NACD Tribal Outreach and Partnership
Resource Policy Group (RPG)
Conference Call
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Meeting Notes
Attendees
A sixth conference call of the NACD Tribal Outreach and Partnership (TOP) RPG was held August 8, 2017 beginning at 11:00 am Eastern time. Present were RPG members representing five regions (from states Alabama, Montana, Oklahoma, Washington and Wisconsin). The attending RPG state participants were:
Greg Baneck, Outagamie County Land Conservation Department, WI (NC)
Patty Lambrecht, Elmore Soil and Water Conservation District, AL (SE)
Ed Mouss, Creek Nation Tribal Conservation District, OK (South Central)
Ross Racine, Intertribal Agriculture Council, MT (NP)
Tanna Engdahl, Clark Conservation District, WA, Vice-Chair (Pacific)
Michael Crowder, Benton Conservation District, WA, Chair (Pacific)
In addition to state members, partner members were represented by the following:
Trey Lam, NASCA, Oklahoma Conservation Commission
Also present was NACD staff Jeff Burwell and NACD Advisor David Vogel.
Roll record indicated that a quorum was present for the conference call.
Agenda Items (see attached agenda; items not numbered identically)
1. Chair Michael Crowder moved that the July 11, 2017 RPG Conference Call Meeting Notes be approved by consensus. No objections. Motion passed.
2. Chair Michael Crowder provided a report on the July NACD Summer Board Meeting in Iowa. Michael discussed the adoption of a new NACD budget, and efforts to improve members’ dues payments, including member query about what they acknowledge receiving from NACD resulting from dues payments. Chair Crowder noted uncertainty about future funding for the RPG (after September, 2017), but indicated that the RPG will carry-over its funding balance and continue work on the tribal outreach initiative, while NACD works to secure continued funding and while Congress and the administration make decisions on the federal budget.
3. David Vogel described publication of success story articles in e-Resource, with two articles appearing in consecutive weeks’ editions of e-Resource on July 26 and August 1, 2017. The first article was prepared by Dave based on interviews with Ed Mouss and Trey Lam about a partnership between the Creek Nation Natural Resource Conservation District and the Hughes County Conservation District in Oklahoma. The second, with Greg Baneck and his Oneida Tribe contact, about a partnership between the Oneida Tribe and the Outagamie County Land Conservation Department in Wisconsin. These articles contain good examples of how (and why) conservation districts and tribes have come together to achieve mutual goals and to put additional conservation on the ground.
Future articles may be developed from information on several partnerships (ongoing or expanded) obtained by Patty Lambrecht and Dave Vogel at the Southeast Region Meeting in Greenville, South Carolina, and from interest shown to Trey Lam at the South Central Region Meeting.
4. Patty Lambrecht and Dave Vogel described their presentation to the SE Region Meeting on August 6, including response by several conservation district officials and staff about promising success story opportunities involving the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation (NC), and the Catawba Tribe (SC). Attendees were offered an opportunity to form a small SE group around Patty to discuss potential partnerships and to explore interest in the region. Patty also spoke with presenter Dr. Will Goins of the Cherokee (SC) about interest in partnership-building. RPG NCDEA representative Duane Vanhook (NC) met with Dave to facilitate RPG assistance to Swain Soil and Water Conservation District (NC) in its desire to expand its partnership with the Cherokee.
Also, Patty and Dave spoke with James Tillman (on temporary assignment to DC) and Craig Derickson, the Acting SE Regional Conservationist, NRCS, about their helping the RPG to engage with NRCS tribal liaisons as discussed in the RPG’s July conference call. Dave will prepare a brief narrative for James and Craig outlining what the RPG hopes to achieve by engaging tribal liaisons (in part based on Washington State’s success in doing so), and requesting that the four NRCS regional conservationists facilitate getting the RPG in front of the tribal liaisons as a national or regional group(s). NRCS will make sure there is coordination with NRCS headquarters tribal liaison program personnel.
5. Trey Lam reported on the South Central Region Meeting in Alexandria, Louisiana, and described potential partnership examples from Louisiana involving the Muscogee Creek Nation, and noted interest from Arkansas attendees. Trey also noted that SC region tribes were meeting in Tulsa to discuss environmental activities, including an Osage Tribe youth water quality monitoring project. Also, Chair Crowder will represent the RPG at the upcoming Northeast Region Meeting in Vermont.
6. Chair Crowder polled RPG members on whether they plan to attend the RPG face-to-face meeting in conjunction with the September Southwest/PAC Regional Meeting in Tucson, AZ. Members on the call planning to attend include Greg Baneck, Patty Lambrecht, Ed Mouss, Tanna Engdahl, Michael Crowder and Trey Lam. Chair Crowder will follow up with Ross Racine, who cannot attend. Also, Michael will contact RPG members not on the call to poll their attendance. Dave Vogel will follow up with Duane Vanhook. Jeff Burwell and David Vogel will also attend.
Chair Crowder noted that the Arizona folks have invited 7 or 8 tribal representatives from the area to attend and participate in the RPG’s Tucson meeting.
7. Open Discussion – None
8. Michael Crowder indicated that Tuesday, October 3, 2017 at 11:00 am Eastern would be the next scheduled RPG conference call following the September Tucson meeting.
The teleconference adjourned at 11:30 am Eastern time. Chair Michael Crowder thanked attending RPG members for their valuable time and effort in this important initiative.
NACD Tribal Outreach and Partnership RPG
Teleconference Call
August 8, 2017
11:00 am Eastern
Teleconference number: 1-888-537-7715
Access code: 3052590
AGENDA
1. Introductions/Roll
2. Report on NACD Summer Board Meeting, Iowa
3. Action Items
a. July 11, 2017 RPG Conference Call Meeting Notes Draft*
b. Status of Success Stories Solicitation and Contacts from RPG Members*
4. Planning for RPG Face-to-Face Meeting at SW Region Meeting venue – September 12, 2017 at Tucson, AZ
5. Open Discussion
6. Determine Schedule for Next RPG Conference Call (after Tucson)
* Note: These documents were provided to RPG members with conference call agenda.
NACD Tribal Outreach and Partnership RPG
RPG Approved 091217Page 1