Source: STONE CHILD COLLEGE submitted to NRP
INTER-TRIBAL COLLEGE CONSORTIUM IN NE MONTANA: STRENGTHENING COLLABORATIONS ACROSS COMMUNITIES TO ADDRESS REGIONAL IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1031645
Grant No.
2024-38424-41468
Cumulative Award Amt.
$150,000.00
Proposal No.
2023-06925
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Dec 1, 2023
Project End Date
May 31, 2025
Grant Year
2024
Program Code
[ZY]- Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program
Recipient Organization
STONE CHILD COLLEGE
RR1, BOX 1082
BOX ELDER,MT 59521
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Climate change has long been recognized as an existential threat across low-resourced communities that often have little to no promising data to contribute to tribal, state, or federal policy decision-making that impacts the capacity of our planet to sustain life. Indigenous communities are recognized as particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, due to the disenfranchisement and marginalization, while simultaneously holding critical knowledge on how to mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss. Informing policy decisions is beneficial in combating climate change but is especially pertinent to present-day lands that Indigenous tribes now occupy in the United States. Of particular interest is opportunity to apply the well-established Traditional Ecological Knowledges (TEK) theoretical framework to promising research across Tribal Nations. TEK is recognized as land-informed, community-based and locally-sourced ways of knowing that are rooted in Indigenous interconnectedness with their environments and ecosystems. As part of this conference proposal, we will apply the TEK framework as we know our collective health and wellbeing are interdependent with the health and wellbeing of our buffalo, lands and other non-human relatives.This conference proposal seeks support for convening two in-person conferences consisting of Tribal College Science Departments, Buffalo Programs, outside researchers, and representatives from federal agencies who will directly support the expansion of ongoing successful collaborations across four tribal communities in North-Central Montana (Blackfeet Nation, Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation, Fort Belknap Indian Community, and Fort Peck Tribes). The goal of these convenings is to use a holistic approach to inform the development of novel and innovative research proposals that address regional climate change effects using the TEK theoretical framework. Both convenings will be critical to advancing implementation of the first Indigenous led Inter-Tribal Long-term Socio-Ecological Research Network (LTSERN) centered on building long-term resiliency of buffalo reintroduction programs on tribal lands. The goal is for the research network to be community-led, leading to the development of novel adaptive management practices that are informed by Indigenous values and knowledge systems.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
100%
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
90108501070100%
Knowledge Area
901 - Program and Project Design, and Statistics;

Subject Of Investigation
0850 - Wildlife habitats;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;
Goals / Objectives
Goal 1: Identify collaborators to co-develop a multi-site research proposal with distinct studies per community site.Objective 1: Develop and convene Community Advisory Board to review and approve study proposal(s).Objective 2: Convene large conference to bring together tribal colleges, Buffalo programs, and other supporting partners (e.g., Smithsonian Institution, Montana State University, Montana USDA Agricultural Research Service, etc.) to co-identify research ideas and collaborators.Goal 2: Submit a multi-site or multiple study proposals to the USDA NIFA Tribal College Research Grants Program.Objective 3: Convene smaller conference with identified collaborators and advance multi-site study proposal.
Project Methods
We will apply community-based particapatory research and community-driven approaches to co-develop the multi-site study proposal across community sites. The Community Advisory Board members are critical in this work as they will be tasked with proposal review and approval before submission.

Progress 12/01/23 to 05/31/25

Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audiences included the following five Tribal Nations in Montana: Blackfeet Nation, Rocky Boy Reservation, Fort Belknap Reservation, Fort Peck Reservation, and Flathead Reservation. Within these Tribal Nations, we invited Elders/Traditional Knowledge Holders, tribal college faculty and students, buffalo program staff, and fish and wildlife staff to attend our in-person conference. In addition, Montana-based ecologists and other scientific collaborators were invited and many attended the conferences. Changes/Problems:Goal 2 is currently in-progress.We have had two meetings with the Buffalo Nations Grassland Alliance (BNGA) and one meeting with the Salish Kootenai College (SKC) to partner on respective multi-site reserach grant submissions that leverages the community-identified study proposals identified as part of this work. Wehave shared with our partners the following two brief study proposals: 1) Bison Diet Study; 2) Community Food Sovereignty Buffalo Study. We intend to submit two large multi-site research grants in partnership with BNGA and SKC. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?An informational report entitled: "Inter-Tribal Grasslands Network (ITGN) 2024 Conference - Strategic Planning for Shared Research & Education" was developed and sent to all conference attendees and those interested in the conference but unable to attend. This Report consisted of Inter-Tribal Grassland Network research updates, conference goals, a conference summary, guest presenter presentation summaries, strategic planning to identify and rank study proposal ideas, next steps, and break-out group questions and summaries for study proposal ideas identified at the first conference. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?With our remaining funding, we have entered into contracts with community partners and the Buffalo Nations Grassland Alliance as a strategic partnership to ensure community engagement and approvals are in place and we have a timely submission for a multi-site reserach grant submission.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Obj 1. We established the Inter-Tribal Community Advisory Board (ITCAB) to represent the Blackfeet Nation, Rocky Boy Reservation, Fort Belknap Reservation, and Fort Peck Reservation. ITCAB members consist of Elders/Traditional Knowledge Holders, tribal college faculty and students, buffalo program staff, and fish and wildlife staff. We held four virtual ITCAB meetings to inform the second conference, discuss study proposals, and confirm support for two resulting research grant applications. Obj 2. Our first in-person conference occurred July 2024 in Polson, MT with 34 attendees. Attendees proposed eight study ideas. Obj 3. Our second in-person conference occurred November 2024 in Great Falls, MT with a total of 41 attendees. We ranked study proposals and selected two to apply for in 2025. We also have had two meetings with the Buffalo Nations Grassland Alliance and one meeting with the Salish Kootenai College to partner on respective multi-site reserach grant submissions that leverages the community-identified study proposals completed as part of this Obj. 3.

Publications


    Progress 12/01/23 to 11/30/24

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Our target audiences includes the following four Tribal Nations in Montana: Blackfeet Nation, Rocky Boy Reservation, Fort Belknap Reservation, and Fort Peck Reservation. Within these Tribal Nations, we invited Elders/Traditional Knowledge Holders, tribal college faculty and students, buffalo program staff, and fish and wildlife staff to attend our first in-person conference. Changes/Problems:1. We needed to switch the smaller conference to occur first and begin in May (after finals week) and move the larger conference to occur second and begin in fall. Rationale: First, our co-Project Director hosted a separate large virtual gathering in February that could be leveraged to share America the Beautiful Challenge-related project updates and recruit attendees for our in-person conferences. Second, we expected higher attendance in the fall. Third, Hosting a smaller conference in the summer will be more feasible and allow us to focus on identifying and developing research projects that will be shared with the larger group. 2. Extend the project timeline to December 31, 2024. Rationale: The timing of both the conferences are pushed back to later in the project year therefore require a more time to draft reports. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?All conference attendees received the following scientific presentations: 1) Long-term socio-ecological research overview and updates; Buffalo program management; Harvesting practices; Research and cultural integration in management practices; Language and history of the buffalo at Fort Belknap; Pte' Group role and community involvement in research; and, Bison Range restoration on the Flathead Reservation: challenges, lessons learned, policy and advocacy. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?All conference attendees received access to the meeting minutes, participant-reported study priorities and needs notes, conference agenda, and presentation slides. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Host the second in-person conference to identify community and scientific collaborators and rank the study proposals identified during the first conference. This will lead to accomplishing the second goal which is to submit multi-site research proposal.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? Obj 1. We established the Inter-Tribal Community Advisory Board (ITCAB) to represent the Blackfeet Nation, Rocky Boy Reservation, Fort Belknap Reservation, and Fort Peck Reservation. ITCAB members consist of Elders/Traditional Knowledge Holders, tribal college faculty and students, buffalo program staff, and fish and wildlife staff. We held four virtual ITCAB meetings to inform the second conference, discuss study proposals, and confirm support for two resulting research grant applications. Obj 2. Our first in-person conference occurred July 2024 in Polson, MT with 34 attendees. Attendees proposed eight study ideas.Obj 3. We are in the planning phase for this objective.

    Publications


      Progress 12/01/23 to 11/30/24

      Outputs
      Target Audience:Our target audiences included the following five Tribal Nations in Montana: Blackfeet Nation, Rocky Boy Reservation, Fort Belknap Reservation, Fort Peck Reservation, and Flathead Reservation. Within these Tribal Nations, we invited Elders/Traditional Knowledge Holders, tribal college faculty and students, buffalo program staff, and fish and wildlife staff to attend our in-person conference. In addition, Montana-based ecologists and other scientific collaborators were invited and many attended the conferences. Changes/Problems:Goal 2 is currently in-progress. We expect to achieve this Goal by Summer 2026. As part of our dissemination efforts, we asked conference attendees to complete an Inter-Tribal Grassland Network (ITGN) interest survey. This Survey asked participants how they would like to stay involved (e.g., virtual meetings, mailing list) with the ITGN, which of the top four ranked study proposal ideas they were interested in, and if they would support (e.g., connect with local experts, letters of support) the development of the research proposals. Thirteen participants from three Tribal Nations reported being interested in the study proposals. Of the four top ranked proposals, we have selected and drafted the two brief study proposals: 1) Bison Diet Study; 2) Community Food Sovereignty Buffalo Study. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?An informational report entitled: "Inter-Tribal Grasslands Network (ITGN) 2024 Conference - Strategic Planning for Shared Research & Education" was developed and sent to all conference attendees and those interested in the conference but unable to attend. This Report consisted of Inter-Tribal Grassland Network research updates, conference goals, a conference summary, guest presenter presentation summaries, strategic planning to identify and rank study proposal ideas, next steps, and break-out group questions and summaries for study proposal ideas identified at the first conference. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

      Impacts
      What was accomplished under these goals? Obj 1. We established the Inter-Tribal Community Advisory Board (ITCAB) to represent the Blackfeet Nation, Rocky Boy Reservation, Fort Belknap Reservation, and Fort Peck Reservation. ITCAB members consist of Elders/Traditional Knowledge Holders, tribal college faculty and students, buffalo program staff, and fish and wildlife staff. We held four virtual ITCAB meetings to inform the second conference, discuss study proposals, and confirm support for two resulting research grant applications. Obj 2. Our first in-person conference occurred July 2024 in Polson, MT with 34 attendees. Attendees proposed eight study ideas. Obj 3. Our second in-person conference occurred November 2024 in Great Falls, MT with a total of 41 attendees. We ranked study proposals and selected two to apply for in 2025.

      Publications