ESRI Conservation Program Resources:

Native American, First Nation & Indigenous

(ECP and CTSP Grantees with year of grant, sites of interest for mapping/GIS, scholarly papers and ESRI Conference Proceedings.

(Legend: CTSP sites are coded "c" plus the year of the grant, (cs=software, cm=mac), ECP grantees are coded "e". Many groups, especially newer grantees, do not yet have their own sites and are colored green. Other new groups may be described or supported by other sites)

Aboriginal Mapping Network (Suite 202 1226 Hamilton Street Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6B 2S8 Phone: (604) 682-4141 Fax: (604) 682-1944 E-mail: feedback@nativemaps.org) "The Aboriginal Mapping Network Web site is a collection of resource pages to help share information throughout the aboriginal mapping community. It has a British Columbia focus, but is not limited to this geographic region." check out their MAPS page, their LINKS, their Mapping Showcase, discusses what Bioregional Mapping is and where it came from.

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians e96 (219 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262, email:aguacali@aguacaliente.org GIS Contact: Beth Wenstrom) "With the establishment of the Reservation in 1876, Agua Caliente now covers 32,000 acres across various desert townships and spans a complex mix of Tribal tracts and Indian allotments...GIS/GPS technology has become an important tool in managing, regulating, developing and protecting Tribal Resources.

Alaska Sea Otter Commission, Ak, e98 . (P.O. Box 83177, 505 W. Northern Lights Blvd. Suite 217 Anchorage, AK 99503 tel:907) 274-9799, or 1-800-474-4362 . GIS Contact: Lianna Jack email:asoc@alaska.net ) . "We are a statewide tribal consortium and considering creating a GIS of our biosampling data...TASSC began using GIS with a grant on ArcView 3.1 from ESRI's Environmental Conservation Program (ECP), September, 1998. Since then, it has successfully mapped: -Sample source and biosampler location from the Sea Otter Biosampling Program, -Small boat survey data, -Steller sea lion rookery and haulout locations, -Supporting organizations, and -Southeast local knowledge survey results....The Southeast Marine Mammal Commission, under contract with TASSC, is conducting a local knowledge sea otter distribution survey for Southeast Alaska. TASSC was asked to place the preliminary results in ArcView. Using a thematically mapped paper map as a guide, the different data points were assigned latitude/longitude locations in a Paradox database. The database was exported and brought into ArcView, where it was thematically mapped. Because the Southeast sea otter population was decimated many years ago, otters from other areas were transplanted. These areas and the varying number of transplanted otters were indicated on the final map layout. Also produced was a map showing the different survey areas for the Sitka Marine Mammal Commission....ArcView has been proven to be of great utility for TASSC. It's capabilities have provided new methods of working with data and information. New project ideas include: carcass surveys, MTRP harvest data, male/female areas, fishery interactions for sea otters and Steller sea lions, and marine mammal stranding events. The possibilities inherent in GIS have paved the way for new projects and offer an excellent method of communicating information. "

The Algonquins of Barriere Lake, Canada e97 ." One of ten Algonquin communities inhabiting the Ottawa River watershed along the border between the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. ..."By the late 1980's the combined effect of clear-cut logging, fluctuating water levels from the Reservoir operations and the depletion of fish and game by sports users caused the Algonquins of Barriere Lake to organize a peaceful campaign of protests and blockades against logging. The governments of Canada and Quebec responded by agreeing to sign the Trilateral Agreement which gives the Algonquins a decisive voice in resource management decisions within their traditional territory." GIS has been used to support the The Indigenous Knowledge Programme and generate a wide series of cultural and resources maps. see The Barriere Lake Trilateral Agreement by Claudia Notzke, University of Lethbridge.

American Indian Science & Engineering Society (5661 Airport Blvd. Boulder, CO 80301-2339 (303) 939-0023 phone (303) 939-8150 fax AISESHQ@spot.colorado.edu) "Through a variety of educational programs, AISES offers financial, academic and cultural support to American Indians and Alaska Natives from middle school through graduate school. AISES also trains teachers to work effectively with Native students and develops culturally appropriate curricula and publications. AISES builds partnerships with tribes, schools, other non-profit organizations, corporations, foundations and government agencies to realize its goals. "

Arctic Slope Native Association, Ltd., Ak c98 c99 . (P. O. Box 1232, Barrow, AK 99723-1232 tel:907-852-2762 fax:907-852-2763 GIS Contact: Isabel Franco, or Kathleen Dickinson, Land Director, 600 Third St., Suite 200 Fairbanks, AK 99701-3569 fax:907-457-2752 email:asna@polarnet.com . alternate url) "The Arctic Slope Native Association, Ltd., (ASNA) was formed in 1964 by the Eskimo leaders of Barrow in order to have a voice in the settlement of land issues in the State of Alaska. It was active in this mission until 1972 at which time the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope was formed. ASNA was dormant as an organization until 1991 when it was re-activated due to demands by the Inupiat people for self-determination. ASNA is a non-profit corporation recognized by the IRS as a 501 (c)(3) organization and our main mission is to provide self-determination for the Inupiat people of the Arctic Slope in all aspects of their lives....There is a lot of oil exploration activity on the North Slope and it is on the increase with the potential opening of NPRA. If this happens it will have a tremendous impact, economically and culturally, on the residents. Of particular concern is the potential disruption of species migration patterns, damage to the resources, reduced or denied access to subsistence resources and contamination of their land. We will track the activities of the oil companies and their impact on the subsistence lifestyle of the residents of the north slope and take the needed action to address such impacts. Various federal and state agencies are tasked with monitoring resources, but past experience has shown them to be rather ineffective at it. Likewise, the NSB has oversight of activities within this large borough but being a large bureaucracy and the heads of it being politically motivated, they often fall short of their mission. It is our goal to use our GIS system to educate our clients to effectively manage their Native lands and the natural resources in and around them. We are at the grass roots level, that is, our contact is with the individuals living on and using the land and as such we hear their concerns and can advocate on their behalf. We have informal "town meetings" in their villages several times a year, at which all sorts of issues are brought up and discussed. " GIS STATUS: "This grant has been very beneficial to my program, as a result of the equipment, software and training I am now able to generate maps showing the land ownership of various areas as they relate to geographic features. When we receive more habitat and subsistence data we will be able to use that data in monitoring the resources and the potential impacts of various activities occurring on the north slope. For example, our Natural Resources department is working on a project to evaluate the environmental concerns and risks related to the Manning Point and Kaktovik Lagoon drum caches, which are on former military sites. The scope of work for our project will be the collection and review of subsistence harvesting data, the actual contaminated sites and drum disposal area are being identified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. We will be incorporating the Corps data along with our data to ascertain possible contamination of the subsistence resources near these sites."

Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Odana WI e95 . (Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, P.O. Box 39, Odanah, WI 54861 Tel. 715/682-7111 Fax 715/682-7118 Alternate URL ) "The Bad River Chippewa Indian reservation expands over 123,000 acres and is the largest of the Chippewa reservations in Wisconsin. There are over 17 miles of Lake Superior shoreline and more than 100 miles of inland rivers and streams...The Kakagon and Bad River sloughs, 16,000 acres of high-quality Lake Superior wetlands, have been called Wisconsin's Everglades. It is from these sloughs that past generations of Chippewa have been able to sustain life through the harvesting of wild rice. "

Berkeley/Borneo Project, Berkeley CA e95 .(The Borneo Project of Earth Island Institute 1916 A Martin Luther King Jr. Way Berkeley, CA 94702 USA Telephone: (510)705-8987 FAX: (510)705-8988 E-mail: borneo@earthisland.org ) "The Borneo Project is a volunteer based non-profit organization using citizen diplomacy, outreach, direct assistance and cultural exchange to further indigenous rights and promote rainforest preservation in Borneo. ...Community-based Mapping: (A Community-based Mapping Workshop, Baram Region, Sararak) Maps are a powerful way to document traditional land claims. They can be used for both community resource planning and as evidence in legal disputes over land rights. As Jefferson Fox of the East West Center explains, "Maps are the most effective, legitimate and convincing means available to villagers for demonstrating to outsiders that they manage their natural resources and hence for proving land claims to their customary lands." The Borneo Project has been working with the Uma Bawang Resident's Association and Sabat Alam Malaysia (SAM or Friends of the Earth Malaysia) training indigenous communities how to survey and map their own lands. In mid 1995, we conducted a ten day workshop with the people of Uma Bawang and four other communities. We are now assisting the workshop participants as they teach other indigenous communities in Borneo how to survey, make and use maps as a tool to gain legal recognition of customary-held land.

Blackfeet Indian Nation (Agency Square, P.O. Box 850, Browning, MT, 59417, Tel (406)-338-3560, Fax: (406)338-7530 email: btbc@3river.net, GIS Department Director, Don Wilson) "The Blackfeet Tribe is made up of approximately 14,700 enrolled members. The population of the reservation is approximately 9,000, which consists of 7,500 enrolled members and 1,500 non-members....The reservation is made up of 1.5 million acres and is located in the northwestern part of Montana" Blackfeet Environmental Program . "The Blackfeet GIS Department provides a GIS to all Natural Resource Departments and other requesting departments of the Blackfeet Tribe. We are currently working with ArcInfo and ArcView, as well as Trimble GPS products. "

California Indian Basketweavers Association CA e97 (P.O. Box 2397, Nevada City, CA 95959 Phone: (530) 478-5660 fax: (530) 478-5662 . GIS Contact: Steve Nicola snicola@gv.net) "On public lands, CIBA has been active in trying to end the use of pesticides on national forests, which have resumed their use after a moratorium of several years. While some national forests choose not to use herbicides, others such as the Stanislaus, Eldorado and Sierra National Forests are carrying out plans to spray many thousands of acres. On tribal lands, the Hoopa Tribe banned pesticide use on the Hoopa Reservation in 1978. " GIS project: "To geographically depict data on locations of use of pesticides in California. For the last two years we have employed the serivices of a contractor to develop a database containing information on the locations of use of pesticides in northwestern California (Klamath River Watershed)...Maps, reports, graphs, and charts produced will aid our efforts to inform our constituents (California Indian basketweavers) where there may be at risk from pesticide exposure while gathering plants from forests and roadsides. We will also use the maps and other output to educate the public and policy makers as we seek to end pesticide use in the environment of California Indians. "

Cherokee Nation, Talequah OK e94 . ( P. O. Box 948 Tahlequah, OK 74465, tel:918-456-0671 email: rgallegos@cherokee.org ) "The mission of the government of the Cherokee Nation is to promote and sustain the self-reliance of its members...The mission of the Community Development Division is to administer housing, roads, water, sanitation and other environmentally related programs while maintaining cultural sensitivity in services delivery and promoting pride and responsibility of individual tribal members." nice LINKS PAGE . local maps .

Chippewa Cree Tribe, Box Elder MT e95. (Chippewa Cree Tribal Council - RR 1, Box 544 - Box Elder, MT 59521, Phone: (406) 395-4282, Fax: (406) 395-4497, Computer staff: Don Wetzel Jr. dwetz@wtp.net) "The Rocky Boy Reservation is home to the Chippewa Cree tribe. The Reservation is located in north central Montana in the Bear Paw Mountains." their MAPS page is a page of links to tribal maps of the area and the state.

Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, WA e95. ( P.O. Box 150 Nespelem, Washington 99155 Phone (800) 506-9434 Fax (509) 634-2864 E-mail: cct@televar.com . alternate url) "The 1.3 million acre (2,100 square miles) Colville Indian Reservation is located in the North Central section of Washington state... Although we have faced adversity time and time again, 125 years after our confinement to the Colville Indian Reservation, we are prevailing. We have recently developed an holistic approach to managing the diverse resources of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation including our Colville Indian people and the rich array of natural resources found on the reservation. Colville Tribal Holistic Management represents a blend of our cultural heritage and traditional ways with modern administrative practices that are helping us become a self-sustaining sovereign nation. " Don't Miss: Ecology of Colville Reservation Lakes . a partnership project with Washington State University ( Edmond Broch at:broch@wsu.edu) "This page was created to make ecological information on lakes of the Colville Reservation easily accessable and understandable to resource managers, fish and wildlife biologists, lake ecologists, and to those interested in lakes as beautiful and exciting environments.. " It includes a fish database, and lakes indes. Don't miss their MAP of the reservation lands and resource management units .

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Pablo MT e95. ( Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes, Box 278, 53253 Highway 93 W. Pablo, Montana 59855 (406) 883-5344 - FAX (406) 675-0260 email: vvcap@sisna.com GIS Contact: Dave Delsordo, GIS Analyst, Forestry Department email:infotech@ronan.net) "Covering almost 620,000 acres of western most Montana, near the border with Idaho's panhandle lies the Flathead Reservation. This land is home two two separate tribes that function as a single unit. This is the home of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes as they are officially named." The Peoples Center handles reservation museum and tours (mailto:tours@peoplescenter.org). the Salish Kootenai College sponsors an actively growing GIS program and teaches GIS in its environmental science department.

Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation, Pendleton OR e95 (Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation PO Box 638 Pendleton, Oregon 97801, Phone: (541) 276-3165, FAX: (541) 276-3095) email: croswell@ucinet.com ) "Once numbering over 8,000 strong (prior to European contact), the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation ( CTUIR) now have 1,900 enrolled members, of which two-thirds live on or near the Umatilla Reservation. Located just outside of Pendleton, Oregon, the reservation is also home to another 1000 Indians from other tribes such as the Yakama, Warm Springs and Nez Perce, as well as to nearly 1700 non-Indians. "Waykaanashmíyay Nisháycht ("Home for the Salmon") is a non-profit educational campaign launched in May 1998 to establish a grassroots network of individuals, communities, and organizations whose mission is to restore natural salmon runs in the Columbia River Basin. Our aim is to restore salmon by reviving rivers--linking our traditional respect for the circle of life with the scientific recognition that salmon need healthy ecosystems in order to thrive. The effort is being led by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), which is based near Pendleton, Oregon." Also see: The Umatilla River Fisheries Restoration Program . Non-Indians and Indians fish for salmon in Umatilla River . Tribes win victory in salmon recovery battle

Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, OR e93 . (1233 Veteran Street, P.O. Box C, Warm Springs, OR 97761 tel:541-553-1161 Fax:541-553-1924 GIS Contact: Eric Brandt) "Warm Springs is an Indian reservation that encompasses almost 1,000 square miles on the western slope of the Cascade Range. These lands are home to over 3,000 members of three tribes which form The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon." Tribal GIS PROGRAM: "In 1991, the Office of Information Systems assisted the Natural Resources branch of the Tribal in setting up a GIS Center. This system uses ArcInfo from ESRI to build and maintain a database of maps and information pertaining to locations. It is a very important tool in management of natural resource areas like agriculture, land use, forestry, fish, and game...and Integrated Resource Management Planning...The IRMP plan required a data inventory and collection effort involving development of more than 40 data layers. These layers included roads, streams, timber, species composition, wildlife habitats and other attributes. Without the GIS, the analysis needed to formulate plan alternatives in a timely way for such a large and complex area would have been extremely difficult. Preparation of associated maps and tabular reports for public review would not have been cost-effective. But perhaps most importantly, cost retreival for the GIS-based planning effort is possible because the plan is now a "living" thing, rather than a one-time-only paper study."(see article below). . see the EPA report on tribal environmental programs . Warm Springs Community page . Tribal Museum .

Council of the Haida Nation, Haida Gwaii CANADA e95 .(PO Box 589 Masset BC V0T 1M0 CANADA, Phone: (250) 626-5252 Fax: (250) 626-3403 ) Connecting Corridors, an article (with maps!) on forest fragmentation on Haida Gwaii, from Spruce Roots: a monthly journal providing perspectives and promoting discussion on issues that affect Haida Gwaii. See their article on some of their first Sattellite images: "Sattellite Views give me the Haida Gwaii Blues" . "Haida Gwaii's landscape parallels the exploitation of forests globally - it is happening everywhere. Fortunately opportunities still exist here to explore options - options that may involve examining our social connections to the land. All it takes is a walk on the Louise Dover Trail located across the road from the Sandspit harbour. A visit to this easily accessed old growth forest offers individuals an opportunity to take a long hard look at where we are going with the forests on Haida Gwaii." Also, Don't Miss their: Giving The Land A Voice - mapping our home places (Book review: Edited by Sheila Harrington Contributing authors - Doug Aberley, Michael Dunn, Malcolm Penn Published by: Salt Spring Island Community Services Society 268 Fulford-Ganges Road, Salt Spring Island, BC V8K 2K6 - phone 604-537-9971 - fax 604-537-9974) "This book assists individuals and community groups to map the habitats and species found on the land, in addition to the historical and current human interactions with the land. By recording and mapping, what has previously occurred and what is here now, we can adapt and develop plans for the future of both human and non-human sustainability."

Cultural Survival, MA e92 . (Cultural Survival 96 Mount Auburn Street Cambridge, MA 02138, Tel: 617-441-5400, Fax: 617-441-5417, E-mail: csinc@cs.org) "Cultural Survival, founded in 1972, helps indigenous peoples and ethnic groups deal as equals in their relations with national and international societies." see their ITURI FOREST PEOPLES FUND and MAASAI ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE COALITION . See also: "The Program on Nonviolent Sanctions and Cultural Survival (PONSACS) at the Center for International Affairs at Harvard University uses one of the few early-warning database systems existing in the world today. PONSACS is working to establish regional research sites that will focus on four approaches to conflict: computer-based, conflict event monitoring; conflict analysis through anthropology and other social science methods; mapping and land-use data gathering and analysis; and conflict management through dialogues and training." also see: Guyana Information Update from the Forest Peoples Programme "In an attempt to address the problems caused by the miners and their lack of land security, the communities organised themselves into the Upper Mazaruni District Council and sought support from the Amerindian Peoples Association, Guyana's primary Indigenous organisation. In 1994, they decided to seek legal advice and to seek funding to conduct a community-based mapping project that would map their village and 1959 District boundaries and their use of resources." Don't Miss the Culture Survival Quarterly special "Native Geomatics" issue (Winter 1994 (18.4))

Dine C.A.R.E. , Shiprock , NM e95 . Diné C.A.R.E.- Citizens Against Ruining Our Environment:, (10A Town Plaza Suite 138, Durango, CO 81301 Phone: 970 259-0199 mailto:dinecare@cnetco.com) . "Based on traditional Navajo values of caring for and living in harmony with the earth, we formed in 1988 to oppose toxic waste dumping on Navajo lands. Navajo grassroots environmental and traditional preservationist group. Dine CARE is a Navajo environmental organization whose main mission is the empowerment of local and traditional people to defend their natural heritage. Our purpose is to ensure the survival of the Navajo people." GIS PROGRAM and SAMPLE MAPS: "Our Sanostee project involves working with the Sanostee community developing a restoration plan on a portion of the Navajo Forest heavily utilized with little environmental mitigation. This project serves as a pilot for larger projects on the 600,000 acre Navajo Forest. Since 1991, Dine' CARE has sought to defend the forests of the Chuska Mountains and Defiance Plateau, located in the heart of the Navajo Nation along the northern Arizona-New Mexico border, from the adverse effects of over 100 years of unmitigated timber cutting." . see also their GIS and Uranium draft study . "The Navajo Nation was and still suffers from the effects of radiation exposure. From the 1940's through the 1970s, hundreds of uranium mines were opened throughout the Navajo Nation. In a patriotic fervor, uranium ore was intensively mined and resulted in Diné (Navajo) men and their families to be exposed to lethal doses of radiation without knowledge or consent...Dine' CARE proposes a project to utilize GIS or geographic information systems for identification and proving that many Navajos were adversely affected by mining and testing activities....One example might investigate kidney problems that cluster in a certain location. They might occur in area where the geology is both porous and unstable, the soil is highly erodable but not easily saturated, rainfall above 14 inches per year and groundwater not more then 30 feet. Why did kidney problems cluster in this area? Is it because the main drinking well is only 30 feet deep or are the unstable tailings piles 6,500 feet to the northeast causing problems? Add data on prevailing winds. GIS is a good way to combine mixed spatial data to investigate exposure scenarios. Is exposure through from the air (unstable tailings) or injested (contaminated water supply)? Did people in these clusters work in a certain mine? Exposure models and results can then be used to create maps, charts and graphs. With the data and analysis this project generates we will be able to demonstrate exposure models. This will assist to update RECA and provide assistance to people formerly neglected by the act."

Ecotrust Canada (Ecotrust Canada Suite 420 1122 Mainland Street Vancouver, BC Canada V6B 5L1 Phone: (604) 682-4141, Fax: (604) 682-1944 E-mail: info@ecotrustcan.com GIS Contact: David Carruthers) Ecotrust Canada is a private, non-profit organization developing creative and innovative approaches to conservation-based development in the coastal temperate rain forests of British Columbia. We are sharing our knowledge and data through Geographic Information Systems training programs with First Nations and other community groups. In order to reduce duplication, to avoid the inherent problems of working in isolation, and to create synergy among First Nations GIS departments, Ecotrust Canada is partnering with various First Nations communities to lay the foundation for a First Nations GIS network..."Including Local and Traditional Knowledge in the GIS Environment Many believe that the inclusion of local and traditional knowledge into the planning process is a necessary and positive step forward. Through our mapping training, we have assisted many First Nations to include local knowledge in mapping, such as using native fonts to put traditional place names on maps, and to enter data based on oral histories. In all cases, Ecotrust Canada respects the issues of sensitivity and ownership of local and traditional knowledge. "

Forest County Potawatomi Community, Crandon , WI e94 .(Forest County Potawatomi, P.O. Box 340, Crandon WI 54520 Tel. 715/478-2903 Fax 715.478-5280 ) The Forest County Potawatomi Reservation contains approximately 12,000 acres...Currently, the Potawatomi Tribe consists of approximately 980 tribal members, of which about half reside on or near the reservation. see also the Georgetown-Ridge Farm School District #4 report on the Potawatomi .

Gila River Tribe, CA, e98 .

Ho Chunk Nation (also known as Winnebago) (Planning and Development Division, P.O. Box 667, Black River Falls, WI 54615 phone: (715) 284-9343 fax: (715) 284-4291 e-mail: cstraight@ho-chunk.com . Lands/GIS Dept. (715) 284-2852 (800) 944-1652 fax: (715) 284-5884) (see GIS Implementation in Wisconsin Winnebago Nation article below) Currently near completion of a new G.I.S. System Assessment -- "assess the Nation's geographic information system and make recommendations for improved effectiveness, including accessibility by other Tribal programs." Land use plans and a Land Development Procedural Handbook have also been completed with support from the GIS.

Hoh Indian Tribe, WA, e98 (2464 Lower Hoh Road, Forksm WA, 98331 tel:(360)374-6582) GIS PROGRAM: "The Tribe's goal is to continue the development of a basic GIS to support its watershed monitoring and restoration projects. Besides completing the ongoing floodplain mapping project, other anticipated applications include a survey of basin wetlands to update the National Wetlands Inventory, automation of salmon and steelhead spawner survey data to facilitate calculation of escapement goals, location of streamside monitoring sites for an ongoing study of the impacts of timber harvest on stream temperature, and a study of channel migration for planning the location of stream restoration and bank stabilization projects. Ultimately, by assuming the stewardship of its own spatial data, the Tribe will be in a stronger position to monitor and protect the fisheries resource upon which its people have always depended." see Hoh River Floodplain Inventory: Integrating GIS and GPS To Redefine Floodplain Management, by Kim Taylor and Jill Silver, E-mail: ktaylor@olypen.com . "This project used GPS and GIS technology to document floodplain habitats along the Hoh River. The data will be used to update State maps, identify degraded areas, and develop restoration strategies. "

Hoopa Tribe, CA, e91 .

Hopi Tribe, Kykotsmovi , AZ e96 .(P.O. Box 123 Kykotsmovi, Arizona 86039 tel:(520) 734-3000 fax:(520) 734-2435) "The Hopi Reservation constitutes approximately 1,542,306 acres in northeastern Arizona." Official Hopi Cultural Preservation Office ((520)734-2244, 734-3750): see their MAP of the reservation . the Hopi Information Network : "free web-base Hopi information news and retrieval service. Our site is a focal point of Hopi related web links cataloged, archived, and presented to you for your information." Other good Hopi sites include: HOPI: The Real Thing and the Peaceful People site .

Indigenous Environmental Network . ( P.O.Box 485 Bemidji, MN 56601 Ph.(218)751-4967, Fax (218)751-0561 mailto:ien@igc.apc.org) "The Indigenous Environmental Network is an alliance of grassroots indigenous peoples whose mission is to protect the sacredness of Mother Earth from contamination and exploitation by strengthening maintaining and respecting the traditional teachings and the natural laws. " Their projects and campaigns cover many areas, including: Tribal Environmental and Natural Resource Management, Tourism and Recreation Pollution, Toxic Landfills & Illegal Dumping In Native Lands, Toxic Incinerators, Chemical Run-Off From Agricultural Activities, Toxic Producing Industries and Companies, Air Pollution, Water Quality and Water Protection, Clearcutting Of Forests, Mining, Nuclear, Leaking Underground Storage (and Above Ground) Tanks, Tribal Histories, Environmental Code of Ethics; Alliance Building with the Non-Indigenous Community: " The Indigenous Environmental Network has popularized a new angle on Native sovereignty that includes appropriate technology and the defense of natural resources, it has also introduced a new angle on environmentalism that includes supporting the survival of endangered cultures, and putting the protection of nature in a larger social, cultural and economic context. Some tribes try to make convenient use of political sovereignty by shirking their responsibility to take of the land as U.S. environmental laws say they should. IEN Alaska regional chair David Harrison says, "It doesn't do you any good to be sovereign over land if you can't live off it." Their alliance building principles are: -Ecological Integrity, -Participatory Democracy, -Local Automony, -Respect for Each Other and Diversity, -Collective and Individual Empowerment, -Walking your Talk, -Honesty . Don't miss their MAP: "Some Existing or Proposed Threats fo Native Lands in Western North America" nice LINKS PAGE .

Innovative GIS Solutions, Longmont CO e90 .(2000 So. College Ave. Suite 300, Ft. Collins, CO, 80525, Phone: (970) 490 5900 Fax: (970) 490 2300 . email: igis@innovativegis.com . Jhon Goes In Center, Native Business Advisor, mailto:jgic@innovativegis.com or David J. Buckley, Corporate GIS Solutions Manager, mailto:dbuckley@pacificmeridian.com ) The only US GIS consulting firm founded by and presided over by a Native American. , technological innovator in advanced landscape analysis. Now a part of Pacific Meridian Resources as their Colorado Office.

Intertribal GIS Council, White River AZ e93 .( Intertribal GIS Council Office, 29 S.E. Court Suite #215, P.O. Box 1937, Pendleton, Oregon 97801 Phone: (541) 966-9097 Fax: (541) 966-6010 email: igc@itgisc.org . Chairman: William D. Northover (Yakama Nation) tel:(541) 278-5244) "The Itertribal GIS Council (IGC) is a national Native non-profit organization dedicated wholly to promoting tribal self-determination by improving management of geographic information and building intertribal communications networks. The IGC was established in 1993 to educate Native people and tribal organizations about the many applications of spatial data technology and to promote successful use of Geographic Information System (GIS) for effective management of native land and associated natural, human, and cultural resource values.Key goals of the IGC include the following: 1.Promote the successful and appropriate use of GIS and related technologies; 2.build cooperation and partnerships among Native people and organizations; 3.facilitate coordination and exchange of technical inforamtion; 4.Educate tribal members and staff about spatial data technologies. "

Karuk Tribe, CA, e98 .

Kickapoo Tribe KS e98 .

Los Coyotes Band of Indians, CA, e98 .

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, Inc. Canada e98 .

Manzanita Band of Mission Indians CA e98 .

Menominee Tribal Forestry, e98 .

National Park Service Tribal Heritage Preservation Program. .(Tribal Preservation Program, Heritage Preservation Services, National Park Service, 1849 C street, NW, NC330, Washington, DC. 20240 Contact: Ronnie Emery at (202) 343-4280; fax (202) 343-3921 e-mail: hps-info@nps.gov ) . see: Tribal Historic Preservation Offices . "In 1996 the national historic preservation program entered a new era, as fourteen Indian tribes were approved by NPS to assume national program responsibilities on tribal lands, pursuant to Section 101(d) of the National Historic Preservation Act. Among the responsibilities assumed by these tribes are conducting historic property surveys, maintaining permanent inventories of historic properties, nominating properties to the National Register of Historic Places, and reviewing Federal agency undertakings pursuant to Section 106 of the Act." See also their: NATIVE AMERICAN CONSULTATION DATABASE . "The Native American Consultation Database is an easy way to identify a current contact for each Indian tribe, Alaska Native corporation, and Native Hawaiian organization. Information obtained from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Indian Claims Commission, and directly from tribal leaders is available for all 771 Federally recognized Indian tribes (including Alaska Native villages), Alaska Native corporations, and Native Hawaiian organizations. The database can be searched for contact names by entering the name of a tribe or reservation, the name of a particular state or county, or the name of a Federal administrative unit" . Indian Reservations in the Continental United States ONLINE MAP . Dont miss their National Tribal Websites and Links page .

National Park Service Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation (NAGPRA) . (National Park Service, Archeology & Ethnography Program, 1849 C Street, N.W., NC340, Washington, DC 20240; telephone 202-343-8161/1095; fax 202-343-5260; or email dca@nps.gov, contact: Laura Mahoney ) Among it's NAGPRA duties, the NPS has also developed a national online database, the National Archeological Database (NADB), NAGPRA module. It includes information on official tribe, organization and federal agency contacts, and copies of required Federal Register notices;

Native Americans and the Environment, Center for Conservation Biology, Rice University . (135 Anderson Laboratories, 6100 Main Street, MS 170, Houston, Texas 77005 tel:(713) 285-5480 email:about@conbio.rice.edu . Author: Dr Alx Dark alxdark@altavista.net) "This is a non-profit project: 1) to promote education and research on environmental problems facing Native American communities; 2) to explore the values and historical experiences that Native Americans bring to bear on environmental issues; and 3) to promote conservation measures that respect Native American land and resource rights. You will find thousands of Internet and published resources described and catalogued at this site. " For best results, do a search of the site using "gis " as your target, quoted with a space after gis. Don't Miss: Tribal Environmental and Natural Resource Assistance Handbook . (Please note that this is the original, free source site for "Native Americans and the Environment": the copy of this content that appears on the American Indian Heritage Foundation site was taken without permission 4 years ago and has not been removed despite repeated requests from the author Dr. Dark.)

Native Americans at Princeton . (email naap@phoenix.princeton.edu) "Native Americans at Princeton is a student organization/support group for students comprised of Native Hawaiian, American Indian, and Native Alaskan members. Currently, American Indians and Native Hawaiians constitute 0.5 percent of the Princeton student body." . Don't miss their excellent .Native American Links Page .

Native American Fish & Wildlife Society e97 (750 Burbank St., Broomfield, Colorado 80020 (303) 466-1725 Fax: (303) 466-5414 ) "The Society has evolved into a dynamic organization that represents professional biologists, natural resource managers, technicians, and conservation law enforcement officers. The Society strives to be responsive to the emerging needs of political and technical decision-makers. In addition, the Society shares educational, legislative, bio-technical, economic, legal, fiscal, and enforcement programs to help form a progressive agenda of tribal management pursuits."

NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN RESOURCES (by Paula Giese, 515 West 25th Street Minneapolis, Minnesota, US 55405 tel:612/872-2352 mailto:pgiese@gold.tc.umn.edu) . "This site was created in 1995 by Paula Giese and is maintained by her. Courtesy of the Fond du lac Tribal Community College, it has a server home to run on, which I otherwise could not afford....Its purpose is to provide cultural and educational material from many tribal backgrounds for Indian educators, students -- at all age levels -- and schools. Webmistress is responsive to needs for developing such material expressed by Indian educators." see: NATIVE MAPS: GIS Windows on Native Lands, Current Places, and History: Nice collection of maps here including: Pre-contact culture areas of North America, Canadian Treaties, Royal Proclamation of 1763, Canadian First Nations Bands by Province listings, Saskatchewan Elders, Environmental Threats to Native Lands of North America, Pre-contact map of Woodland Tribes culture area, Page of Canadian maps, Arctic maps, U.S. State Native American Populations, US MAP WINDOW INDEX, Minnesota Reservations, ALASKA Tribes, California tribes, and many others.

Native GIS: GIS and Indigenous Knowledge . (by Paul Neto mailto:pneto@sympatico.ca AND Paula Neto mailto:pneto@sympatico.ca). "Paul Neto is a 1995 graduate from University of Waterloo's Environmental Studies, Geography Department program; focus being on GIS and remote sensing. Paula Neto, graduating from Waterloo's Environment and Resource Studies program, conducted her Senior Honours Thesis on the "Use and training of GIS in Native Community Management...The mission of this page is provide a site on the WWW for the display, communication and exchange of information on the use of Geographic Information Systems within the Native/Aboriginal community in Canada, the United States and the world. The content of these pages will vary greatly, ranging to include GIS success stories: (Eagle Project, Gwich'in Geographic Information Program, Abenaki's USA Project, Shuswap Nation GIS, Pueblo of Jemez Los Alamos Pueblo Project (LAPP)) . GIS horror stories, relevant issues, projects, products and individuals comments and views. " Native Hawaiian Mapping: Nice MAP showing ahupua`a boundary lines and place names, revised to better reflect traditional cultural and modern ecological boundaries. Excellent LINKS PAGE .

Native Peoples/Native Homelands Climate Change Project ( 700 4th Street SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 Ph: (505) 242-3351 Fax: (505) 243-9115 e-mail: vernat@swcp.com ) "The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) is initiating a national assessment of the potential consequences of climate variability and change for the United States and the significance of these consquences for its people, its environment and its economy...This national workshop will bring together First Nations leaders, tribal governments, traditional elders, educators and scholars and other Native representatives to provide a First Nations historical perspective and response to the current Euro-western, non-Native scientific and academic observations and research regarding global climate change. "

NATIVE PEOPLES OF THE SOUTHWEST University of Arizona Map Site .

NativeWeb . (Founder & President: Marc Becker, Dept. of History, Truman State University, 100 East Normal Street, Kirksville, Missouri 63501 Telephone: (660) 785-4000 . email: mailto:feedback@nativeweb.org) "Search here for information on Nations/Peoples worldwide, arranged in alphabetical order." Detailed coverage of latin american indigenous struggles .

Navajo Nation, Gallup, NM e98 e99 . (Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency, P. O. Box 339, Window Rock, AZ 86515 . tel:(520) 871-7690 EMAIL: nnepa.h2oquality@juno.com . GIS Contact: M. C. Baldwin, GIS-Systems Analyst, NNEPA/Water Quality Program email:mcb4gis@juno.com tel:(520)871-7690 Indian Health Service GIS Contact: Nancy Bill, Navajo Area Office Indian Health Service, tel:(520)871-1335 ) email: nbill@navajo.ihs.gov "The largest Indian Tribe and Indian Nation in North America. GIS PROGRAM: "The purpose of the Navajo Nation Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Task Force is to study and analyze issues relating to GIS technology and information within the Navajo Nation. Pursuant to directive of Navajo Nation President Kelsye A. Begaye, the GIS Task Force is charged with the responsibility of developing recommendations for the Office of the President, to make existing GIS data readily available to the Navajo Chapter governments to facilitate the local land use planning process. " Check out their 1999 GIS DAY page . also see their MAPS page .

Nez Perce Tribe, Lapwai , ID e94 . (P.O. Box 365, Lapwai, ID 83540 tel:(208) 843-2253) See also Univ. Idaho Nez Perce site: "This document is meant to inform non-Indians about the Nez Perce culture. I hope you find it informative as well." see also alternate Nez Perce site .

Oglala Sioux Tribe, Pine Ridge , SD e95 .(Oglala Sioux Tribe Natural Resouce Regulatory Agency, P.O. Box 320, Pine Ridge, SD 57770 tel:605-867-5624 fax:605-867-5659 GIS contact: Kim Clausen) Oglala Lakota College... Sioux Map of 1868 (50k) Very good color map showing the reservation boundaries in 1868. History of Sioux (Lakota ) Tribe. GIS Program: Badlands Bombing Range Project: "The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting cleanup activities at the Former Badlands Bombing Range in South Dakota. The range straddles two counties and resides within the boundaries of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, home of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. The need to balance the concerns of the Native American community with the technical requirements of the restoration process is an essential part of this project. A RAB (Restoration Advisory Boards) was established in 1995 to address these considerations and includes representatives of DoD, the Oglala Sioux Tribe, the National Park Service, and the state. The RAB is credited with building the community's trust in the cleanup process."

Oneida Indian Nation of New York, Oneida , NY e95 . (tel:315-361-7940 contact: Dan Umstead at umstead@oneida-nation.org) "The Oneida Indian Nation, one of the original members of the Iroquois Confederacy, enjoys a unique role in America's history having supported the Colonies in the struggle for independence from England. The Nation exists as a sovereign political unit which predates the Constitution of the United States....(We are) the first American Indian nation in the United States to establish a World Wide Web site and utilize this innovative technology"....Map Location of the Oneida Indian Nation Territory. 1788 Map of Oneida Aboriginal Lands .

Oneida Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, Oneida , WI e95 .(tribal museum:W 892 EE Road, DePere, WI 54115 web contact: Jeff Lindsay , email: mailto:jlindsay@athenet.net) ..".unofficial effort to provide basic information about a Native American group near my town of Appleton, Wisconsin...Although their original homelands were in the area of New York, the Oneida Nation is scattered today in several parts of North America (Wisconsin, New York, and Canada)...There are over 12,000 registered tribal members in Wisconsin, about 1,700 in Canada and perhaps less than 500 in New York. "

Oregon State University Extension Dept: nice tribal links page .

Pala Band of Mission Indians, CA, e98 .

Pueblo of Jemez, NM, e98 . (Department of Resource Protection, PO Box 100, Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico, USA 87024 Phone (505) 834-7459; Pueblo Fax (505) 834-7697, Albuquerque Office Fax (505) 293-5173 . GIS Contact: William J. Whatley, Tribal Archaeologist, Preservation Officer and Director of the Department of Resource Protection, E-Mail at quasho@nmia.com) "The mission of the Pueblo of Jemez Department of Resource Protection is to support Tribal Leaders in the management, monitoring and protection of lands and resources that are of significance and concern to the People of the Pueblo of Jemez, and; to do so in a manner that complements, respects and defends Traditional Jemez Culture." NICE Imagery on their home page . Check out their Area Map . . GIS PROGRAM: "In May of 1996, the Pueblo of Jemez Department of Resource Protection (DRP) formally activated its "Geographical Information Management System" through cooperative assistance gratiously provided by the United States Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Systems Research, Inc. (ESRI), and Trimble Navigation. Prior to such activation, approximately eight months were spent conducting a "needs analysis" and "feasibility study", both of which involved not only the examination of GIS "success stories", but also the examination of "failed" GIS undertakings. It was from the later that the most valuable lessons were learned, including the fact that a GIS platform, no matter how extensive or expensive, is not worth the metal/plastic it is made from if it is not equipped with an "operational database". In addition, it soon became evident that "not all data is created equal", and, that it is imperative that one know in advance whether ones expected need is going to be "micro" or "macro" in nature. For example, DRP discovered numerous Tribal and non-Tribal GIS platforms that were sitting idle solely because the only data they had to operate from was the sample data that came with the GIS software, or, was commercial or government data produced at a 1:500,000 scale for use in national/regional analyses (visualize trying to overlay data obtained from a world or national map on to a map that has a six-inch pixel accuracy)...Today, DRP has produced over seventy new ArcView "themes", each with an associated operational database and all with micro-scaled integrity that permits detailed land management using a GIS. In most cases, accuracy ranges from eight inches to no more than three feet of error in terms of the X/Y plane. Because the operational database was created by DRP from "ground zero", DRP know's every single weak point in the data-set. "

Pueblo of Picuris, NM, e98 .

Pueblo of Santa Ana, NM, e97 .

Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah , WA e95 . (Quinault Indian Nation, P.O. Box 189 Taholah, WA 98587-0189 . Quinault Natural Resources Dept: tel:360/276-8211 ext. 279 ) "The Quinault Indian Nation (QIN) consists of the Quinault and Queets tribes and descendants of five other coastal tribes: the Hoh, Quileute, Chehalis, Chinook, and the Cowlitz...Quinault Vicinity Map

Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewas, Bayfield, WI e95 . (P.O. Box 529 Bayfield WI 54814 Tel. 715/779-3700 Fax 715/779-3704 . alternate site )The Red Cliff Tribe descended from the Madeline Island Chippewa Tribe.

Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe NY e98 . (RR #1, Box 8A, Hogansburg, New York 13655 tel:518-358-2272 . Environment Division, tel:518-358-5937, or FAX 518-358-6252 . email: earth@northnet.org . GIS Contact: Aimee Mitchell) "The Mohawk Territory, which started out as a tiny village, is a truly international community which is home to approximately 10,000 people" see MAP . Located in northern-most New York State and literally bisected by the United States-Canada Border, the present territory, called Akwesasne, a Mohawk word for Land Where the Partridge Drums is divided into two separate federally recognized jurisdictions, The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe and the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, and one traditional governing body encompassing all of Akwesasne, the Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs. GIS PROGRAM includes: the Sturgeon project, Wetlands Monitoring, Water Quality, Solid Waste, Salmon projects, and general tasks like: create reservation maps; cultural resource identification; display and track leases, land claims and land records; assess natural resource damages; and explore economic development opportunities. . Don't Miss: St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Environment Division Utilizes GIS System to Improve Environmental Quality (By Lawrence Swamp). "The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Environment Division's GIS program is entering its third year. The program has collected over 200 layers of geographic data for Akwesasne, northern New York, and Canada. These data are used to display sampling site locations and results, buildings and cultural features are placed into the Marplot portion of Cameo-Aloha plume dispersal modeling software for hazardous materials spill response. A topographically correct tabletop model of the eastern portion of the reservation was created with the help of high school interns and GIS to practice hazardous materials response scenarios. The program presently uses ArcInfo 7.2.1, ArcView 3.1, and Spatial Analyst software and Trimble Global Positioning System(GPS) equipment. The Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) Conservation program has assisted the program by granting software and training and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Geographic Data Service center provides training and technical support. In addition, the SRMT is a member of the Intertribal GIS Council. "

Save Ward Valley, Needles , CA e95 .(107 F St. Needles, CA 92363 ph. 760/326-6267 fax 760/326-6268) "Save Ward Valley is sponsored by the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe. The newsletter publishes updates and information about a plan to bury nuclear waste in unlined trenches in Ward Valley, California. We also publicize events that give the public an opportunity to express their opposition to this dangerous plan. Ward Valley is only 18 miles from the Colorado River, above an untapped aquifer, in the midst of critical habitat for the threatened desert tortoise, and on land that is sacred to local Native American Tribes. The Colorado River provides agricultural water and drinking water for 22 million people in California, Arizona, and Mexico. see Tritium levels higher than normal at Beatty nuclear waste dump: "A map in the new report shows tritium levels in shallow soils decrease with distance from the dump, an indication contamination is migrating from its southwest corner. " See also: Ward Valley: Sacred Homeland, Critical Habitat for a Threatened Species or Nuclear Waste Dump? (by Philip M. Klasky, a writer, teacher and co-director of the Bay Area Nuclear (BAN) Waste Coalition. For more information on how you can help protect Ward Valley call (415)752-8678, or (415)868-2146. ) "Ward Valley is a wide tilting valley in the southeast corner of California's east Mojave Desert. The proposed dump site is surrounded by eight wilderness areas and in the midst of critical habitat for the threatened desert tortoise (Gupherus agassizii). Nearby are the pristine golden canyons and cave paintings of the Old Woman Mountains. To the east, the foothills of the Stepladder Mountains are covered in a forest of cholla cactus. Ward Valley is home to golden eagles and red-tailed hawks, sidewinders and tortoises, song birds and coyotes, jack rabbits and kit fox. In the Spring and Fall, wildflowers carpet the ground with chicory, sunflower and dandelions. Smoke tree and screwbean mesquite line the washes and during monsoon showers, a wall of water six feet high can speed down the water courses. America's nuclear power industry, anxious to rid itself of the long-lived and highly dangerous radioactive wastes at their power plant sites, has launched a political campaign to open a national dump site at Ward Valley.....The Pipa Aha Macav, People Along the River (Mojave/Mohave) and the Nuwuvi, The People (Chemehuevi) peoples, whose traditional territory surround and include Ward Valley, have a profound and solemn relationship with the land and the natural landscape. Their Birds Songs are oral maps used to describe the location of resources in relation to seasons and landmarks in aboriginal times when successful travel was dependent upon the availability of food and water. Migratory birds described in the songs in association with a particular place indicated the best season in which to travel there. The songs tell creation stories, recount historic travels, traditional lore and cultural lessons. The Bird Songs are also used in ceremonies and special events. " . alternate site . See also: Greenaction Ward Valley Campaign .

Seneca Nation of Indians, NY e98 . () "Currently, the Seneca Nation does not have a comprehensive inventory of the above resources or the database required to effectively plan for these types of land management issues. A geographical Information Display System (GIS) will provide the Nation with the latest technology for both land and resource planning. ...Similarly, communication between reservation residents and those responsible for planning decisions can be improved through a better understanding of land use objectives and limitations. In addition, the GIS will assist the Nation in identifying available natural resources, economic development opportunities, and potential problems that may be encountered during constructive development. "

Secwepemc People (Shuswap Nation) (355 Yellowhead Highway, Kamloops, B.C. CANADA, V2H 1H1 Phone (250)828-9775/Fax (250)372-1127 e-mail:exec@secwepemc.org GIS Contact: email: rdiabo@jetstream.net) "a Nation of 17 bands occupying the south-central part of the Province of British Columbia, Canada. The ancestors of the Secwepemc people have lived in the interior of British Columbia for at least 10,000 years...Traditional Shuswap territory covers approximately 145,000 square kilometers (56,000 square miles). " see their Map .

Squamish Nation Canada . (Box 42 Squamish, BC V0N 3G0, Tel: 892-5166 Fax: 892-3486) see article below: GIS Implementation at the Squamish Nation

The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community WA .

Taos Pueblo, Nm . (PO Box 1846, Taos, New Mexico, 87571 tel:(505) 751-4601 Tammie L. Mirabal, 505-776-1172 or email at mirabal@laplaza.org) . "Initially, the staff was introduced to GIS in the Summer of 1996. Jeff Toomey from the NNMCC Drafting Dept. taught a six week course in GIS using ArcView. ArcView is the software used to manipulate GIS and GPS data. ArcView software is a powerful, desktop GIS that allows the user to explore, visualize, query, and analyze data spatially....Tammie has been designated to undertake the responsibility of establishing a comprehensive GIS/GPS program as a tool to manage our historical database. She has made several contacts within the region and the state to assist in this development. Unfortunately, with any new technology ~ there is the need for funding. The hardware, software, and data sources needed to produce sophisticated maps are extremely expensive. We intend to continue to write proposals to include the GIS portion of building tribal capacity in the environmental field."

Tribal Environmental Law Project, Northern Plains Indian Law Center, University of North Dakota School of Law . The mission of the Tribal Environmental Law Project is to confront "environmental injustice" in Indian Country.

Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, CA, e98 .

Wampanoag Tribe Gay Head MA , e98 .

Yurok Tribe, CA, e98 . (gis contact: Tony O'Rourke)

Zuni Conservation Project, NM, e98 . (Zuni Cooperative Extension P.O. Drawer G, Zuni, NM 87327 phone: (505)782-4495/4491 Fax: (505)782-4496 email: zuni@nmsu.edu )

GIS Implementation in Wisconsin Winnebago Nation (1995 Paper, HE, PING, Ph.D) (Editor's note: the Winnebago call themselves by their self name, the Ho Chunk nation, and request that others use this name as well)..."The integration of technology with cultural concerns on an early stage of setting up, involving the Winnebago people in training and using existing sources to develop various applications were keys to the progress of the Winnebago GIS program."

GIS Implementation at the Squamish Nation (by Jason Calla, GIS Coordinator, Squamish Nation, with contributions from David Buckley, Innovative GIS Solutions, Inc. and Richard Koett, System Administrator, Squamish Nation. From GIS'97 Natural Resource Symposium, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, February 1997.) "The Squamish Nation is a First Nation whose traditional territory is located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Since the arrival of Europeans in the late 1700s and the subsequent growth of the City of Vancouver within Squamish Nation Traditional Territory there has been massive immigration and exploitation of the natural resources which previously had been accessed by Squamish people. This land and resource base had allowed the Squamish culture to flourish and for the Squamish people to be self-sufficient for many generations. Today much of this land and resource base has been alienated, exploited and depleted and the Squamish people and their culture face numerous challenges to survive. The Squamish Nation has had to look for new tools to manage the increasing needs of its members and the decreasing land and resource base. This investigation has resulted in the implementation of a Geographic Information System (GIS). This paper will explain the experiences of the Squamish Nation in implementing a GIS....Most computer software will run on a variety of platforms. In choosing a hardware/software combination, it is usually best to choose the software first, and then settle on what hardware platform is most suitable. The Squamish Nation chose ArcInfo from ESRI as our GIS software, for a number of reasons. In choosing a software package, we looked for capability, programmability, compatibility and longevity. In terms of capability, we were not able to predict any potential use for our GIS system which could not be handled in ArcInfo. In terms of programmability, we saw that ArcInfo’s extensive macro language would allow us to build custom applications and user interfaces to suit our own needs. In terms of compatibility, we wanted to be able to share data easily with other organizations. We were aware that many organizations in our area were using ArcInfo themselves, and that ArcInfo provided tools for all common data import and export formats. Lastly, in terms of longevity, we were satisfied that ESRI’s large customer base world-wide would ensure a stable market presence and source of support. "

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as Decision Support Tool(s) to Incorporate Indigenous Knowledge in Aquatic Resources Management in Lao PDR (Contact Address: | M. Ataur Rahman, Department of Geography, Faculty of Environmental Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1 Phone: (519) 885-1211 ext. 5488 Fax: (519) 746-0658 E-mail: marahman@fes.uwaterloo.ca ) "Indigenous people in rural communities spend their entire lives interacting with their local ecosystems. They must successfully and sustainably manage their local ecosystems in order to survive. Viewed from a Darwinian evolutionary perspective, therefore, the knowledge of indigenous rural communities is under continuous intense selection pressure. Such selective pressure, over time, produces a body of indigenous environmental knowledge extremely valuable for sustainable resource management (Altieri 1987; Rappaport 1968; Senge 1993). | The GIS provides a useful platform for storage, retrieval and analysis of indigenous knowledge of the rural communities. It is a powerful tool for visualizing indigenous knowledge. A GIS can display desired data combinations and can produce hard copies of maps, graphs, figures or tables. Capacity to recombine data makes the GIS an ideal tool for scenario techniques, displaying the results of alternative management options, a useful instrument in policy debates and decision making (Kohler 1995). A GIS can thus contribute to better communication among the stakeholders of resource management: the policy makers, experts, managers, and obviously, the indigenous rural communities. "

Indigenous Land-Use Information Project (School of Applied Geography, Ryerson Polytechnic University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5B 2K3. Contact: Professor Frank Duerden, School of Applied Geography, Ryerson Polytechnic University or Dr. Richard Kuhn, Department of Geography, University of Guelph. ) Proposal for a 3-year study: " Increasing attention is being paid to means of incorporating indigenous land use information in the overall land use and resource development process in the Canadian north."

( David Delsordo GIS Analyst, Forestry Department Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation P.O. Box 278 Pablo, MT 59855 PHONE: 406-676-2700 Extension 385 FAX: 406-675-2713 EMAIL: infotech@ronan.net) "Mapping Indian Country, 1998 will be a special session designed to serve the interests and needs of the Native American Community in the Upper Columbia and Upper Missouri River Basins. Our hope is to provide a forum where ideas and experiences related to the use of GIS in Indian Country will be shared with others. This program will be held in conjunction with and be a part of the Annual Montana/Idaho GIS Conference, Butte, Montana, April 27 to 30, 1998."

Mapping Native Lands: Spatial Data Technology Finds A Home In Indian Country (By Eric Brandt, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, orginally appeared in Winds of Change, Winter 1995, posted Paul Neto's website) "Today, more than 100 tribes in the United States are using some form of GIS to manage land and resource information, ,both on and off Indian reservations. For example, GIS is being used to support Indian land claims arising from the manu allotment acts that divided Native lands in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Every indication is that diverse tribal use of the technology will continue to grow as GIS users gain experience and the cost of computer hardware and software continues to decline...Throughout the Northwest, tribes are actively using GIS. A number of well established user sites can be found. On many Northwest reservations, including Warm Springs, Colville, Coeur d'Alene, Nez Perce, Flathead, Quinault and Hoopa, timber and other natural resources are key technology drivers. Noteworthy IRMP (Integrated Resource Management Planning) efforts also exist on the Umatilla, Colville, Yakama, Spokane and Hoopa reservations...In Southwest, the Navajo Nation occupies the largest Indian reservation in the United States and boasts one of the largest tribal GIS operations." others include "San Carlos Apache, White Mountain Apache, Hualapai, the Colorado River tribes, the Fort Mojave Tribe and the Salt River Pima/Maricopa community..The Pueblo of Zuni...Tribes in the Midwest and Plains are applying GIS to a broad range of economic development and land status issues... Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe has helped fund a 15-month project at South Dakota State University to promote economic development on three reservations in South Dakota and one in Wyoming. The project is helping introduce GIS to the Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota Nation, the Cheyenne River Sioux, the Yankton Sioux and the Wind River reservations. "

Native & Environmental Grassroots Movements: Linking The Native Movement For Sovereignty And The Environmental Movement (By Zoltan Grossman, a professional cartographer in Madison, who has worked in support of Indigenous peoples from Wisconsin to the Philippines. He is a co-founder of the: Midwest Treaty Network, 713 State Street, Madison, WI 53703 E-Mail: mtn@igc.apc.org ) "...The Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) is not simply a combination of the Native American movement with environmental activism. IEN has popularized a new angle on Native sovereignty that includes appropriate technology and the defense of natural resources. It has also introduced a new angle on environmentalism that includes supporting the survival of endangered cultures, and putting the protection of nature in a larger social, cultural, and economic context. ...It took Greenpeace and other environmental groups years to understand that subsistence gathering is an integral part of traditional customs and economies, and that opposing them not only legitimizes the hysterical claims of anti-Indian groups, but distracts attention from the real threat -- corporate devastation of the land and oceans. Some environmental groups have also been awakened by the movements against environmental racism and for environmental justice....Future Strategies: IEN's strategies have come directly from the grassroots Native groups on the frontlines. Most of IEN's workshops focus on giving these groups necessary technical skills such as testing and sampling, computer mapping, and restoring damaged lands. Yet many of the participants preferred to talk about building an ecologically appropriate economic base in their local communities, besides gamifcng.... "

The Role of GIS in Integrated Resource Management for First Nations Initiatives in Alberta (Ralph Makokis, MINSTIK Developments Ltd., Box 236, Saddle Lake, Alberta, T0A 3T0 David Buckley, formerly GeoMark Analysis Ltd., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, GIS'91 Natural Resource Symposium, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, February 1991.) "GIS technology affords the ability to integrate a wide range of environmental, demographic, and economic information in support of resource management initiatives. MINSTIK Developments Ltd. is a 100 % Treaty Indian owned company whose mandate is to develop and deliver GIS capabilities for First Nations resource management initiatives."

The Wild Path Forward Left Biocentrism, First Nations, Park Issues and Forestry A Canadian View (Green Web Bulletin #44 by David Orton: This article is in press with Wild Earth magazine and will be published in the Fall 1995 issue. Wild Earth is published quarterly by the Cenozoic Society, Inc., POB 455, Richmond, Vermont 05477, U.S.A. ) "North American Wilderness Recovery Strategy proponents must address First Nations issues, because such issues, at least in Canada, will affect the successfulness of any emerging Strategy. It has become necessary to have views on aboriginal issues - including aboriginal rights and treaty rights, native sovereignty, and land ownership, - and be prepared to express them and defend them. A Wilderness Recovery Strategy entails building alliances. While there are strong mutual interests between native and non-native conservationists and environmentalists of a radical persuasion in fighting the Earth destroyers, there are often also contradictions which need to be publicly discussed. The fundamental question is usually, will natives take the "resourcist" road or preservationist path? Non-native environmentalists with biocentric/ecocentric views must feel free to express critical perspectives."

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All text by the respective organizations/authors, January 2, 1997

Web layout & design: Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. January 2, 1996