Conserving Native American tribal lands through community led forestry management
Sitting above Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. Known as Kitchigami, meaning “great lake” by the Ojibwe people, it holds significant importance to the Native American communities who have lived in the region for millennia. In recent years however, these Tribal Nations have experienced rapid changes in their environment. Extreme climatic events and changes in seasonal weather patterns, driven by climate change, are threatening the livelihoods of these communities as well as the native species that they coexist with.
through sustainable forest management
by maintaining forest, habitats, and recreational opportunities
benefitting the local community
by maintaining forests and ensuring sustainable forest management
on average per year thanks to the project
and sustainably managed thanks to the project
Located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, of Lake Superior Chippewa, are aiming to tackle climate related issues in the state through an improved forest management project that covers 12,500 acres of tribal forestland. Developed as part of the Tribal Land Conservation Initiative, the project aims to ensure that the community can meet its environmental mission, which includes maintaining the pristine waters of Lake Superior, developing sustainable management practices and ensuring that the Tribe has a long-term land use plan.
Through a community-based approach to forest management the project effectively ensures that tribal land ownership is preserved and the natural resources of the region are protected. By sustainably managing forest that may otherwise be degraded from conventional logging practices, the project effectively minimizes human-induced greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change in the region. Support of the project additionally enables tribes to develop renewable energy projects and support community members through social programs.
