South Dakota Boasts First Tribal WRP Easement

(from left), Tribal Trustee Garrie Kills-A-Hundred, presents a star quilt to NRCS National WRP program manager Leslie Deavers; Tribal Vice President Leon Hoss helps with the presentation

The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe (FSST) in eastern South Dakota recently became a partner in the first government-to-government placement of a Tribal trust land in the NRCS Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). At FSST headquarters, those present at the ceremony witnessed the culmination of a vision that started over five years ago. On hand for the historic occasion, were Tribal council members, South Dakota NRCS State Conservationist Janet Oertly, National WRP Program Manager Leslie Deavers, and NRCS National Biologist Randy Gray. As part of the ceremony, Leslie was presented a star quilt from FSST Tribal Trustee Garrie Kills-A-Hundred and FSST Vice President Leon Hoss. “It was certainly an honor to receive the star quilt,” said Deavers. “And it was a wonderful opportunity to meet the people of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe and learn about their interest in WRP.”

“The star quilt represents the ‘Morning Star’ or the beginning of a new day in Native American Culture. It holds special value and in this instance it was given to bestow recognition and respect,” explained State Conservationist Janet Oertly.

The initial easement consisted of two parcels of land totaling about 75 acres along the Big Sioux River. The easements protect riparian corridors that provide links to floodplain habitats and wetlands. The WRP partners are looking to the future and a variety of conservation programs that would help them conserve, enhance, and restore the quality of Tribal lands. They would eventually like to have every waterway within Tribal boundaries in filtration strips or other watershed protection conservation practices.

The easements are also being used as an outreach mechanism by the Tribe to demonstrate water quality benefits of conservation practices. Water quality is also a cultural issue for the FSST, as water is used for spiritual cleansing ceremonies by some Native American cultures. Their ultimate hope however, is that the easements will not only help clean the river for conservation and cultural purposes, but for recreational use as well.
Your contact is Jeff McGuire, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 605-352-1228.
 

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