The Forest Service and 10 Chippewa Tribes of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission entered into an agreement December 1998. The parties include are the Chequamegon-Nicolet (Wisconsin), the Hiawatha, Ottawa and Huron-Manistee (Michigan) National Forests; the Bay Mills Indian Community, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Indians, Bad River Band, Lac Courte Oreilles Band, Lac du Flambeau Band, the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, the Sokaogon Chippewa Community of the Mole Lake Band an dthe Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians.

The agreement (Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Tribal - USDA-Forest Service Relations on National Forest Lands Within The Territories Ceded in Treaties of 1836, 1837, and 1842) deals primarily with the exercise of the Tribes' treaty rights to gather wild plants on National Forest lands within the areas ceded in those treaties. Information about the agreement can be found on this web page.

How to Comment on the MOU
The Forest Service continually seeks public feedback on the MOU. Written comments or a Comment Form can be used to submit comments.

Memorandum of Understanding (entire document without campground listings)

MOU Campground Listing - June 2008 (updated yearly)

Map of Treaty Ceded Areas and National Forests in the Lake States

Review of Progress

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As part of the MOU, the Forest Service and the Tribes have agreed to meet annually to review progress made on implementing the MOU, and to discuss issues that may affect the MOU. The following documents will provide assistance in reviewing the implementation progress on the MOU.

• MOU-One Year Implementation Summary, March 2000
• MOU Implementation Ten Year Review 1998-2008
• 2008 Tribal Campground Use Report
• 2005 Annual Meeting Notes
• 2006 Annual Meeting Notes
• 2007 Annual Meeting Notes

Explanatory Materials

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The Forest Service and Tribes have provided some explanatory materials to help people understand the MOU. They can be viewed by clicking on these links:

• MOU Explanatory Notes (to the original MOU)
• MOU Explanatory Notes for the revised MOU, explaining changes to the original MOU, page-by-page.
• MOU Summary Information
• Summary of the Conceptual Agreement on Campground Fee and Length of Stay
• Additional Questions & Answers on Campground Fee and Length of Stay

Laws, Regulations, and Policies

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Various laws, regulations, and policies direct the Forest Service to develop relationships with federally recognized Indian Tribes.

• Forest Service Office of Tribal Relations (links to policies, reports, laws, and regulations)
• National Tribal Resource Book - This document describes and is intended to improve the implementation of the Forest Service's American Indian and Alaska Native policy.

Useful Links

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• Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC)
  http://www.glifwc.org/
  
• Great Lakes Intertribal Council (GLITC)
  http://www.glitc.org/index.php
• Tribal Profiles (for Wisconsin tribes)
  http://witribes.wi.gov/section.asp?linkid=284&locid=57
• Wisconsin State Tribal Relations Initiative
  http://witribes.wi.gov/
• USDOJ Office of Tribal Justice
  http://www.usdoj.gov/otj/index.html
• USDI Bureau of Indian Affairs
  http://www.doi.gov/bia/
• College of Menominee Nation Sustainable Development Institute
  www.sustainabledevelopmentinstitute.org
  

Contact Information

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For additional information or questions, contact Mary Rasmussen, Tribal Liaison, 906-358-4551, ext. 24, email mrasmussen@fs.fed.us