First Tribal National Park in United States

An essential part of the coastal management effort is protecting and preserving important natural resources for future generations. The acquisition of 89 acres of old-growth forest and a quarter-mile of shoreline along Lake Superior led to the creation of Frog Bay Tribal National Park, the first tribal national park in the United States.

Located within the historic boundaries of the Red Cliff Reservation, Frog Bay Tribal National Park is an ecological gem, home to nearly 90 species of birds, rare and endangered plants, and bobcats, black bears, and wolves. Nearly two miles of rustic trails wind through the park, and a number of interpretive signs along the trails describe the ecology of the area and its cultural importance to the tribe. The park has allowed the Red Cliff community to retrieve a rich part of its history, preserve cultural traditions, and share its beauty with both tribal members and the public.

Private donors provided half of the project funding through donated land value. The other half came from NOAA’s Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, with funds from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2016)

More information: www.doa.state.wi.us/Documents/DIR/Coastal Management/Program Docs/Chronicle13-web.pdf

Partners: Bayfield Regional Conservancy, NOAA Office for Coastal Management, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wisconsin Coastal Management Program