Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Environmental Regulatory Enhancement (ERE) Project

Combatting the endemic problems of poverty and historical trauma is complicated, but Tribal communities already have a critical resource. Evidence shows that Native culture, including traditions, language, customs, spirituality, ceremony, connectedness, traditional games, traditional foods, Elders, ways of life, and values serve as protective and preventative factors for AI/AN and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) people.

AI/AN and NHPI community members use ANA grants to promote food and nutrition related programs, among other priority areas, within their communities each day. Check out some of ANA’s success stories making a valuable impact throughout our regions!

Project staff, Tori and Lindsey, standing in front of lab equipment to assist in DNA analysis that was purchased through this project.

The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde implemented an Environmental Regulatory Enhancement (ERE) project from 2015 to 2018 to create the capacity to efficiently measure tribal fish and wildlife resources so that sustainable harvest levels can be established, and the resource regulated and managed by the tribe for the benefit of its members.

Located in northwestern Oregon, the Grand Ronde reservation was established in 1857, consisting of 27 bands across 69,000 acres. However, with the termination of the government-to-government relationship with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde in 1954, the tribe not only lost a significant amount of land, but tribal members also lost their rights to hunt and fish on the reservation. The tribe regained recognition in 1983, restoring only 10,211 acres of reservation lands, which are currently managed for timber harvest, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Unfortunately, their recognition did not restore the hunting and fishing rights and only made small allowances for hatchery return fish and ceremonial hunts, neither of which are significant enough to allow tribal members to be self-sufficient or harvest traditionally.

Wildlife Management Plan (TWP), granting full management authority to the tribes of Grand Ronde for the 17 fish and wildlife species covered under the TWP. Improving access to fish and deer is a priority also held by tribal members, which is confirmed through community input meetings and membership surveys. Additionally, the Natural Resources Department (NRD) of the tribe works regularly with the membership each year on hunting and fishing and meets with the tribe’s Fish and Wildlife Committee. NRD staff also meet with members during state hatchery salmon distribution, and it is agreed that catching and harvesting fresh coho salmon and steelhead is a more culturally appropriate food source.

The tribe is confident that, through this project, they have set the stage to gain an accurate inventory of their fish and deer and work toward setting appropriate harvest limits and working with membership to exercise their sovereignty through traditional hunting and fishing methods.