The Stewardship Network is proud to partner with the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Applied Ecological Services to work on important wild rice restoration in the western Upper Peninsula.
What is Wild Rice?
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"Wild rice (Manoomin) is a cereal grain that is harvested and enjoyed throughout the Upper Great Lakes Region by people of varied cultural backgrounds. It has been a central component of the culture of the Anishinaabek people in the region for thousands of years and continues to be of great importance to many tribal communities... Wild rice is also a key element of Great Lakes coastal and interior wetlands that provides food, cover, and spawning habitat for a variety of wildlife species. |
Unfortunately, wild rice populations have declined throughout much of the plant’s historic range, due in large part to human impacts. Given the strong cross-cultural importance of this grain, sustaining regional populations of wild rice requires a commitment to multicultural approaches that recognize, respect, and weave together ways of knowing that are influenced by both traditional knowledge and western science."
-Native Wild Rice Coalition (learn more at www.nativewildricecoalition.com)
The Partnership
Applied Ecological Services will be working closely with the LVD tribe, using high resolution digital aerial imagery to monitor known rice beds and to map other, lesser known beds within a roughly sixty mile radius of Watersmeet, MI. Together, they will develop and implement a management plan and put it into action over the next two years. The Stewardship Network will serve to facilitate these conversations and help the tribe with outreach and educational opportunities as needed.
Upcoming Opportunities to be Involved
In conjunction with this project, the LVD tribe will be hosting several wild rice camps. These camps provide an opportunity for the public to spend several days learning about the processes and traditions involved in harvesting and managing for wild rice. The next camp is coming up...
Rice Camp
Friday to Sunday
September 17th to 19th
Location: LVD Band of Lake Superior Chippewa PowWow Grounds
Resources
Learn more about wild rice, the Native Wild Rice Coalition, and ongoing management efforts at: www.nativewildricecoalition.com
Learn more about Applied Ecological Services and their work with high resolution digital aerial imagery at: www.appliedeco.com/AerialImagery.cfm
Learn more about the LVD Band of Lake Superior Chippewa at: www.lvdtribal.com
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