Progress 08/01/09 to 07/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: The target audience for this project was Leech Lake Tribal College Students and Leech Lake Band members. Goals of this project were to engage and excite LLTC students about scientific inquiry and natural resource issues. These kinds of activities are also beneficial to LLTC recruitment efforts in the community. The LLTC student population is predominantly Native American. Many of our students are socially, economically and educationally disadvantaged. The mission of the LLTC is to provide this population with an education that is based in Anishinaabe culture and is relevant to their circumstances. These kinds of projects can help bridge the gap between western science and traditional knowledge and history. Changes/Problems: After the commencement of this project, we began to hear concerns from Leech Lake Department of Resource Management personnel as well as community members about the appropriateness of LLTC conducting research on mahnoomin (wild rice). We understood that the cultural, spiritual and economic importance of Manoomin to the Anishinabeg people cannot be overstated. It holds a central position in the lives and rich history of the Ojibwe people. Wild Rice is more than just another grain to the ojibwe. It is a resource of indescribable importance and is an inherent part of being ojibwe. At that time, we knew that is was important that none of our activities were seen by the community as disrespectful or destructive. There has been extensive research conducted on wild rice by a major university. Many community members and the Ojibwe Bands in Minnesota believe that this research threatens the integrity and even the existence of natural stands of wild rice. LLTC was, of course, interested in preserving and building relationships with the community and the Leech Lake Band. With respect to these concerns, we agreed to move this project away from manoomin and focus on aquatic chemistry and aquatic biology activities. Efforts to re-gram this project were further complicated by changes in leadership at the LLTC tribal council and the LLDRM. We worked closely with LLDRM staff throughout the re-programming process. They were comfortable with the new project goals and activities. We were also able to maintain the LLDRM as a partner in the new design of the project. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Students collected and analyzed water samples for water quality parameters. Students were trained in field data and sample collection. Throughout the spring and summer of 2013, students collected water samples and performed laboratory analysis for a variety of parameters. LLTC faculty received mentoring in lake study design, and laboratory methodology from NRRI. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Student research and STEM natural resource internship activities are reported in LLTC newsletters. These are circulated to communities and LLTC supporters. Our relationship with the LLDRM also serves to extend awareness of the activities of LLTC students and faculty. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In the original proposal for this project, our 1862 partner was the Natural Resource Research Institute in Duluth, MN which is division of the University of Minnesota at Duluth. Their role in the original proposal was to primarily provide laboratory analysis of water samples collected by LLTC students and faculty during this project. They were also to provide technical assistance and consultation in the design of the original project including sampling strategy and analytical parameters to target. They were also to provide quality assurance consultation with the data. We also had a tribal partner. The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Department of Resource Management (LLDRM) was to train LLTC students in field activities including sample collection and field data collection. After the commencement of this project, we began to hear concerns from Leech Lake Department of Resource Management personnel as well as community members about the appropriateness of LLTC conducting research on mahnoomin (wild rice). At that time, we made efforts to redesign the project to focus only on water quality and to not include any work with mahnoomin. In 2012 we requested to re-program the project because of LLDRM and community concerns over wild rice. Our goals were: Student-lead research endeavors that will be incorporated into the course curriculum; LLTC laboratory capability will be enhanced by conducting split sample analysis and consultation with the 1862 partner UMN-NRRI;Through cooperation with the LLDRM students will gain an enhanced understanding of Tribal environmental issues; Guest lectures involving NRRI and Leech Lake Band Personnel. These may be classroom setting or in the field. Topics will include related ecological, environmental, aquatic and Tribal and/or treaty themes; A tour of the NRRI lab facilities. Under this re-programming of the project, the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) of the University of Duluth, MN (1862 partner), was to provide the laboratory sample analysis for water chemistry parameters including: Total phosphorus, nitrate, nitrite, chlorophyll, solids, ammonia, total nitrogen, color and sulfate.. Additionally, NRRI was to consult on laboratory and field methodology and host LLTC student visits and tours of their laboratory facility. The LLDRM also continued as a partner on the new project. Their role was to provide training to LLTC student researchers in field and sampling techniques and also present to LLTC students relevant information on LL Band environmental concerns and policies in classroom and STEM club settings. At the start of this project, LLTC faculty along with students began performing the activities outlined in the original proposal. Considerable time was spent strategizing access points and sampling strategies for the 8, difficult to access, lakes. We did field data collection and water chemistry sample collection at these lakes and also worked on aquatic plant community characterization and wild rice density determination. Some water chemistry analysis was performed in our small chemistry laboratory on the LLTC campus. These activities were interrupted when we received a request from the LLDRM that we discontinue any work related to wild rice. In 2012 the project was re-programmed to limit the field and laboratory work to water chemistry with no further activities with wild rice. We believed that these new activities would benefit the development of our students and provide culturally relevant and scientifically worthy hands on experiences for our students. The NRRI, our 1862 partner, provided technical assistance and consultation in this reprogramming effort. In addition to phone and email communication, key NRRI staff and the NRRI director visited our campus several times. They assisted with and provided information on lake study design, sampling strategies, identifying analytical parameters of interest, laboratory analysis, quality control of data and ideas for engaging our students in these activities. In the fall of 2012 NRRI hosted LLTC faculty and 6 of our students at their facility in Duluth, MN. This included a tour and presentation on their current research activities. With this re-programming of the project, our goal was to increase LLTCs capabilities in lake study design, field data collection, and laboratory analysis and to learn best practices for engaging our students in these activities. We developed a sampling strategy for a chain of lakes very near our campus. Throughout the summer of 2013 LLTC faculty and students collected field data and water samples at these local lakes. We split samples with the NRRI laboratory in an effort to build our capability in performing these analyses. With this grant we acquired various equipment and supplies to help meet these goals. Laboratory equipment acquired included: Centrifuge, microscopes, glassware, filtering apparatus, and standards and quality control samples. These items allowed us to increase our ability to perform laboratory analysis for chlorophyll, nitrate, nitrite, total phosphorus, solids, ammonia, total nitrogen, color and sulfate. Field equipment acquired included: pH meters, water samplers, cameras, waders, GPS units and field books. We also acquired a license for ARC/GIS software. This software was used in an ARC/GIS course offered on our campus in the spring of 2013. It will continue to be used for student coursework and individual projects in our STEM degree programs. Laptops, flash drives and calculators were acquired for student use. During the spring and summer of 2013 NRRI staff visited our campus several times. They provided training and information on water sampling techniques and laboratory analysis. They offered assistance and advice with the equipment we had available to us in our laboratory. They also helped identify what additional equipment and supplies would be needed in our laboratory. LLTC faculty and staff also visited the NRRI laboratory twice in the summer of 2013. We brought split samples for NRRI to analyze. In the NRRI laboratory we were able to see the specific equipment they used and were able to follow along as analysis was performed in their laboratory. Throughout the summer of 2013 we performed many of these same analyses in our laboratory using methodology adapted from NRRI. We are still developing methodology for total nitrogen and sulfate. The LLDRM provided speakers in classrooms and LLTC STEM club events. They spoke on current natural resource protection issues and events on the Leech Lake Reservation. LDRM also provided training to our students on water and biological sample collection. Our students accompanied LLDRM staff on some of their field and sample collection efforts. Additionally, one LLTC student spent three weeks during the summer of 2013 working with the LLDRM. He participated in sample and data collection. In April of 2013 we organized a 2 day water symposium on our campus. Knowledgeable speakers were brought in to present on water and other tribal natural resource issues from a tribal perspective. This event was attended by LLTC students, faculty and community members. As a result of this project, we were able to increase our capabilities in lake study design, field data collection, and laboratory analysis and to learn best practices for engaging our students in these activities. We now have the equipment and ability for field data and sample collection and the ability to perform a variety of laboratory analyses in our laboratory. NRRI was extremely helpful in this regard. They provided excellent information and advice that was tailored to our specific circumstances. We will continue to incorporate these advances into future student lead research and classroom activities.
Publications
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