BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE FOR TRIBAL AGROFORESTRY PRODUCERS AND YOUTH IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: ACTIVE
• Funding Source: OTHER GRANTS
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1029782
• Grant No.: 2023-70417-39322
• Cumulative Award Amt.: $2,529,201.00
• Proposal No.: 2022-06483
• Project Start Date: Jan 1, 2023
• Project End Date: Dec 31, 2027
• Grant Year: 2023
• Program Code: [ARP]- ARP Technical Assistance Investment Program

Recipient Organization
ECOTRUST
721 NW 9TH AVE STE 200
PORTLAND,OR 97209

Performing Department
(N/A)

Non Technical Summary
Tribes and Indigenous communities have historically been and continue to be economically distressed and underserved agricultural producers. Despite stewarding a notable portion of U.S. and Pacific Northwest agricultural land, they account for less than 1% of all national agricultural sales. Currently, there is limited awareness of the unique needs, challenges, and goals of tribes and Indigenous agroforestry producers as they relate to understanding and participating in USDA programs and services, but there is growing interest in Indigenous stewardship among broader society. This project increases awareness of and opportunities for Indigenous agroforestry stewardship and will support an improved understanding of and equitable participation and inclusion of tribes and Indigenous agroforestry producers of the Pacific Northwest, including northern California, Oregon, and Washington, in USDA programs and services related to agroforestry. Ecotrust's project partners include the USDA National Agroforestry Center, Intertribal Nursery Council, USFS Pacific Southwest Research Station Fire and Fuels Program, USFS Research & Development, USFS Forest Management Service Center, Heritage University, Hoopa Valley Tribe, Cal Poly Humboldt, and Washington State University Extension.This project will provide technical assistance and outreach to tribes and Indigenous agroforestry producers through three key project goals: (1) Establish a Community of Practice for tribal agroforestry producers to build trust, create shared vision, implement educational programs, and offer mentorship for Indigenous youth. (2) Build upon the knowledge and experiences of tribal producers, in collaboration with USDA partners, to increase the relevance, participation, and impact of USDA programs and services for tribal agroforestry producers. We will conduct needs assessments to identify barriers to accessing and participating in relevant USDA programs and services, as well as develop strategies to close gaps and reduce barriers, support USDA program responsiveness, provide targeted outreach, engagement, and capacity-building support, as well as host events and workshops to provide direct assistance for the development of applications to relevant USDA programs and services. (3) Co-develop actionable research and technological tools and pilot agroforestry projects that will build capacity for tribal agroforestry practitioners' long-term participation in USDA programs and services.

Animal Health Component

60%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

40%

Applied

60%

Developmental

0%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
125	0699	1070	100%

Knowledge Area
125 - Agroforestry;

Subject Of Investigation
0699 - Trees, forests, and forest products, general;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;

Keywords

agroforestry

american indian

climate

forestlands

forestry

indigenous

native american

tribes

Goals / Objectives
Ecotrust, in collaboration with our project partners including USDA National Agroforestry Center, Intertribal Nursery Council, USFS Pacific Southwest Research Station Fire and Fuels Program, USFS Research & Development, USFS Forest Management Service Center, Heritage University, Hoopa Valley Tribe, Cal Poly Humboldt, Washington State University Extension, and other established partner networks, will support socially and economically distressed and underserved agricultural producers, specifically economically distressed and underserved tribes and Indigenous agroforestry producers, by providing technical assistance and outreach to achieve three key project goals: (1) establish and formalize a Community of Practice for Indigenous agroforestry producers and allies in the Pacific Northwest; (2) build upon the knowledge and experiences of tribes and Indigenous producers in collaboration with USDA partners to increase the relevance, participation, and impact of USDA programs and services, and; (3) co-create and co-develop actionable research and tools, including the Forest Vegetation Simulator, and pilot agroforestry projects that will build capacity for tribal agroforestry practitioners' long term participation in USDA programs and services. Our work will include the following objectives:Goal 1: Establish and formalize an Indigenous agroforestry Community of Practice.Our first goal is critical to building trust and relationships with Indeignous producers. We use the term "Community of Practice" to refer to a network of people with shared interests who commit to or are motivated to continue ongoing interaction to create and share knowledge and best practices, in this case, related to the practice of Indigenous agroforestry. This Community of Practice is intended to improve mutual understanding and cooperation between tribal natural resource programs, Indigenous agroforestry producers, intertribal organizations, and other allied groups and initiatives that prioritize Indigenous self-determination, ways of knowing, and health and wellbeing. Our objectives include:1.1 Provide opportunities for trust and relationship building to support the emergence of a network of Indigenous agroforestry producers;1.2 Co-create a shared vision and organizational structure that attracts and sustains involvement of new tribal participants and facilitates ongoing knowledge-sharing and learning.1.3 Develop and curate events, programs, and workspaces for knowledge-sharing and learning.1.4 Develop and implement educational programs with an emphasis on experiential learning and mentorship for Indigenous youth.Goal 2: Enhance access, relevance, and impact of USDA programs and services related to Indigenous agroforestry practices.Our second goal supports learning and action that can be taken by Indigenous agroforestry practitioners and land stewards as well as by USDA staff. Our goal is not to offer one-way educational and outreach efforts simply to recruit additional participants in USDA programs as they currently exist, but to support shared learning and new cooperative strategies. Our objectives are to:2.1 Identify and characterize needs, interests, and barriers for Indigenous agroforestry practitioners and allies to access and equitably participate in relevant USDA programs and services.2.2 Identify and characterize strategies to close gaps and reduce barriers, and support responsiveness by USDA programs to Community needs and interests.2.3 Provide targeted outreach, engagement, and capacity-building support for access and involvement in USDA programs and services.Goal 3: Co-create and begin pursuing a shared agenda for cooperative research and developmentOur third goal supports the co-creation and co-development of actionable research and tools, including the Forest Vegetation Simulator, as well as pilot agroforestry projects, that will build capacity for tribal agroforestry practitioners' long term participation in USDA programs and services. This work is conceived with a vision of generating actionable research that acknowledges and recognizes Indigenous ways of knowing and decolonizes research approaches and activities. Our objectives include:3.1 Identify and characterize tribal needs, interests, and use cases for data and technologies that facilitate or build capacity for ecosystem stewardship and agroforestry practices.3.2 Strengthen and support coordination between Indigenous land stewards, USFS researchers, and USFS FMSC staff to facilitate the integration of new research and observations into the Forest Vegetation Simulator software.3.3 Calibrate and update components of the Forest Vegetation Simulator using multiple data streams emerging from Tribal and federal monitoring and research programs.3.4 Enhance capacity for Indigenous agroforestry managers and producers to utilize the Forest Vegetation Simulator for diverse forestry and agroforestry use cases.

Project Methods
As part of the co-production process, the Community of Practice will support collaborative determination of indicators of success, thus specific performance measures have not yet been formalized. Following the development of the Community of Practice and the co-production of actionable research, a formal Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan will be developed by Ecotrust staff with specialization in M&E and with the support of project PD, Co-PD, and the project partners This Plan will be modeled and adapted from the template of indicators and evaluation criteria for co-production efforts provided by Wall et al. (2017). The M&E Plan will include consideration of the process of co-production, as well as reporting on the outputs, outcomes, and impacts. The Plan will also describe the specific methods for collecting data used for M&E. The evaluation of project outcomes and impacts will be pursued as a distinct project activity implemented primarily in the last year of the project, with more limited or targeted feedback and evaluation efforts in Project Years 3 and 4. PD Cowherd will be responsible for overseeing the completion of the M&E Plan and its implementation. We have budgeted a total of 0.54 FTE between two Ecotrust staff who specialize in M&E work (Director of Economic Research & Evaluation and Measurement & Evaluation Manager), amounting to a $63,291 personnel expense (salary + benefits), which will also be supported by $10,000 in stipends for project participants to engage with the M&E efforts primarily in the form of interviews and surveys.The M&E Plan will include monitoring and evaluation of the processes of collaboration and co-production throughout the project. This effort will involve capturing feedback from project participants as a regular part of our collaborations, and will often take the form of short polls or surveys at the end of group meetings. These findings will be used to confirm whether participants are able to access and participate effectively in project activities, as well as give the participants and project coordinators the opportunity to evaluate whether participants believe they will benefit or are already benefiting from their participation in the project. The implementation of co-production processes for both Goal 2 (enhancing USDA program effectiveness) and Goal 3 (co-creating research and development) will involve Indigenous agroforestry practitioners and land stewards based on interest and capacity throughout the entire research process. We will learn and adapt our work together with members of the target audience as well as with USDA staff. The progress of the project and the Community of Practice will be reported at meetings hosted by Ecotrust every six months. At least one meeting each year is expected to co-occur with a site visit to an agroforestry pilot project. These meetings will be interspersed with meetings co-located with regional or national intertribal events, such as conferences of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and the Intertribal Timber Council. Project leaders and participants will also attend regional and national conferences to present their work and experiences with the project, and Ecotrust staff will periodically publish communications materials (e.g., blog posts, interviews) online over the course of this project.

Progress 01/01/24 to 12/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience: Forest landowners Presentations made at the activities described in "publications," and outreach materials were distributed as described in the "other products" section of this report. Forest landowners may include tribal members and tribes, as such distribution of outreach materials at the Intertribal Timber Council's Annual Symposium and Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians events are important to engaging this audience. Small farms or ranches Presentations made at the activities described in "publications," and outreach materials were distributed as described in the "other products" section of this report. The connection made with the Intertribal Agriculture Council is important to engaging this audience and we will continue to work through our partnership to engage with small farms or ranches. Underserved agricultural producers Presentations made at the activities described in "publications," and outreach materials were distributed as described in the "other products" section of this report. Our focus is engaging tribes and tribal community members and partners in this project. Changes/Problems:Ecotrust has been pleasantly surprised by the tremendous support for this agroforestry programing, including newsletter, network meetings, network participation and convenings. The number of interested tribal staff, practitioners, small landowners, rural community members, and researchers has resulted in us needing to charter more buses for field trips, plan more functions at our convening, and host more meetings. This is a happy problem to have that through agroforestry we have tapped into an American public need for training in rural communities, for networking and tremendously popular interest in our region. We note here that we have continued this important NIFA ARP grant supported work, even though we have not been paid since the third quarter of 2024. We continue the work, including responding to requests for practitioners to attend zoom networking meetings, to plan our 2025 convening of agroforestry practitioners and to do all the work outlined in the grant. ? What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In Q4 2024, project partners hosted the first Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering, November 12-15, 2024, Blue Lake, California. This event was an opportunity to provide training to increase access to programs and services related to agroforestry, support networking and relationship building, and provide a series of workshops in the form of field trips to tribal host agroforestry demonstration sites. During the event, participants learned how to process different seeds including maple, which can be used for big leaf maple syrup production, reduce fire hazard through silvicultural treatments, silvopasture, and other methods. The connections made at this event were with individuals from the Blue Lake Rancheria, Karuk Tribe, Hoopa Valley Tribe, Wiyot Tribe, Yurok Tribe, Cal Poly Humboldt College, USDA-NRCS, Mid Klamath Watershed Council, Washington State University Extension, Natural Resource Conservation Service, USFS, Friends of Tyron Creek, College of Redwoods, USDA National Agroforestry Center, California State Park, Intertribal Agriculture Council, and Humboldt and Del Nortes County Cooperative Extension, among others. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In 2024 Ecotrust Staff, the Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning Team and the Indigenous Agroforestry Network attended 17 events and conferences where information about the Indigenous Agroforestry Network was disseminated. The information for the various events and conferences with a description of the activities are listed below: Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Winter Convening, January 28 - February 1, 2024: Outreach was conducted for the Indigenous Agroforestry Network and the Indigenous Agroforestry survey during the general assemblies for the Food Sovereignty and Natural Resource Committee meetings. Ecotrust executive director presented to all conference participants during the opening session and discussed agroforestry. North American Agroforestry Conference 2024, February 20-22, 2024, Turrialba, Costa Rica: Three Presentations on Indigenous Agroforestry Network were conducted by the Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning Team and Two Indigenous Agroforestry Project Partners. Northwest Intertribal Food Sovereignty Summit, March 6th-9th, 2024, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho: The Indigenous Agroforestry survey was distributed and outreach was conducted to grow our Indigenous Agroforestry Network by an Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning team member. An Indigenous Agroforestry Network Project partner also attended and presented at Tree School Clackamas, Saturday March 23, 2024 and presented was titled "Agroforestry workshop for Tree School in the Pacific Northwest." Living Breath Symposium, May 3-4, 2024, Seattle, Washington: An Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning team member attended and conducted outreach for the Indigenous Agroforestry Network and the Indigenous Agroforestry Survey. Intertribal Timber Council Board Meeting, April 8-12, 2024, Arcata, California: The Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning team attended the Intertribal Timber Council Board Meeting to conduct outreach for the Indigenous Agroforestry Network and the Indigenous Agroforestry Survey. In addition, they met with Indigenous Agroforestry Network Project Partners to tour and volunteer at the local community garden called Potawot Community Garden. They also met with Hoopa Valley Tribal Forestry and were able to tour some of their local sites. University of Minnesota- Climate Change and Impacts on Indigenous Forestland Stewardship Webinar, 04/11/2024, A couple of members from the Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning team attended and learned about relationship building with Tribal Nations, and Indigenous People that contributed to our outreach efforts with the Indigenous Agroforestry Network. Northwest Indigenous Food Sovereignty Alliance (NIFSA) Nettle Festival, April 16, Boring, Oregon: An Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning team member attended the NIFSA Nettle Festival and was able to conduct outreach for the Indigenous Agroforestry Network and Indigenous Agroforestry Survey. Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, April 15-17, 2024, Muckleshoot, Washington: An Ecotrust Staff and a member of the Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning team attended the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and conducted outreach for the Indigenous Agroforestry Network and the Survey. Tribal Environmental Leadership Summit, May 2-3, 2024, Grand Ronde, Oregon: An Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning team Member attended the Tribal Environmental Leadership Summit to conduct outreach for the Indigenous Agroforestry Network and the Indigenous Agroforestry Survey by tabling and talking with summit participants. Intertribal Timber Council Annual Symposium, May 13-17, 2024, Cherokee, North Carolina: The Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning team and some Ecotrust Staff attended the Annual Intertribal Timber Council Symposium and conducted outreach for the Indigenous Agroforestry Network and the Indigenous Agroforestry Survey and learn from various organizations and other individuals who were in attendance at the symposium. USDA NIFA Cooperators Meeting, May 20-23, 2024, Detroit, Michigan: Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning team member and an Ecotrust Staffer attended the USDA NIFA Cooperators meeting. Intertribal Agriculture Council, September 9-10, 2024, Pendelton, Oregon: The Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning team and an Ecotrust Staff member where they delivered a presentation on the Indigenous Agroforestry Network and tabled during the conference to conduct outreach to conference participants. Intertribal Nursery Council, September 10-12, 2024, Grand Ronde, Oregon: The Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning team attended the Intertribal Nursery Council meeting to conduct outreach for the Indigenous Agroforestry Network, share information about the network, and build relationships. The team had the opportunity to tour local sites at the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and connect with Indigenous Agroforestry Network partner, Jeremiah Pinto, who organized the Intertribal Nursery Gathering. Society of American Foresters, September 19-20, 2024, Loveland, Colorado: An Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning team member attended the Society of American Foresters and set goals to meet with agroforestry professionals working across the nation, while also sharing information about the Indigenous Agroforestry project. She also participated in the SAF agroforestry field day and toured Mehaffey City Park, an agroforestry fruit orchard, met with Forage Colorado, and visited the Yellow Barn Farm with Dryland Agroecology Research (DAR), where she toured the 100-acre scaled demonstration site and learned how they are using dryland agroforestry as a model for reversing desertification, sequestering carbon, and building biodiverse agro-ecosystems. Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, September 29-October 3, 2024, Ridgefield, Washington: Members from the Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning team attended the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians. They shared information about the Indigenous Agroforestry Network in meetings and committees as well as informally during meals. Northwest Native Basket Makers Association, October 4-5, 2024, Tulalip Tribes, Washington: Members from the Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning team attended the Northwest Native Basket Makers Association conference. They conducted outreach around the Indigenous Agroforestry Network and focused on building relationships with tribal agroforestry practitioners. Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering, November 12-15, 2024, Blue Lake, California: The Indigenous Agroforestry Network Planning team and Ecotrust team members attended this event and were hosts of it. The connections made at this event were with individuals from the Blue Lake Rancheria, Karuk Tribe, Hoopa Valley Tribe, Wiyot Tribe, Yurok Tribe, Cal Poly Humboldt College, USDA-NRCS, Mid Klamath Watershed Council, Washington State University Extension, Friends of Tyron Creek, College of Redwoods, USDA National Agroforestry Center, California State Park, Intertribal Agriculture Council, Humboldt and Del Nortes County Cooperative Extension. While at this event, they also presented on the Indigenous Agroforestry Network and the Indigenous Agroforestry Survey Results. Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Natural Resources Summit, November 19-20, 2024, Tulalip, Washington, Ecotrust team members; Ecotrust Team members attended this summit and conducted outreach related to the Indigenous Agroforestry Network. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Ecotrust and project partners will continue to implement the following activities, which are already in progress:1.1.A, 1.2.A, 1.2B, 1.3.A, 1.3.B, 1.4.A, 1.4.B, 1.4C, 2.1A, 2.2A, 3.1.A., 3.3A. The following activities will be in progress during the next reporting period: all activities will be in progress. The following activities will be completed during the next reporting period: 2.1.A, 2.2.A. The following activities will not be in progress during the next reporting period, as planned: all activities will be in progress.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? For Goal 1, objectives 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4 are in progress. The following activities are in progress: 1.1A: Organize and host digital and in-person gatherings to facilitate introductions, storytelling, and shared field experiences for Indigenous agroforestry producers and allies; 1.2A:Convene partners in Community of Practice to co-define group priorities, participation capacity and interests, and governance and communication processes. 1.2B: Organize and facilitate events to support the administration and maintenance of the Community of Practice; 1.3A: Develop digital communication and knowledge-sharing systems; 1.3B: Support, organize and facilitate participation in events surrounding agroforestry pilot projects; 1.4A: Support, organize and facilitate participation in Indigenous high school-age youth education programs; 1.4B: Develop and implement a two-week immersive, experiential learning course for Indigenous high school-age youth that connects students with real-world Tribal agroforestry projects, programs, and leaders from Tribes across the U.S.; and 1.4C: Develop and implement university-level student internship program and associated curricula connecting students with hands-on experiential learning opportunities and research projects with regional Tribes and USDA USFS PSW research sites. Outputs in progress: Output 1.1.A.i activities include: Distribution of the one-pager and postcard digitally through project partner networks; project partners distributed the one-pager and postcard in-person; participation in the California Agroforestry Network and Agroforestry Coalition discussions; outreach accomplishments achieved through the continued website and social media engagement and content development opportunities are described in the "outputs completed" section under Output 1.3.A.i. Output: 1.2.A.i activities include: a series of meetings with Indigenous Agroforestry Network participants and Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering tribal hosts, attendees, and partners; Output 1.2.B.i activities included 8 virtual project partner meetings and 1 in-person project partner meeting with meeting notes and agendas recorded in a shared google drive folder for the Indigenous Agroforestry Network steering committee. Output 1.3.B.i: activities included the development of Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering itinerary and coordination of tribal hosts and Indigenous Agroforestry Network participants. The Gathering was held in Q4 2024 November 12-14 in Blue Lake, California. Tribal hosts included the Blue Lake Rancheria, Wiyot Tribe, Karuk Tribe, and Hoopa Valley Tribal Nursery. We visited examples of Indigenous agroforestry demonstration sites with each of the rural, tribal hosts. There were about 60 attendees, primarily from rural and tribal communities and their partners. The event was described as positive and increased interest in agroforestry and USDA programs and services. Output 1.4.A.i activities associated with this output include project partner Heritage University staff time spent planning and implementing lesson plans for the Environmentors program, an intergenerational mentorship program between rural undergraduate students and rural youth, many of these students are citizens of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. Planning for lesson plan development is in progress and began with the 2023-2024 cohort of students, mentors, and Heritage University staff in Q3 2023. In 2024, Heritage University continued these activities mentioned above. 1.4.C.ii activities included hiring two student interns in spring and fall 2024 semesters at Cal Poly Food Sovereignty Lab. Project partners and Ecotrust staff met with the spring intern during Q2 2024 at the Potawot Community Food Garden, an agroforestry demonstration site. Interns and other Cal Poly Food Sovereignty lab students attended the Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering. A fall 2024 intern also met with Ecotrust staff and project partners to support research for activities in output 2.1. A.i. Outputs completed: Output 1.3.A.i was completed in 2023. In 2024 no additional goal 1 outputs were completed, as many are designed to be ongoing. For Goal 2, the following objectives and activities are in progress: 2.1 and 2.1.A; 2.2 and 2.2.A; 2.3 and 2.3A. Output in progress: Output 2.1.A.i: Conduct a needs assessment to identify Indigenous agroforestry projects and implement a qualitative research approach to gather information from Tribal producers to better understand the technical assistance needs and unique gaps and critical barriers in accessing USDA programs and services related to Tribal Agroforestry. Activities included the development of the Indigenous Agroforestry Network survey. The survey was opened January-June. Outreach to increase survey participants was conducted by project partners through their networks, development of survey outreach materials including postcards, one-pagers, tabling materials, and presentations at conferences and other relevant meetings and events. The survey received a total of 195 participants. 151 respondents (77% of total respondents) listed tribal affiliations. A meaning-making process with project partners and key individuals was conducted June and July 2024. Analysis was conducted in August 2024. The survey report was finalized in December 2024 with a planned release date of January 2025. Output 2.2.A.i: Gaps and Opportunities Assessment with targeted recommendations for addressing gaps and barriers. Activities related to Output 2.2.A.i included convening USDA programs and services staff at the Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering Nov 12-14, 2024 in Blue Lake, California to present an overview of the Indigenous Agroforestry Survey findings and recommendations, and facilitate conversation and networking opportunities to meet with Indigenous Agroforestry producers. For Goal 3, objectives and activities 3.1 and 3.1.A and 3.3 and 3.3.A are in progress. Output 3.1 and 3.1A: In 2024, Ecotrust staff continued to meet monthly to begin planning and development of the technology needs assessment. In Q3 2024, Ecotrust staff defined project roles and responsibilities, timelines, and key individuals for a smaller working group of project partners. A draft of the technology needs assessment was provided to project partners for review and feedback during the Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering in November 2024. Feedback was incorporated and the survey was finalized December 2024 with a planned opening date of January 2025. Output 3.3 and 3.3A: Calibrate and update components of the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) using multiple data streams from Tribal and federal monitoring and research programs. Activities related to Output 3.3: we collaborated with the Hoopa Tribal Forestry team to integrate their Continuous Forest Inventory (CFI) data with Forest Inventory and Assessment (FIA) data. The combined data set is being used to calibrate the FVS model with empirical data specific to the Hoopa Valley region. We are in the process of re-fitting regional FVS routines to improve predictions of canopy cover, tree growth and mortality, and fire-related mortality. In 2024, we held four meetings with the tribe and made significant progress in tailoring the FVS model to the local landscape. This improved model will enhance forest management and decision-making by providing better predictions of forest attributes and fire impacts. Other: Recurring meetings with Ecotrust's Measurement and Evaluation (M&E) team occurred, with progress made towards the development of evaluation frameworks and work plans for project assessment. We will work with USDA program staff to submit the appropriate forms to notify and change Co-PI David Diaz. PI Stephanie Gutierrez remains in her role on this project. We remain confident that our project will be successful and completed on time despite this change.

Publications

• Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Agroforestry Tools Overview. (2024). Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G2dpdOqBa4kJvQMM2WVAlaI_lhVM__KuZx_6Zq4IzWw/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.f6kb7bx85pvd
• Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: IA Technology Needs Assessment Literature review. (2024). Retrieved from https://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J6rkAWvFS1xNnVMmESQjlsHlP2d5px_DNvByx2XA5Ig/edit?tab%3Dt.0&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1741294373169549&usg=AOvVaw1Y0nU3CPrft9HRk_gLghjx
• Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Gutierrez, S., Chin, D., Squiemphen-Yazzie, A., Smith, K., & Douglas, J. Indigenous Agroforestry Survey Report [Unpublished survey]. Ecotrust.https://ecotrust.org/publications/indigenous-agroforestry-survey-report/
• Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering Pre-Event Survey [Unpublished survey results]. (2024). Indigenous Agroforestry Network. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZkFA8MwHmwwnI5OIg7UNnDyeXrqvgfMz/view?usp=sharing
• Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering Post-Event Survey [Unpublished survey results]. (2024). Indigenous Agroforestry Network. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rS9aagttDSmcVCcfS_itHp05W2nJK1L3/view?usp=sharing

Progress 01/01/23 to 12/31/23

Outputs
Target Audience: Forest land owners Presentations made at the activities described in "publications," and outreach materials were distributed as described in the "other products" section of this report. Forest landowners may include tribal members and tribes, as such distribution of outreach materials at the Intertribal Timber Council's Annual Symposium and Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians events are important to engaging this audience. Small farms or ranches Presentations made at the activities described in "publications," and outreach materials were distributed as described in the "other products" section of this report. The connection made with the Intertribal Agriculture Council is important to engaging this audience and we will continue to work through our partnership to engage with small farms or ranches. Underserved agricultural producers Presentations made at the activities described in "publications," and outreach materials were distributed as described in the "other products" section of this report. Our focus is engaging tribes and tribal community members and partners in this project. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Recurring project partner meetings to make progress towards Goals 1, 2, and 3, forming new relationships with tribal partners and supportive programs and services, growing the Indigenous Agroforestry Network mailing list subscribers and social media followers, attendance and presentation at relevant events and conferences, and successful hire and onboarding of a new coordinator role at Ecotrust will help support the success of our project in this upcoming year. Ecotrust and project partners will continue to implement the following activities, which are already in progress:1.1.A, 1.2.B, 1.3.A.i, 1.4.A, 3.1.A. The following activities will be in progress during the next reporting period: 1.3.B, 1.4.B, 1.4.C, 2.2.A, 2.3.A, 3.2.A, 3.4.A. The following activities will be completed during the next reporting period: 2.1.A, 2.2.A. The following activities will not be in progress during the next reporting period, as planned: 3.2.B, 3.2.A.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? For Goal 1, objectives 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4 are in progress. The following activities associated with the respective objectives are in progress: 1.1A: Organize and host digital and in-person gatherings to facilitate introductions, storytelling, and shared field experiences for Indigenous agroforestry practitioners and allies; 1.2B: Organize and facilitate events to support the administration and maintenance of the Community of Practice; 1.3A: Develop digital communication and knowledge-sharing systems; and 1.4A: Support, organize and facilitate participation in Indigenous high school-age youth education programs. The following outputs associated with the respective activities and objectives are in progress: 1.1.A.i: Outreach and informational materials shared online and in direct communications; and 1.2.B.i: Meeting materials (agendas, action items, etc.) produced through digital and in-person meetings for members of a steering committee for the Community of Practice. Outputs in progress: Output 1.1.A.i activities include: Distribution of the one-pager and postcard (included in physical resources above) digitally through project partner networks; Ecotrust shared an electronic newsletter on October 13th announcing the Indigenous Agroforestry Network to almost 8,000 subscribers; project partners distributed the one-pager and postcard in-person through attendance at the events and activities described in the products section; a virtual peer-learning exchange meeting was hosted in December 2023 to share the launch of the Indigenous Agroforestry Network with special guests from the Intertribal Agriculture Council, Trees Water People, Savanna Institute, and Quivira Coalition, and we learned more about how each guest organization uplifts Indigenous Agroforestry; and outreach accomplishments achieved through the launch of a website and social media account for the Indigenous Agroforestry Network are described in the "outputs completed" section under Output 1.3.A.i. Future outreach to continue to grow the Indigenous Agroforestry Network will continue throughout the duration of our project and is described in the question below "what do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?" Output 1.2.B.i activities included 7 virtual project partner meetings with meeting notes and agendas recorded in a shared google drive folder for the Indigenous Agroforestry Network steering committee. Output 1.4.A.i activities associated with this output include project partner Heritage University staff time spent planning, mileage driving from/to White Swan High School, and implementing lesson plans for the Environmentors program, an intergenerational mentorship program between Native undergraduate students and Native high school youth. We will pilot the lesson plans beginning in 2025, but planning for lesson plan development is in progress and began with the 2023-2024 cohort of students, mentors, and Heritage University staff in Q3 2023. Outputs completed: The following output associated with Activity 1.3.A and Objective 1.3 is completed: Output 1.3.A.i Web presence for Community of Practice includes social media accounts and a website. The Indigenous Agroforestry Network website (https://sites.google.com/ecotrust.org/ian/home) was launched in Q3 2023 and is a website for network participants and partners to connect, learn more about Indigenous Agroforestry, and view upcoming events and opportunities. During the reporting period, the Indigenous Agroforestry Network mailing list gained 34 subscribers. The Indigenous Agroforestry Network Instagram social media account was launched in Q4 2023 (https://www.instagram.com/indigenousagroforestry). During the reporting period, the @IndigenousAgroforestry on Instagram account gained 54 followers and shared one post, which received 22 likes. Guidelines for the Indigenous Agroforestry Network's social media account were developed in Q4 2023. For Goal 2, objective 2.1, activity 2.1.A is in progress. Output in progress: Output 2.1.A.i: Conduct a needs assessment to identify Indigenous agroforestry projects and implement a qualitative research approach to gather information from Tribal producers to better understand the technical assistance needs and unique gaps and critical barriers in accessing USDA programs and services related to Tribal Agroforestry. Activities related to Output 2.1.A.i include the formation of a smaller working group with project partners for consultation and review of research plans and tools; we adapted the timeline for the needs assessment to Q1 2024, as fieldwork and wildfire seasons impacted our ability to convene all working group participants, and additionally, we realized during our discovery phase that additional tools and a modified plan were needed for the needs assessment. These modifications included the development of new tools, including a literature review of tribal agroforestry projects, tribal profiles created for federally recognized and state recognized tribes and rancherias in Oregon, Washington, and northern California, a crosswalk of tribal agroforestry projects and associated NRCS practices, and a literature review of common challenges, barriers, and needs encountered by tribal agroforestry practitioners. These preliminary tools, which informed the design and implementation of the needs assessment were completed in Q4 2023, but will be added to throughout the project; Ecotrust staff met with project partners during 2023 reporting period events and activities described in the above sections, and hosted virtual project partner meetings to pilot test and receive feedback on Indigenous Agroforestry needs assessment; Ecotrust staff worked with project partners and our extended networks to develop a data collection plan, with key touch points on different digital platforms and networks and in-person conferences and events throughout Q1 and Q2 2024. For Goal 3, objective 3.1, activity 3.1.A is in progress. Ecotrust staff met in Q4 2023 to begin planning for the technology needs assessment. Recurring meetings were scheduled beginning in Q1 2024 to identify project roles and responsibilities, define timelines, project administration points of contact, and key individuals for a smaller working group of project partners for the technology needs assessment. The output associated with this activity has not yet been started. Other: Recurring meetings with Ecotrust's Measurement and Evaluation (M&E) team occurred, with progress made towards the development of evaluation frameworks and work plans for project assessment. During Q3 2023, Ecotrust staff successfully hired Kara Briggs as Ecotrust's Vice President of Tribal Lands and Waters Stewardship, who will support the development of tribal partnerships for this project. During Q4 2023, Ecotrust staff received approval for hiring a P4 Coordinator role to support this project. At the time of this report's submission, we are thrilled to report that we have successfully hired and onboarded the P4 Coordinator. At the time of this report's submission, Co-PI David Diaz accepted a job offer outside of Ecotrust and will no longer be participating in this project as Co-PI. We will work with USDA program staff to submit the appropriate forms to notify and change the Co-PI. Co-PI Stephanie Gutierrez remains in her role on this project. We are confident that our project will be successful and completed on time despite this change.

Publications

• Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Motanic, D. (2023). PlantNet AISES- Berry Fun Activities and Agroforestry with Phone Apps. [https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:0ac6c7d3-2169- 47ee-b49a-f610d9cf85dc].
• Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Bishaw, B. (2023). Building a Community of Practice of Tribal Agroforestry Producers in the Pacific Northwest.
• Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Gutierrez, S. and Lake, F. (2024). Tribal Agroforestry: Building a community of practice for Tribal Agroforestry Producers in the Pacific Northwest. [https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1spXNAx5xJMLolaOPKXYHJ4kSRNfuEQj6LTRkFCzyzjM/edit#slide=id.g22d17a9e698_0_216].
• Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Gutierrez, S. (2023). Tribal Agroforestry: Building a community of practice for Tribal Agroforestry Producers in the Pacific Northwest. [https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1spXNAx5xJMLolaOPKXYHJ4kSRNfuEQj6LTRkFCzyzjM/edit#slide=id.g22d17a9e698_0_216].