful influences disregard the Tsachila and have the following mentality: ‘They are a small minority, so who cares.’ Recently, developers found petroleum under one of the seven reservations. Henrry noted that although the people were initially happy to have this source of revenue, the Tribe was soon devastated when government officials began to re-claim the land for themselves and tell the Tsachila they must move. This is just one of the unjust issues the Tsachila people are facing today.

Like many First Nations, the Tsachila face the danger of losing cultural knowledge and traditional ways - for example, how to traditionally make Tsachila cotton skirts. As the great grandson of the one of the last great Tsachila chiefs, Henrry more than ever sees the importance of preserving this knowledge. “Many elder leaders are dying off, so we are now realizing the importance of teaching children the Tsachila culture,” said Henrry, “We are reaching out to others to learn and reach out to them.”

The Tsachila value and compliment the natural environment they live in. The people now face losing this valuable relationship with the forest and the medicinal plants within it. “We are very concerned about the loss of our plants,” said Henrry. To preserve the plants and the traditional knowledge behind them, the Tsachila want experts to visit and teach them how to preserve this knowledge and save their rapidly dwindling forests.  “In regard to scientific research, we welcome friends with open arms to share and learn from them as well,” said Henrry.

Today, the Tsachila face these issues by encouraging higher education; in the past, Tsachila people, particularly women, were not encouraged to go to school for fear of cultural loss. Tsafiki, their spoken language, is taught in reservation grade schools, but students must then attend public schools for middle, high school, and college. Diana Calazacon is a modern example of strong Tribal female leadership and is working toward a college degree. “I am studying law and am aspiring to be a lawyer; I want to help my tribe with legal issues,” said Diana.

After their presentation, Henrry and Diana fielded questions and met with Menominee Tribal Leaders Craig Corn, Gary Besaw, and Myrna Warrington. Craig Corn, Menominee Tribal Chairman, explained how Menominee government is run, especially in relation to legislation, election, and Tribal Sovereignty. CMN SDI wishes to thank our visitors for sharing their story with us.