History of the Coalition
“The Native Wild Rice Coalition will sustain, restore, and protect native wild rice communities in the Great Lakes Region and promote understanding of the cultural and natural values of wild rice”
History
A number of tribal and non-tribal partners have been working over the past four years to improve regional communication and cooperation related to wild rice restoration and management. The Great Lakes Regional Water Program in partnership with Ferris State University in Michigan, the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and other partners developed and delivered a Wild Rice Restoration and Preservation Conference in 2006. The conference shared information related to both the ecological and cultural aspects of wild rice and developed new multicultural partnerships interested in the ecocultural restoration of wild rice. As a follow-up to the conference, a regional wild rice strategic planning session was sponsored by the College of Menominee Nation and Great Lakes Regional Water Program in 2007. Participants at the session represented tribal and non-tribal land grant institutions, tribal communities, state and tribal agencies, non-government organizations, and others. It was during this session that the Native Wild Rice Coalition was created.
Regional Initiatives
The Coalition identified priority regional initiatives at the strategic planning session, including regional sharing and transferring of a wild rice camp experiential learning program developed by the Sah-Kah-Tay Indigenous Preservation Society in Minnesota .The Coalition has invested time, energy and resources in sharing and transferring the wild rice camp experiential learning program. In 2007, funding was secured to sponsor regional participation in the Minnesota wild rice camp and, thereby, transfer knowledge to other individuals and tribal communities across the region. In 2008, an inaugural rice camp was held in Lac Vieux Desert, and in 2009, rice camps were held in Michigan at Tubbs Lake and Lac Vieux Desert. The camp at Tubbs Lake represented the first camp in central Michigan in approximately two centuries.
Future Plans
History
A number of tribal and non-tribal partners have been working over the past four years to improve regional communication and cooperation related to wild rice restoration and management. The Great Lakes Regional Water Program in partnership with Ferris State University in Michigan, the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and other partners developed and delivered a Wild Rice Restoration and Preservation Conference in 2006. The conference shared information related to both the ecological and cultural aspects of wild rice and developed new multicultural partnerships interested in the ecocultural restoration of wild rice. As a follow-up to the conference, a regional wild rice strategic planning session was sponsored by the College of Menominee Nation and Great Lakes Regional Water Program in 2007. Participants at the session represented tribal and non-tribal land grant institutions, tribal communities, state and tribal agencies, non-government organizations, and others. It was during this session that the Native Wild Rice Coalition was created.
Regional Initiatives
The Coalition identified priority regional initiatives at the strategic planning session, including regional sharing and transferring of a wild rice camp experiential learning program developed by the Sah-Kah-Tay Indigenous Preservation Society in Minnesota .The Coalition has invested time, energy and resources in sharing and transferring the wild rice camp experiential learning program. In 2007, funding was secured to sponsor regional participation in the Minnesota wild rice camp and, thereby, transfer knowledge to other individuals and tribal communities across the region. In 2008, an inaugural rice camp was held in Lac Vieux Desert, and in 2009, rice camps were held in Michigan at Tubbs Lake and Lac Vieux Desert. The camp at Tubbs Lake represented the first camp in central Michigan in approximately two centuries.
Future Plans
- Continuation and potential expansion of the successful wild rice camp programming.
- Development and support of statewide and regional wild rice management plans and restoration efforts, with special emphasis on the remaining wild rice in Lower Michigan.
- Development and implementation of outreach and training programs related to small-scale wild rice harvesting and processing.
- Creation of educational resources.
- Further development of the Native Wild Rice Coalition