Source: UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING submitted to NRP
WIND RIVER FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE EXTENSION PROGRAM
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
3D GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1029133
Grant No.
2022-41580-37964
Cumulative Award Amt.
$295,985.00
Proposal No.
2022-03187
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2022
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2025
Grant Year
2024
Program Code
[LP]- EIRP Indian Reservation Program
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
1000 E UNIVERSITY AVE DEPARTMENT 3434
LARAMIE,WY 82071-2000
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Agricultural producers on the Wind River Reservation are faced with many challenges that hinder their ability to engage in environmentally and economically sustainable agricultural production, despite abundant natural resources availability. The primary goal of the Wind River Extension Program (WREP) is to empower tribal members to effectively address issues that they have identified as suppressing their ability to lead successful, productive lives on reservation lands. The WREP will attain this goal by providing facilitative and educational programs to a wide variety of tribal members, with a particular focus on agricultural producers, in order to help organize and enhance their efforts. A secondary goal is to empower youth to develop positive life skills through a variety of means, in particular through agriculturally related educational programs. Specific objectives: improve agricultural operations through the continued facilitation of producer association meetings and the promotion of value-added/marketing activities at educational seminars; progress communication of tribal producers with outside agencies by providing networking opportunities; improve agricultural diversification by developing educational programs andresearch trials related to increasing agricultural productivity and sustainability; increasing knowledge of gardening techniques, boost farmer incomes, improve nutrition, and encourage local food consumption through a series of gardening workshops and farmers market promotion; support positive youth development at reservation schools through 4-H afterschool and club programming. With the guidance of tribal members the program plans to build upon long-standing and well established relationships, thereby continuing to develop a shared vision to effectively address natural resource issues on the Wind River Reservation.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
12116991070100%
Knowledge Area
121 - Management of Range Resources;

Subject Of Investigation
1699 - Pasture and forage crops, general/other;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;
Goals / Objectives
Agricultural producers on the Wind River Reservation are faced with many challenges that hinder their ability to engage in environmentally and economically sustainable agricultural production, despite abundant natural resources availability. The primary goal of the Wind River Extension Program (WREP) is to empower tribal members to effectively address issues that they have identified as suppressing their ability to lead successful, productive lives on reservation lands. The WREP will attain this goal by providing facilitative and educational programs to a wide variety of tribal members, with a particular focus on agricultural producers, to help organize and enhance their efforts. A secondary goal is to empower youth to develop positive life skills through a variety of means, in particular through agriculturally related educational programs. Specific objectives: improve agricultural operations through the continued facilitation of producer association meetings and the promotion of value-added/marketing activities at educational seminars; progress communication of tribal producers with outside agencies by providing networking opportunities; improve agricultural diversification by developing educational programs andresearch trials related to increasing agricultural productivity and sustainability; increasing knowledge of gardening techniques, boosting farmer incomes, improving nutrition, encouraging local food consumption through gardening workshops and farmers' market promotion; supporting positive youth development at reservation schools through 4-H afterschool and club programming. With the guidance of tribal members, the program plans to build upon long-standing and well-established relationships, thereby continuing to develop a shared vision to effectively address natural resource issues on the Wind River Reservation.
Project Methods
Methods: formal classroom instruction, practical hands-on experiences, workshops and extension and outreach will happen in various forms as listed in the products.Evaluations will be conducted in several formats including written, verbal, and electronic. In some cases, evaluations will be completed directly after extension programs, in others situations long term evaluations will be done to note long term changes in management.

Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Youth residents of Wind River Indian Reservation through our 4-H program. Changes/Problems:We had a vacancy in our primary Extension Educator position at WRIR. We were able to fill this position with an experienced educator from within UW Extension. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project director attended the FRTEP meeting in Minnesota and received training on Tribal Extension. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Resutls have been disseminated by meeting with key stakeholder groups (Intertribal Council, Wind River Food Sovereignty Project). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Build on a relationship with the Wind River Food Severeignty project to collaborate with and provide education for their demonstration farm. Continue to build relationships with tribal ag leaders. Continue to expand 4-H offerings.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? WRIR Ag Producers Ag producers on WRIR were able to attend Fremont County Farm and Ranch days to get trained on a variety of production agriculture topics. WRIR 4-H Youth Provided intstruction in Junior Master Gardenening to 30 youth. Provided eductaion on health and nutrition to 25 youth. Taught sustainable food production to 16 youth. Tught Archery to 60 youth.

Publications


    Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23

    Outputs
    Target Audience:All programs are geared toward the Native Americans on and around the Wind River Indian Reservation. Wind River 4-H youth during cultural activities and crafts, shooting sports, STEM, sewing, livestock, food and nutrition, Jr. Master Gardener programs. Ag Producers during the Ag Summit, ag committee sharing, gardening courses including Master Gardeners, gardening basics. Changes/Problems:The Extension Educator for Wind River resigned in April. The University of Wyoming Extension will be hiring a new Educator for the Wind River Extension Program ASAP. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?None to report. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results and updates were shared with tribal councils bi-annually through face to face meetings and emails. Results were also shared via Facebook, Newsletters, and 4-H Band App. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the 2023 year, host classes on Rangeland Resources, Noxious and Invasive Weeds, Basic Gardening programs, and Raising Chickens. Youth will also be encouraged to participate in 4-H programs. Specific 4-H programs will include Wyoming Youth Leadership Education (WYLE), cultural crafts and camps, and youth agriculture programs.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? Wind River Extension provided meeting space, work space for completing applications and forms, and shared information and educational opportunities to tribal ag producers. Wind River Extension also created a list serv to help share information via email with the ag producers. Wind River Extension supported programs from the Wind River Food Sovereignty Project. We also hosted several "Backyard Beginnings" courses that helped new gardeners learn the basics of gardeneing. Wind River 4-H has seen an increase of enrolled 4-H members sicne the drop during COVID. This trend continued during this grant. Wind River 4-H had particpants in 4-H camp, green clover lives, sewing and beading, other crafts, STEM projects, shooting sports, and livestock projects. Wind River 4-H also completed a full Jr. Master Gardener program with youth.

    Publications