Applications of Ecosystem Services by the Nez Perce Tribe

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Applications of Ecosystem Services by the Nez
Perce Tribe

• John DeGroot
• Forestry Fire Management Director
• ACES Conference
• December 10, 2008

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Ecosystem Services

• Provisioning production of food, water, fiber
  energy
• Regulating control of climate disease
• Supporting nutrient cycles, crop pollination
• Cultural spiritual traditional benefits
• Preserving maintaining biodiversity

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Natural Resource Issuesin Nez Perce Country

• Culture / Language / Sovereignty
• Biodiversity
• Threatened Endangered Species
• Restoration of fire-adapted ecosystems
• Invasive Species
• Water Quality Quantity
• Air Quality

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Indian Claims Commission
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1863 Reservation
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Early History

• In 1893, 32,020 acres of tribal reserves were
  reserved to supply fuelwood and sawtimber for the
  tribe
• In 1897 the local agent estimated suitable
  sawtimber would be exhausted in 4 to 5 years.
• 1908 survey showed 95 MMBF yellow pine 14.4
  MMBF of Douglas-fir other sp.

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• Non-Indian Homesteading Increasing
• Local Depletion of Resource
• Need for Farm land and construction material
• Tribe has surplus of timber
• Cheap Transportation

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Timbered Islands
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SW w/regen
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Land Acquisition Program

• Economic Development
• Increase forest land base
• Increase crop land base
• Business development
• Wildlife habitat mitigation (BPA)
• Fisheries Management (fish habitat / production
  sites)

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Carbon Offsets

• Why How the Nez Perce Are Involved in Carbon
  Sequestration
• Project Development
• Barriers
• Where We Are Now What Has Sold
• Acres, Tons of CO2, Prices
• What Is Next?

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Why Was Carbon Appealing to the Nez Perce in the
Beginning?

• for Restoring Forests
• Ancillary Benefits
• Wildlife Habitat, Water Quality, Cultural
  Activities roots, berries
• Employment
• Climate Change

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Why Carbon Sequestration?

• In 1995 initiated seeking from carbon offsets
  for planting trees.
• Jan. 1999 NPTEC Resolution
• Supported Carbon Offset Programs to reduce
  atmospheric carbon and provide reforestation
  revenue

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Forest Carbon Offsets

• Afforestation
• Reforestation
• Forest Management to Enhance Carbon Stocks
• Harvested Wood Products that Store Carbon
• Forest Conservation Avoided Deforestation

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First ProjectAfforestation 2001

• Converted 400 acres of Ag. Land to Forest
• Long Term Contract 50 years
• 1.50 / M ton C02 e
• 211,450 M tons C02 e over 50 years
  317,000
• Letter of Intent from potential Coal facility.
• Contract signed by Tribe, deal fell through.

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ADDITIONAL PROJECTS

• Fire Rehabilitation - Reforestation
• Forest Development - Reforestation
• Past Silvicultural Rxs have failed
• No funding to implement replanting
• Future Projects
• Forest Health
• Forest Management Plan

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Nez Perce Portfolios

• Afforestation - Agricultural Conversion Portfolio
• 9 Different Planting Projects 1,170 acres
• Reforestation Fire Rehab. Portfolio
• 24 Different Planting Projects 2,205 acres
• 5,785 MT CO2 (2003 2006)

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Barriers

• 3rd Party Forest Certification
• 3rd Party Verification
• Selling a BIA trust asset?

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3RD PARTY CERTIFICATION

• Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) and many other
  Buyers of Carbon
• Required 3rd Party Certification for managing
  Sustainably
• Many tribes have issues with 3rd Party
  Certification
• Obtained letter from BIA Central Office
• Stated the forest is sustainably managed
• Paved the way for additional Tribal Projects

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3rd Party Verification

• In 2006 Thought we were ready to list on the
  CCX
• CCX wanted a Desk Audit (Min. 250 TPA)
• Completed and Approved in June 2007

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Forest Inventory Plots
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WHAT WAS OFFERRED FOR SALE

• Withdrew Higher Quality Projects
• Agricultural Conversion Projects
• Approx. 35 of Portfolio Acreage
• Final CCX Portfolio July 2007
• 2,205 acres 5,785 MT CO2 (2003 2006)

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PAST PRESENT PARTNERS AND FUNDING

• PNWCSC Several RCDs, NRCS, etc.
• U.S. DOE Regional Carbon Seq. Grant
• Reimbursed Time Travel on C activities
• National Carbon Offset Coalition (NCOC)
• Reimbursed Time Travel on C activities
• U.S.F.S. Rocky Mt. Forest Sciences Lab
• Environmental Defense Consultant Agreements
• Appointed to State of Id. Gov. Advisory Comm.
• BIA
• Many Others

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Examples of HFR
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Prescribed Fire

• Prescribed Burning

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Prescribed Burn Oct 9, 2007
FARR Federal Air Rules for Reservations
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Terra satellite 9/11/2007 1921 GMT
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Northeast Oregon Wildlife Mitigation
Project Precious Lands
Nez Perce Tribe Bonneville Power Administration
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Project Goals

• Mitigate for impacts from the four lower Snake
  River Dams
• Provide high quality canyon grassland habitat for
  target species
• Protect and enhance riparian areas and watershed
  function
• Maintain biodiversity

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IDAHO WOLF RECOVERY PROGRAM Restoration and
Management of Gray Wolves in Central Idaho
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Wolf ManagementConflict Resolution

• Goal
• Reduce Conflict and Increase Social
• Tolerance To Promote Long -Term
• Conservation of Wolves

• Objectives
• Maintain Resident Wolf Packs
• Minimize Economic Losses
• Maintain Rural Landscapes

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Nez Perce Tribe
DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

• Nez Perce Tribe's Recovery and Restoration
  Programs
• MISSION STATEMENT
• To recover and restore all populations and all
  species of fish within the Nez Perce Territory

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Snake River Salmon and the ESA

• Every single species of the Snake River salmon is
  listed under the Endangered Species Act
• Coho Extinct
• Sockeye Listed Endangered in 1992
• Spring Chinook Listed Threatened in 1993
• Summer Chinook Listed Threatened in 1993
• Fall Chinook Listed Threatened in 1993
• Steelhead Listed Threatened in 1998

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Habitat / Watershed
Coordinate Restoration Activities with a
Multitude of Agencies
Stream Rehabilitation
Road Obliteration
Fencing Projects
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BioControl of Noxious Weeds
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• Program Goal
• Increase the availability of biological control
  agents for weeds.

Cyphocleonus achates Knapweed Root Weevil
Eustenopus villosus Yellow starthistle hairy
weevil
Garden Areas
Office/Lab
Mecinus janthinus Toadflax stem weevil
Facility construction, funded through
USDC-Economic Development Administration Grant
funds
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• Program Goal
• Provide biocontrol technology transfer to
  landowners managers

Yellow starthistle Technology Transfer Workshop
participants Whitebird, Idaho June 2002
Cottonwood, ID ranchers (Cliff Murial Arnzen)
collect starthistle warriors near Lapwai, June
2001
Spotted knapweed Technology Transfer Workshop
participants Sandpoint, Idaho July 2002
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Traditional Root Gathering
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Everything is linked
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One with the Land
Native Americans have managed natural resources
for centuries
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Base Decisions on Looking Forward 7 Generations
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THANK YOU