# Mashkiiziibii Natural Resources Department (2025) > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Abad_river_chippewa%3A0c4829a2fe02e014 ## Record - **Collection:** Tribal code - **Document type:** Tribal code ## Text Mashkiiziibii Natural Resources Department (SPRING) Special points of interest: • Mashkiiziibii Natural Resources celebrates 40th Anniversary! • MNRD New Hires • Biennial Environmental Open House Recap • Air Quality Updates • Public Notices T ~MISSION STATEMENT~ Mashkiiziibii Natural Resources Dep ar t ment 72682 Maple Street PO Box 39 Odanah, WI, 54806 Phone: 715-685-7840 - 715-682-7123 Fax: 715-682-7118 Email: NRDOutreach@badriver-nsn.gov The Department strives for resource management which both conserves the natural resources for the future generations and provide for the needs of the present. The departments existence reflects the importance the Bad River Tribe places on its right and ability to exercise sovereignty, self-determination and selfregulation in the area of natural resource management. Were on the Web! Visit www.badriver-nsn.gov his month marks the 40th anniversary of the Mashkiiziibii Natural Resources Department (MNRD)! We've expanded and added 16 new full-time positions since 2020 with our most recent efforts focused on expanding our Energy Program. MNRD currently has 37 employees, which includes our devoted Hatchery Crew who returned at the beginning of the month. Most of our current staff made our Inside this issue: team photo (see above); however, the photo is missing a handful of staff as it's hard to get us all in one place at the same time plus we currently have a few vacant positions. Chi miigwech to the current and former Department employees for their hard work and dedication to our mission of protecting the natural resources for the future generations while providing for the needs of the present. Although we are proud of our accomplishments over the 40 years, we recognize there are multiple areas where we need to improve our services. We want to thank the community for providing feedback, participating in events, and helping us continue to grow. We also want to give a special shout out to our former Director Erv Soulier for getting us started and leading the way. A Lily by any other name would be Death By Zakk Zander, Indoor Air Quality Tech - airqualitytech@badriver-nsn.gov W ith spring around the corner and with both local and big box stores are starting to stock up on plants. It is important to remember that before human cultivation for pretty flowers and leaves, plants were thinking of new ways to not be eaten by passing herbivores. Which can take many forms, from spikes and thorns, to camouflage, and the tired and true method of poison. This article will shine a light on a couple of the more common plant families that still have more than a bit of toxic kick in them even after all these years of human intervention. As well as what you can do to …Continued on page 2... A Lily by any other name would be death 2 Wintertime Wildlife Surveys 3 Non-Local Beings Program Updates 4 Spring Cleaning Done Safely 5 MNRD Biennial Open House 2025 6 Blowing Dust from Texas Reaches Wisconsin 7 Earth Day Event Flier 8 Forestry Updates 9 Wardens Bear Flier 10 Public Notice 11 Skywarn Training Flier 12 NIXLE Alerts Flier 13 Lamprey Fishing Meting Flier 14 New Staff Introductions 15 ATV Safety & Operation Ordinance 16 Page 2 COMMON GROUND By Zakk Zander, Indoor Air Quality Tech - airqualitytech@badriver-nsn.gov limit you and your pet’s exposure to them. This is also meant to be a very high-level overview of plants that could cause harm to pets and small humans and by no means is comprehensive list. If you or a loved one thinks they’ve been poisoned can call the Wisconsin Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 or 911 if it’s evident a human is dying. I’ve also included the Vets in the Ashland area for pet emergencies. Without a doubt the Lily family (Liliaceae) takes the cake when it comes to toxic plant families that end up in our homes. Almost without exception everyone in this family has some form of toxins within the stems, leaves, flowers, bulbs, and worst of all pollen. This proclivity for toxicity also applies to most of the native lilies you find out in the woods. A quick aside, there are many things that are called lilies that are not true Lillies (Liliaceae). Such as Peace and Calla lilies, which are distant relatives to the Skunk Cabbage (Zhigaagobag), Jack in the Pulpit (Zhaashaagomin), and Wild Calla (Nikaunowuhnshk). As a family peace lily, Skunk Cabbage, Jack in the Pulpit, Voodoo lilies, Pothos and many others are called Araceae or Aroids by plant hobbyist. Most aroids won’t kill your pet outright, their strategy for defense is to have needle like crystals in all of their cells, which as you can probably imagine doesn’t feel great to eat. If your pet/child has ingested some aroid plant material be on the look out for Burning/tingling sensations in the mouth, swollen lips and tongue, mouth pain, drooling, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea and rarely difficulty in breathing and swallowing. Now getting back to the true lily family and not their imposters. One of the most common lilies you ’ll be seeing in box stores at this time of year are Easter Lillies/Trumpet Lily. These are the tall white lilies that are common Easter gifts, pictured at the top of this article. They produce large amounts of pollen that is shed onto tables and other surfaces. Pets can both inhale the pollen or ingest it through their normal grooming activities. As all parts are toxic to pets even a nibble on a leaf is enough to potentially cause an issue. Lastly, this general air of toxicity extends to the water that the cut flowers are kept in. Fun fact, this is why bouquets of flowers with lilies die quicker. Another common lily family member that ends up inside homes this time of year are Tulips, like the Easter lily all parts of the plant are toxic but especially the bulbs. General symptoms in pets from Easter lily poisoning can include vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst and urination, lethargy, drooling dehydration and kidney failure. These symptoms start 0 to 12 hours after ingestion. Signs of kidney damage start about 12 to 24 hours after ingestion and include increased urination and dehydration. Kidney failure occurs within 24 to 72 hours, leading to death if the pet isn ’t treated. Human symptoms of Easter lily poisonings are fairly closely matched to the pet symptoms. With a few main differences, for one the risk kidney failure is fairly low on the list for humans. However there are some other symptoms in humans to look out for. Such as intense nausea, persistent vomiting, and severe diarrhea. Neurological symptoms may happen including dizziness, confusion, or even seizures. Now that I’m done with fear mongering, here’s a couple of ways you can avoid accidental Easter lilies poison this year. First off and easiest is to just not have them inside your house. You cannot be poisoned by what’s not there. Second is to remove the Stamens (highlighted below) before you enter your house and in a way that does not get pollen on your clothes. Which will be difficult and something you ’ll need gloves for. Remember even if a pet grooms their fur with pollen on it they could get sick. Now I’m actually done fear mongering because I don’t want to end on dead pets. Some good alternatives for lilies in and around the home are roses, zinnia, asters, pansies and plenty of others. A good rule of thumb before planting anything or bringing in a new house plant is to do a bit of research on who exactly you are bringing home. Page 15 B oozhoo! My name is Brandon Semerau and I’m the new Solar Minigrid Project Manager at MNRD. I grew up in Waukesha, WI where I originally planned to become a professional artist. Instead, I became interested in renewable energy and studied Nuclear Engineering at UWMadison. I’ve lived in Missouri, California, and Minnesota while working in various disciplines of engineering from mechanical to solar. As you already know, the Chequamegon Bay is beautiful-both its land and its communities. I first discovered it 5 years ago on an Apostle Islands kayakcamping trip. I am grateful to have found a position with MNRD so I can now call the Bay my home. Outside of work I enjoy hiking, mountain biking, swing dance, game design, and yes…still art. You can reach me at B.Semerau@badrivernsn.gov or 715.682.7111 ext 1537 or come say hi in the Cultural Building. Miigwech New Energy Program Assistant Ashland Area Vets Phone #s Ashland Area Veterinary Clinic 715-312-2773 Bay Area Animal Hospital 715-682-8865 Williow Animal Hospital 715-682-2470 Lakeview Animal Hospital 715-292-6546 B oozhoo! My name is Kaitlyn Wolf, my position is the Energy Assistant, and I work alongside Bella Wabindato. I was born and raised here in Bad River and am a proud tribal member. I am excited to be part of NRD and the Energy Program, I can’t wait to make a difference for our Tribe! Email: k.wolf@badriver-nsn.gov Page 14 COMMON GROUND Page 3 Help Plan for the Future of the Museum in Bad River! Paula Maday, Museum Coordinator - p.maday@badriver-nsn.gov T he Moka’aangiizisiban Tribal Museum has been open for nine months now with visits from hundreds of students, visitors, and community members. As we look forward to the future of the museum, we are asking for community input on several topics related to collections, programming, and facilities. Since July 2023, under a grant funded by the Institute of Museum & Library Services, a Community Focus Group has been providing guidance to the Museum Manager in the for the museum, please provide feedback via the areas of museum policy and strategic planning. The survey below. The survey takes only 6 -10 minutes Community Focus Group is made up of seven Tribal to complete. Open the camera app on your members, including an Elder, artist, educator, off Smartphone and point it at the QR reservation tribal member, code below, then The Moka’aangiizisiban Tribal Museum is and individuals representclick the link to open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from ing a variety of age groups begin. Miigwech! 10 am-2:30 pm. It is located in the Bad Rivand experience. To focus er Culture & Education Center. Please visit our efforts over the next five years and work toward the museum’s website for more information: fulfilling the goals and https://www.badriver-nsn.gov/museum/ dreams the community has Elle Lozinski, Wildlife Specialist - wildlife@badriver-nsn.gov D uring the wintertime, most wildlife is either hibernating or has migrated south for the winter. There are only a few species still active during this time of the year, but snow makes it prime time to track and monitor their populations. Every winter, the Mashiiziibii Wildlife Program tracks the large mammals that are still out and about despite the cold, and this year was no exception. Whenever there was fresh snow, we would get out tracking to see where various animals are moving and this year gave us plenty of opportunities. On reservation there are 4 wolf packs, and winter tracking allows us to find territory boundaries and to make estimates on pack size. They haven’t made things easy for us though with the packs moving around. The Mashkiiziibii pack, which is normally found in the heart of the reservation, has decided to move east over by the Birch Hill Community, while the West Fire Lane pack, typically found down by West Fire Lane have moved a bit west closer to the western boundary of the reservation where there are fewer roads. The Potato River pack decided to stay in relatively the same area, occupying the southeast corner of the reservation. Some of the other animals that we surveyed include coyote, fox, bobcat, and deer. These have all shown to have healthy populations, and deer especially have been showing an increase in numbers with a few decent herds in the area. This year had a lot of great data, but as always, the Wildlife Program isn’t able to find everything, so if you have any interesting wildlife observations that you’d like to share, please feel free to reach out to us. Elle Lozinski – Wildlife Specialist Wildlife@BadRiver-NSN.gov Page 4 COMMON GROUND By: Bridget Thornburg, Non-Local Beings Program Manager - nonlocalbeings@badriver-nsn.gov H appy Spring! The Non-Local Beings Program is excited to begin another field season. We are looking to hire a couple of Natural Resources Aides to assist with removing non-local beings on the reservation, so if you or somebody you know is interested in working outside or starting a career in Natural Resources, check out the job posting on the “careers” page at www.badriver-nsn.gov or by emailing nonlocalbeings@badriver-nsn.gov. If you are interested in getting outside and volunteering this spring, the Northwoods Cooperative Weed Management Area (NCWMA) is hosting their annual garlic mustard pull in the upcoming months. The current locations and dates of the planned pulls are listed below:       Bad River Floodplain, Mellen on May 19th – 23rd, 9:00am – 4:00pm with a free cook out lunch at Copper Falls State Park available for volunteers on May 20th Ashland on May 23rd from 1:00pm – 3:00pm, location to be determined Montreal River Floodplain, Hurley on May 28th, 9:00am – 11:00am Velo Café, Cable on June 5th, 10:00am – 12:00pm, on this day NCWMA will be teaming up with the Cable Natural History Museum Kimball Bay, Superior on June 6th, 9:30am – 3:00pm Central Park, Superior on May 15th and June 12th, 10:00am – 12:00pm Please contact Ramona Shackleford if you plan to volunteer at any of these events either via email Ramona.Shackleford@bayfieldcounty.wi.gov or via phone at (715) 373-3415 to sign up and receive more information about specific directions to sites. Remember to wear hiking boots, a hat, and long pants. Don’t forget your insect repellant and water! Gloves will be available to borrow. Keep an eye out for the mobile boat wash station, which will be located at one of the boat landings on the reservation starting in either April or May, depending on weather conditions. The boat wash station is free and self serve, so please use it to clean your boats prior to entering and after leaving the water to help stop the spread of aquatic nonlocal beings. As the weather warms and plants begin emerging, keep an eye out for the non-local beings and report them to the Non-Local Beings Program at nonlocalbeings@badriver-nsn.gov or (715) 682–7123 ext: 1558. You can start your search for non-local beings in the word search above! Page 13 Page 12 Page 5 By: Andrew Spychalla, Brownfields Specialist - Brownsfield@badriver-nsn.gov S pring has – almost – sprung! The weather is getting warmer and the snow is slowly coming off the land- scape. The spring season means it is time for spring cleaning, the yearly opportunity to re- Northwest Regional Planning Commission, is fresh and rejuvenate your living space. One happening in north-western Wisconsin coun- step of spring cleaning is the removal of haz- ties in the late spring and summer of 2025. ardous substances and household products that The list of all counties can be found at were stored away over the winter. Over time, nwrpc.com/873/Northwest-Cleansweep- many of us accumulate cleaning supplies, Program, or search for “Northwest Regional paints, batteries, and other products that con- Planning Commission Cleansweep.” The dates tain chemicals that could be harmful to our for Ashland and Bayfield Counties are listed health or the environment. While these items below. may seem harmless in small quantities, improper storage or disposal can lead to dangers around the home. Spring cleaning gives you the chance to carefully go through your house, identify these hazardous items, and take the During these Cleansweep days, certain house- necessary steps to dispose of them properly. hold hazardous wastes will be taken off your Common hazardous household products in- hands for free. Others, like certain lightbulbs clude cleaning supplies, pesticides, automotive or batteries, might cost a few dollars – so fluids, and certain paints or solvents. Some of make sure you check the lists! these products could contain volatile organic Programs like this help to minimize hazardous compounds (VOCs) that can cause respiratory wastes getting thrown away in regular trash issues or other long-term health effects. It is bins, as this can lead to contamination of land- important to check the labels for warnings fills or groundwater. Additionally, never pour such as "flammable," "toxic," "corrosive," or chemicals down the drain or flush them, as "irritant," which could signal the need for they can harm water systems and wildlife. Be specific methods of disposal. Items like old sure to follow local regulations to avoid creat- batteries, lightbulbs, or electronics may also ing additional hazards. contain heavy metals like mercury or lead, which are harmful to both your health and the environment when not disposed of correctly. Spring cleaning is an opportunity to embrace a cleaner, safer home for you and your family. Removing hazardous substances also pro- Proper disposal of hazardous substances is motes a sustainable environment. By being essential to ensure safety and environmental mindful of the chemicals you use, opting for protection. Many local municipalities offer safer, eco-friendly alternatives, and disposing special collection days or drop-off locations of harmful substances properly, you can enjoy for hazardous waste. In our area, the North- a fresh start and a home that is not only tidy west Cleansweep program, put on by the but also healthier for everyone. Page 6 COMMON GROUND Page 11 MNRD’s Biennial Open House 2025 PUBLIC NOTICE Antidegradation Decision – Outstanding Tribal Resource Waters Jessica Strand, Environmental Specialist - environmental@badriver-nsn.gov E very two years the Department hosts an Open House that focuses on outreach to the community both from MNRD’s different Programs and from federal, state, and local partners. This year the Open House event was held on Tuesday, March 25th at the Bad River Casino Convention Center from 10 am to 6 pm. In addition to booths hosted by MNRD, there were three other Tribal Departments and seventeen partnering agencies signed up to attend the event, including (but not limited to) the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Geological Survey, UW Carbone Cancer Institute, BR Health and Wellness Center, Superior Rivers Watershed Association, US Forest Service, Northland College groups, and the National Park Service. While attendance was a little lower this year with only 191 registered participants, we still consider the event a success as we were able to connect with the community and partnering agencies face-to-face, something we are oftentimes too busy to do. Topics covered this year by the different booths included sea lamprey, solar energy, the Tribal Museum’s new video, forest health, our national parks, Nixle alerts on beach conditions, events with the Indigenous Arts & Sciences Program, and volunteer opportunities with organizations like the Superior Rivers Watershed Association, as well as the MNRD Radon and BR Health & Wellness Center partnership with the UW Madison Carbone Cancer Institute to better understand the impacts of radon on the community’s heath. We would like to thank all our participants, staff, and partnering agencies that helped make this event a success! Chi miigwech! Congrats to WATER Program for winning BEST MNRD Booth!! Non-Local Beings Program Mobitrac Harvester Training The Tribe seeks comments on the proposed Antidegradation Decision related to the Non-Local Beings Program Mobitrac Harvester Training Project. Project Summary The Non-Local Beings (NLB) Program purchased a Mobitrac Harvester last year with the intention of removing non-local aquatic species that threaten the health of Manoomin in the Kakagon-Bad River Sloughs. NLB has proposed to receive harvester training from the Mobitrac Company on how to operate the harvester and use it to remove non-local beings to restore culturally important species and their habitats. The proposed location for this training is a small portion of cattails along the edge of the Kakagon River, near the Bad River Fish Hatchery. The recommended work consists of placing a weighted turbidity curtain upstream and downstream of training location, the use of Mobitrac Harvester and a saw attachment that will cut vegetation. Implementing the use of the harvester in Kakagon River will increase the capacity for the removal of nonlocal beings, allowing a chance to slow the encroachment of invasive species into the sloughs, and improving Manoomin restoration. The Mobitrac harvester training is proposed to start in May 2025. The proposed project is within the Kakagon River, an Outstanding Tribal Resource Water (Tier 3 Water) and Wild Rice Wetlands protected for cultural, wildlife, aquatic life and fish, recreational uses among other uses. The Tribe is currently evaluating whether the project meets the Antidegradation Demonstration requirements, and the Decision criteria described in the Tribe’s Water Quality Standards (WQS) and seeks comments on the proposed work and conditions needed to avoid and minimize potential impacts to the water resources. All comments are considered during the project review. Written comments may be emailed or sent by US Mail to: Kaylee Houle, Water Regulatory Specialist Mashkiiziibii Natural Resources Department (MNRD) P.O. Box 39 Odanah, WI 54861 waterreg@badriver-nsn.gov Comment deadline is April 13, 2025. Background On July 6, 2011, the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians adopted Water Quality Standards (WQS). The Antidegradation policy within the Water Quality Standards protects existing uses and prevents clean water from being unnecessarily degraded. Under this policy, each waterbody is assigned to a tier that provides a basis for addressing activities that have been potential to lower water quality. Tiers identified in the Tribe’s antidegradation policy include Outstanding Tribal Resource Waters (Tier 3 waters), Outstanding Resource Waters (Tier 2.5 waters), and Exceptional Resource Waters (Tier 2 waters). The Antidegradation policy holds that no new or increased discharges or alterations of the background conditions are allowed to Outstanding Tribal Resource Waters; however, a short-term, temporary lowering of water quality may be allowed if applicable Antidegradation Demonstration and Decision requirements are met, as described in the Water Quality Standards. A web map of the Reservation waterways and wetlands, highlighting the tier associated with each waterbody, may be found on the Bad River website http:// www.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=6f44c371217e4ee8b5f1c2c705c7c7c5 Posted as of : March 14, 2025 Page 10 Natural Resources Aides (LTE) • Fisheries Aides (LTE) • Deputy Director • **Scan QR Code to view full job descriptions** Page 7 COMMON GROUND Nathan Kilger, Mashkiiziibii Air Quality Specialist - Air1@badriver-nsn.gov A large and intense weather system swept across the central United States, from New Mexico and Texas up to Wisconsin and Michigan, on March 14th and 15th. Large portions of Texas and Oklahoma recorded maximum wind speeds of 60 to 80 mph on the morning of Friday, March 14th. The winds picked up dry dust and soil from the southern plains, and in Oklahoma the winds sparked 130 wildfires, burning at least 400 homes on that Friday, and dust storms contributed to the deaths of four people in car crashes on highways. The weather system lifted that dust and soil into the atmosphere, carrying it more than 1,000 miles northeast into parts of Wisconsin and Michigan by Saturday morning. Periods of light rain on Saturday morning across the Lake Superior region left behind a gritty and reddish residue as some of the dust was washed out of the air by the precipitation. A visible trace of dust was left behind on anything where rain collected but were most apparent on car windshields. Fine particle pollution measurements in Odanah showed the dust in the air impacted air quality. The Air Quality Index in Odanah rose above “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” for five hours, bringing the daily AQI into the “Moderate” category for March 15th. Similar levels of poor air quality were measured across eastern Wisconsin throughout the morning, but then cleaner air moved into the area by Saturday afternoon. As the sun rose on Saturday morning, the light filtering through the clouds took on an orange hue as the light reflected off the dust particles. Page 8 Page 9 Common Ground Ziigwan 2025 Gena Abramson, Forestry Specialist - Forester@badriver-nsn.gov Mino-ziigwan!! Happy Spring and Happy New Year to Nimaamaa Aki. F orestry has had lots of activity this year so far! Around the beginning of the calendar year we received 3 temporary bridges that were awarded by the US Forest Service. This grant focused on the protection of waterways in the Bad River Watershed. Manufactured near Baraga, Michigan, these bridges are designed to provide access to timber sale areas that may otherwise be difficult to access. They also can be used for emergency management purposes as we know these situations can happen when we least expect them. We appreciated the opportunity to interact with the Bad River community at our Mashkiiziibii Natural Resources Department’s Bi -Annual Open House on March 25, 2025. It’s always great to meet community members and let them know what we’ve been working on as well as getting input on community needs in the realm of Forestry. OPEN HOUSE 2025 TJ demonstrates arts and crafts with birch bark, birch and aspen “cookies”, birch twigs, and lots of creativity and skill! Most recently (April 2025) we are working to reduce the fuel load on Birch Hill by mulching the pine tops left over from the 2023 Red Pine Thinning. TJ and his crew spent 10 months putting tops through chippers in 2024. To speed up the process, we’ve changed our operation to mechanical shredding which should help the aesthetics as well as the fire danger. Once the landscape “greens up” in May, the fire danger and visibility of the remaining tops should be significantly reduced. Workers from Pospychalla Towing make sure the temporary bridges are placed level and securely on their temporary storage sites. Their customer service was extraordinary. In February we teamed up with the Wildlife Program to mark 20 “wildlife trees” to be retained on the landscape from one of our pending timber sale areas. This already “gentle thinning” will be even more advantageous to wildlife with the retention of these large red maple and oak trees. Forestry believes that each parcel should have wildlife trees designated to live out their full lives and add to the ecosystem even throughout their decay processes. Elle Lozinski, Wildlife Program Manager and Jakob Wohlford, Ornithologist assist Tyrease James (TJ) in marking “Wildlife Trees” to be kept on the landscape throughout their lifespan. This practice helps the area maintain high value to nature throughout many cycles of timber harvesting. Our Bad River Urban Forest Greenspace Improvement Project kicked off with a reservation-wide inventory. Each yard in the Bad River Communities was surveyed for trees that could present hazards to people or structures. While thousands of trees were flagged for removal, priority will go to dead trees and ones that present themselves as potential danger in the near future. Comments and questions are encouraged. We can be contacted at Forester@badriver-nsn.gov or 715-6858929 or 715-682-7123 extension 1563. Almost every dead tree that we inventoried for our “Hazard Tree” removal had some form of metal in it. While tapping maple trees don’t kill them, some of these more permanent installations of metal creates stress that will make the tree more vulnerable to disease, insect infestation, rot, and eventually death. We will be pursuing funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to pay for the removal of the trees that are not able to be removed with this grant. Only a certain number of trees will be removed as part of the Bad River Greenspace Improvement Project through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the US Forest Service. FORESTRY HOPES THAT YOU ENJOY YOUR SPRING AND SUMMER!! Penetrating a tree with nails, bolts, or other hardware causes damage and generally results in tree mortality. Please use posts to tie out dogs, run clothesline, decorate your yard, or install permanent fixtures. --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Abad_river_chippewa%3A0c4829a2fe02e014. Public record. Not legal advice.