M a s h k i i z i i b i i N a t u r a l Re s o u r c e s (2023)

M a s h k i i z i i b i i N a t u r a l Re s o u r c e s

IRMP Survey

Deadline is

December

31, 2023.

~

Drawing will

be held the

beginning of

January

2024!

https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6601625/MashkiiziibiiNatural-Resource-Department-IRMP-Community-Survey

*Remember to provide

Name/Contact Info to be

entered into Drawings!

Jessica Strand, Environmental Specialist - Environmental@badriver-nsn.gov

W

hile we are used

to a white holiday season here

in northern Wisconsin, this

article is going to focus on how

you could “green up” your

Christmas, Hanukkah,

Kwanzaa, and Boxing Day

celebrations with some environmental (and budget) friendly choices for wrapping gifts.

Including even a few of these

wrapping choices in your holiday routine should give you a

warm fuzzy feeling to carry

you through the winter.

Special points of interest:

Gift Wrapping

• Newspaper! Consider wrapping

your gifts in newspaper and those

weekly ads you

can’t seem to escape, to save money and green your

Photo credits: JiaYing Grygiel, The Seattle Times.

wrapping regiment. With a colto keep your present from

orful bow (which you can

accidentally peeking out at

save and reuse next year)

the corners you might need

your presents will look

to wrap something twice.

just as festive.

Using small strips of clear

 Tips & Tricks: When

packing tape or clearer

wrapping with newspaper

“scotch” tape works better

...continued on page 4...

~MISSION STATEMENT~

Mashkiiziibii Natural

Resources Depar tment

72682 Maple Street

PO Box 39

Odanah, WI, 54806

Phone: 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

• Natural Resources New hires

• 2023 Beach Monitoring Updates

• Forestry Updates on Pine thinning

• Radon Update

• Air Quality Update

• IAS Community Events

• Thin Ice Tips

Inside this issue:

A Time for Review:

Brownsfield

2

Beach Monitoring 2023

Season

3

Climate Action Plan/

New Position Introduction

5

New Hire Introductions

6-7

Forestry Article

8

Museum Article

9

Wildfire Smoke has been 10

Increasing in Recent

Zakkary Zander, Air Quality Technician - airqualitytech@badriver-nsn.gov

S

cientific studies have

proven some indoor

environments are more polluted

than any outdoor environment,

which health concerns can vary

from home to home, can be

related to allergies or asthma,

and can cause cancer and even

death.

Indoor air pollution is some-

times not contributed solely by one

source, but rather a combination of

sources or factors. There are a variety of things that can contribute to

indoor air pollution and is usually

associated with sources that release

gases or particles into the air. It can

be related to specific use of certain

chemicals and cleaning agents or

traced back to a malfunctioning gas

-appliance, such as a furnace. Other

issues can be directly related to

Thin Ice

how the home was built or the

deterioration of the structure overtime. “Leaky” homes have a tendency of being less energy efficient and may allow excessive

moisture to enter, eventually contributing to moisture damage and

the development of mold.

Controlling or eliminating sources

to minimize can improve indoor

environments; however, locating

…Continued on page 7...

11

Buckskin Workshop held 12

in Odanah

Manoomin Camp Held

13

at Chequamegon Waters

Where in the World is

Carmen SanDeerego?

14

Manoomin at Headstart/ 15

Fisheries Meeting

Warden Hotline

16

Page 2

COMMON GROUND

Andrew Spychalla, Brownfield Specialist - Brownfields@badriver-nsn.gov

T

Page 15

Dan Powless, Manoomin Oshkaabewis - Manoomin@badriver-nsn.gov

T

he Mashkiiziibii Natural Resources Department has seen its

share of hazardous chemical releases, dumping, and spills over the years. The main focus

of the brownfield program is to determine how

to best clean up the areas where those releases

take place. From a quick fix leaking hydraulic

line, to the more clandestine dumping and

burying of waste from a generation ago; these

potential brownfield sites need to be reviewed,

a cleanup plan selected, and monitoring to

occur afterward.

Throughout all such events, the evaluation

criteria for ranking sites have been edited and

revised, and remediation and monitoring steps

have been taken. The public record – the revolving list of current brownfield sites that are

in various stages of cleanup and sampling –

has been maintained and updated to reflect the

sites of most concern. Furthermore, review of

Bad River Band’s Environmental Response

and Remediation Code has taken place to

guide responses to such hazardous substance

releases. This Environmental Response and

Remediation Code, or ERRC - Chapter 380,

gives the Bad River Band the authority,

among other things, to determine who is at

fault for releases of hazardous substances or

he Head Start Program sponsored a Head

Start Ricing Camp at their playground. The workmaterials into the environment. Once identi-

stood slowly. Lead in paint chips, asbestos

shop introduced abinoojiinyag (children) to the

fied, that at-fault or responsible party will

in ceiling or floor tiles; these discoveries

different aspects of manoominikeng (ricing ) as

then ensure that professionals respond for a

took time, but they set up a template for

they were led through various work stations and

mitigation and cleanup, or they will pay the

how to study the effects of substances that

taught in Ojibwemowin. It was begun with the

bill if MNRD calls the professionals first.

are potentially hazardous to human and

value of offering aseamaa and good prayer. They

With these authorities in place, it would

environmental health. In a similar fashion,

then participated in how our people have harvested

make sense to think that a cleanup of a spill

if there wasn’t a bubbling landscape with

manoomin in a canoe (jiman) which included

would be quick and easy. However, as Trib-

barrels marked “radioactive,” there wasn’t a

gaandakii’igewin (poling) and bawa’iga-

al Elders and many others are aware, some

brownfield. Now, an old field with vehicles

naatigoon(rice knocking). Next was the biinichi-

spills or dumping occurred when such au-

strewn about might warrant investigation

gaade manoomin (cleaning manoomin) and fol-

thorities or environmental protections were

and sampling, as you can’t choose which

not in place. Some hazardous substance

contaminants might or might not enter the

releases have been festering on the land-

landscape.

scape for decades. The toxic health effects of

The Brownfield program will be reviewing

the current, late-2023 “chemicals of con-

the ERRC and making recommendations

cern” – or the recently discovered adverse

for additions and revisions which will be

effects of older, known substances – are

posted for community feedback. This will

being researched at a pace that hasn’t oc-

allow the focus to move from investigation

curred at any time in the past. Human health

to cleanup much quicker. There will also be

in general, particularly after the pandemic,

additions to the types of sites that the pro-

has become the focus of many individuals

gram will be looking at. Facilities that have

and families. Contaminant effects on human

been used in the past and have mostly been

health have similarly become a focus. Envi-

abandoned can be cleaned up and revital-

ronmental health concerns, with climate

ized for new and useful spaces. Around the

science in the driving seat, have gone hand

1st of a new year, individuals will often

in hand with the others.

head over to the Doctor and get a check-up.

In the early days of brownfield research –

The same should be done for our natural

contaminants and their effects were under-

spaces. Miigwech.

lowed with gidasigewin (parching rice)

by the staff. Mimigoshkaming ( jigging

or dancing the rice to remove the husk) and

finally nooshkaachigeng (winnowing rice with

birch basket).

ing a great time with the future.

The manoomin program was in attendance and is in initial discussions

This was a collaborative effort provided by

with other programs to hold a ma-

the Head Start staffers, Ojibwe language pro-

noomin camp in the sloughs next

gram, and a host of community members hav-

summer.

Jacob Rodmaker, Fisheries Specialist - fisheryspecialist@badriver-nsn.gov

T

he Fisheries Program

will be hosting a Spring

fishing meeting this year. The

time and date have not been determined yet, but will happen

sometime in early March. This

meeting will be a public meeting

for all Bad River tribal members

to join. This meeting will cover

all fisheries related activities that

occur on the Kakagon River.

With a primary focus on Walleye

fishing and fish hatchery production. We will cover all the aspects

of Walleye spawning parameters

and how the timing of spring can

impact when Walleye run up

stream for spawning. Some of the

parameters we will cover include

water temperature, photoduration, and precipitation. Below

is a graph that will be in the presentation that shows the

wide range of spawning dates. In addition to spawning parameters, we will cover the Total Allowable Catch (TAC)

and how the TAC is calculated each year. For the hatchery

focused section, we will cover production numbers in the

past 20 years. We will also describe how the hatchery collects gametes (eggs and milt) for the fish that it produces for

stocking in the Kakagon and Bad rivers. If you are interested

in learning more about what the Fisheries Program does on

the Kakagon, watch for the final posting of when and where

the Kakagon Spring Fishing Meeting details or reach out to

Jacob Rodmaker, Fisheries Specialist at fisheryspecialist@badriver-nsn.gov or call 715-682-7123 ext 1552.

Page 14

COMMON GROUND

Louis Lozinski, Ornithology Specialist – Ornithology@Badriver-NSN.gov

I

Page 3

By: Nicholas Blanchard, Water Resources Technician - watertech@badriver-nsn.gov

History of the Beach Monitoring Project

The Natural Resources Dept. of the Bad River people initiated the beach monitoring project in the

swimming season of 2011. Though the

Chequamegon Bay Area Partnership, utilizing Great

Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funds. The Bad

River tribe became eligible for funding under the

Beach Environmental Assessment and Coastal

Health (BEACH) Act, upon finalization of Bad

River’s Water Quality Standards developed under

the Clean Water Act program authority. More information about the BEACH Act and the health of

coastal waters can be found on EPA’s website at:

http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/beaches/

f you spent your hunting season wondering

where all the deer have gone, you wouldn’t be the only

one. One reason people sometimes give is that the wolves

are preying upon them and driving the population down,

but that may not be the case. There are multiple possible

factors that may be driving the poor hunts, with a hard

winter last year, along with changes in the deer’s behavior.

As we all experienced, last winter was a difficult

one, with above average snowfall and having it stay cold

with snow on the ground until mid to late April. With the

amount of snow fall and the cold, last winter was definitely

Summary of 2023 Beach Monitoring

hard on the deer, and it would have resulted in less fawns

Beach water is routinely tested at area beaches by

the Bad River Water Resources Program to determine levels of E. coli. High levels of E. coli in the

water may indicate unsafe levels of other harmful

pathogens in the water that may cause illness in

humans that come into contact when swimming,

boating, or playing in the water. The Beach Monitoring Program uses this information to determine if

the water is safe for area beach enthusiasts.

being born. Beyond just last year, since 2016, every winter

has been moderate in severity with the exception of 2021,

giving the deer a harder time and leaving them with no

recovery window. Stretches of hard winters have happened before though, and thankfully. We just need one or

two good years for the herds to bounce back.

With that being said, wolves may not be entirely

innocent either. While they may not have a major impact

on the deer population, they do have an impact on the

behavior. When there are wolves in an environment, deer

are more likely to browse and hide among the dense undergrowth, making themselves harder to find and track.

They don’t spend as much time migrating and avoid corri-

dors where they may get chased down. This unfortunately

also helps to keep the deer safe from any potential hunters

as well. The one upside is that while the deer are harder to

A wolf and deer, both photographed at the same creek crossing. The photos

were taken 4 feet of snow apart.

hunt, they’re also less likely to jump out in front of your car as the roads are one of the corridors they’ll start to avoid.

Here with the Mashkiiziibii wildlife program, we do care about both deer and wolves, and track both populations. We try to

gather information about where both the wolf packs and deer herds are spending their time and migrating to, and if you have any

questions about either, feel free to reach out. Bad River’s Ma’iingan Relationship Plan is available at: https://www.badriver-nsn.gov/

wp-content/uploads/2020/01/NRD_MaiinganPlan_2019.pdf

In the 2023 swim season, 156 water samples were

collected from the beaches and analyzed for bacteria. Only two samples had results that triggered a

code yellow swim advisory being posted, while

none had elevated results that would trigger a code

red advisory. If water

Beach

samples results indicate levels of E. coli

Waverly

≥ 235 MPN/100mL

Bad River Mouth East

it triggers a code

Bad River Mouth West

Amnicon Bay

yellow swim advisoSecond Landing

ry, whereas results

Joe Rose

≥1000 MPN/100mL

Sand Cut

triggers a code red

Bell Creek Mouth

swim advisory.

Madigan

Swim advisories

Graveyard

Creek Mouth

were posted for the

Amnicon Bay

Long Island East

(Madeline) Beach on

Morrison Creek Mouth

June 07, and Second

Honest Johns

Nawago Creek Mouth

Landing on July 05.

Chequamegon Point

Total

Follow-up samples

collected the next day

for these beaches

indicated that E. coli

levels were no longer

elevated.

The MNRD Beach

Program posts advisory signs thought the

community using posting boards, Facebook, and the

MNRD website. This informs the community of such

risks and allow people to make informed decisions about

their beach activities. To aide in our capacity to continue

to keep the public safe and informed, the Beach Monitoring Program is developing new tools for 2024, which

will help us forecast possible elevations in real-time so

that public notices can be posted faster. The focus of

these efforts, to begin with, will be Waverly, Bad River

Mouth, and Second Landing beach as these are some of

the more visited beaches on the Reservation.

For further information regarding E. coli and safe water

at the beach, please visit our website by clicking on the

following link. http://www.badriver-nsn.gov/naturalresources/beach-monitoring/

We hope that you all had a fun, wonderful summer and

that you keep a lookout for Beach Monitoring Staff once

the weather warms up again in 2024!

# Samples Collected

# Exceedances

47

19

19

12

24

16

9

1

1

0

0

0

1

1

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

1

1

1

3

156

0

0

0

0

0

2

Dates of Exceedances

06/07/2023

07/05/2023

Page 4

•



•



•

COMMON GROUND

than your everyday scotch tape (just make sure

you remove tape before recycling). Make sure to

box clothes or other unboxed items as sometimes the ink will transfer from certain newspapers. When the recipient of your gift unwraps it,

keep the bow (or encourage them to) and then

ditch the rest of the wrapping in the nearest recycling bin.

Paper grocery bags and “packing” paper! Recent trip to the grocery store? Did your package

arrive from Amazon with some paper stuffing to

protect your purchase? Either can be reused into

wrapping paper for your gifts. Add a pretty premade bow or tie with twine and a sprig of greenery and you’ll end up with a very trendy-looking

wrapped gift. This is also a great option for kids

and other older artists since it also gives you a

great canvas to draw your own festive creations

on to add a more personal touch.

Tips & Tricks: Same tape choices apply to this

paper option as those listed above for newspaper, but it’s unlikely that you’ll need to add a

second layer with these heftier paper products.

Recycle and reuse as applicable.

Festive Gift Bags While buying a paper gift bag

at the store isn’t as money-saving as using newspaper or brown paper to wrap your gift, when

treated with care some gift bags and the tissue

paper sidekicks can last through many rounds of

gift giving.

Tips & Tricks: To keep bags looking nice and in

one-piece clear packing tape can be used on the

inside to reinforce where the handles are attached to reduce tearing—then all you have to

do is fold it nicely and store it somewhere flat

until you need it again. Want to keep the tissue

too? Then wrap and fold around gifts without

using tape to reduce tearing when the present is

unwrapped—or consider just stuffing a bunch

on top of the bag—then smooth out and fold up

for storage until it can be used again. When either start showing wear and tear, just remove

any non-paper parts (string handles, non-paper

embellishments, and such) and throw in with

your regular paper recycling.

Wrapping Paper Have a child (or adult) in your

life that just wouldn’t feel as special without

Page 13

By Nathanael Secor, IAS Coordinator - IAS@badriver-nsn.gov

O

ver the weekend of September

8th – 10th, a group of ricers and

processors from Bad River and beyond met up

at Chequamegon Waters Flowage in Taylor

County to host an off-rez rice camp. The camp

was a collaborative effort between Bad River’s

Food Sovereignty, Genawendang Aki, Boys

regular wrapping paper on their present? Don’t stress it, just

think about some of these Tips & Tricks when wrapping…

 Tips & Tricks:

Buy wrapping paper made from post-consumer recycled paper,

Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) paper, or those that can be

recycled more easily (generally this would be paper that is less

“glossy” or metallic). If you can’t find any of these, consider buying wrapping paper that supports a fundraiser or other cause to put

a positive spin on your purchase.

Measure twice, cut once. Save yourself the headache of cutting a

piece slightly smaller than needed by rolling out a section of paper and then wrapping it carefully around the present first before

cutting to make sure you get just the right size. Also, see if smaller presents can be wrapped with just the width of the paper roll

instead. Wrap big or unusually sized presents first and keep any

small scraps you cut off for the smaller presents you may have.

The don’t forget to reuse your bows!

• Decorative boxes, fancy tins, Furoshiki, and more.

 There are many additional ways of greening your wrapping

regime. Baskets, decorative boxes, and fancy tins can all be

used to “wrap” a gift and can be reused multiple times or

repurposed for storage.

 Furoshiki, or the Japanese art of cloth wrapping, can turn

almost any square piece of cloth into a decorative, reusable

wrapping for presents. Here’s a link to a YouTube video with

the basics of the technique:

https://youtu.be/2f1wQAb6QMM?si=xtQ_vuMfeEF1sc8G

and Girls Club, and Indigenous Arts and Sci-

departed from the camp to

ences (IAS) programs as well as the Great

the water’s edge. After giv-

Lakes Fish and Wildlife Commission

ing our offerings and a

(GLIFWC), Great Lakes Intertribal Council

heartfelt prayer and water song from

(GLITC), and Ashland School District which

Kathy Smith, the pairs launched off into

all contributed in important ways and added to

the manoomin beds on the north side of

the success of this event.

the flowage. Despite challenging poling,

While it’s a good distance to Chequamegon

the group was in good spirits with laugh-

Waters from Bad River, we opted to travel the

ter being heard over the water. The adults

distance for the large acreage rice body that was

were teasing each other, and a friendly

marked “very good” by GLIFWC’s annual

wager was made for the youth who har-

manoomin assessments. The later ripening win-

vested the most rice to win $20. Each pair

dow also allowed for the involvement with the

riced for around 1.5 hours and came back

Ashland School District and meant that many of

in with a significant harvest. Several of

our partners had already made rice for them-

the kids got close to a full bag, many of them

traditional method of processing the

selves for the year and were free to focus on

on their first outing. That night, Maria Ne-

parched manoomin. Roger LaBine taught

teaching. The weekend was a lot of fun and

vala, JD Lemieux, Bob Wright, and Kevin

tool making, both knockers and tradition-

grounded in culture; many important skills and

Finney worked with their thrashers to lead

al forked push poles. Several of the youth

lessons were imparted about the good seed. The

manoomin processing demonstrations. It was

completed pairs of knockers for them-

youth got to explore, go fishing, catch frogs,

a good day.

selves and their families.

and there was even a “fairy village” that myste-

After an overnight rainstorm which spared

Overall, this camp was a very gratifying

riously appeared right by the group camp. The

the camp during waking hours, the camp

experience for those involved. The youth

camp also received visitors from the surround-

resumed activities. Roger LaBine of Lac

were able to meet up later to process

ing campground who wanted to come and learn

Vieux Desert and GLIFWC’s Kathy Smith of

their manoomin for free with Maria and

about this sacred food.

Keeweenaw Bay Indian Community spoke

JD, and they each got appreciable

On Saturday the 9th, the Bad River youth got

about the importance of manoomin for An-

amounts to share with their families. It is

the chance to learn how to harvest manoomin,

ishinaabe people and shared teachings about

our hope and intention that this camp

each with an experienced rice partner. They

the four orders of creation. Chris McGeshick

will be a yearly event from this point

first got a primer on canoe safety and how to

lead a dancing demonstration and the youth

forward.

knock gently and effectively, and then they

in attendance got the opportunity to try this

Page 12

By Nathanael Secor, IAS Coordinator - IAS@badriver-nsn.gov

O

ver the weekends of November 11-12th and December 2-3rd, about a dozen interested tribal members

met to learn the art and skill of braintanning deer hides

sponsored by Mashkiiziibii’s Indigenous Arts and Sciences (IAS) program. Instructors Mike Jones and Joseph Gokee taught participants the necessary steps to

transform a deer hide from a freshly skinned deer to

finished, smoked buckskin. Everyone learned just how

hard and how rewarding this full process is.

For the first two days of the workshop, IAS was lucky

enough to collaborate with the Bad River Youth Hunt,

put on by David Nevala, Bad River’s Genawendang

Aki and a half dozen volunteer adult mentors who each

gave their time to teach Bad River youth how to hunt

deer. Maria Nevala and JD Lemieux instructed the

youth and other attendees on how to skin the deer without harming the hide and then how to quarter the animal for further processing. 11-year-old Jayceon

Lemieux under (Adam Oja’s tutelage) was successful

in shooting his first deer over that weekend and was

celebrated by all in attendance. Congratulations Jayceon!

As the workshop progressed, each attendee got hands

on experience with fleshing the hides, scraping the hair

and epidermis off, and braining and softening their

hides. Each step has many tricks to learn and can be

challenging for newcomers to tanning until they develop muscle memory and understand all the concepts

thoroughly. The instructors patiently explained the best

practices and made the rounds to help each participant.

Despite the hard work, everyone was in good cheer,

joking and teasing, and helping each other with their

hides. All in all, 5 people were able to complete their

hides entirely and just as many will have the chance to

complete theirs at an upcoming follow-up session.

Among those who completed their hides were 8-yearold Nalin Downey and 17 year old Jackson Rose.

These two stuck with the process from start to finish

and with a little help were able to finish their beautiful

projects. Be on the lookout for all of these tanners in

training and keep an eye out for the announcement for

our traditional tanning club.

Chi Miigwech to Mike and Joseph, Maria and JD, David and all the hunting mentors, as well as all participants for making this a memorable event and revitalizing this traditional craft!

Page 5

S

Climate Change Coordinator - Climate@badriver-nsn.gov

ince 1950, Wisconsin has warmed 2-3 degrees

Fahrenheit and is projected to warm an additional

2-8 degrees by 2050. Temperatures will continue to increase

as we continue to increase atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. MNRD’s Climate Change Specialist and Energy

Coordinator have been working on a Green House Gas Inventory for Bad River. This Inventory will be used to make a

Priority Climate Action Plan for the Tribe. This plan will allow us to take action against climate change into the future.

This Climate Action Plan takes an in-depth look at our onReservation emissions in a way we’ve never looked at them

before. Having specific data on where our infrastructure,

practices, and behavior contribute to climate change allows

us to target those items individually and reduce our emissions right from their source. The Climate Action Plan will

allow us to make progress towards becoming a community

that does not contribute to climate change.

Jillian Lojas, Energy Coordinator - energycoordinator@badriver-nsn.gov

E

nergy Coordinator is a new position

within the Mashkiziibii Natural Resource Department. This role is responsible for moving Bad River toward tribal

independence by implementing our Strategic Energy Plan. This position manages

our energy infrastructure and energy efficiency projects.

Jillian Lojas has taken on the role of Energy

Coordinator for Bad River. Jillian is Inupiat,

from Kotzebue Alaska, north of the Arctic

circle. Northland College brought her to

Northern Wisconsin, where she has resided

for the past six years. Her Alaskan Native

ties motivate her to work for the Tribal

government, and she feels very fortunate

to work for Bad River as she considers the

Northwoods home now.

Jillian was MNRD’s Climate Change Specialist before this and will be fulfilling both

positions until a new Climate Change Specialist is hired. As Climate Change Special-

ist, Jillian was already exposed to Bad

River’s energy projects and plans. With

an understanding of Bad River’s strategic energy plan and current renewable

energy infrastructure, she hopes to continue expanding upon the Tribe’s renewable energy projects. Bad River has already taken the initiative on cutting

edge renewable energy projects and will

continue to into the future!

Page 6

COMMON GROUND

Page 11

Kaylee Houle, Water Regulatory Specialist - WaterReg@badriver-nsn.gov

Boozhoo! My name is Kaylee Houle, I am an enrolled member of the Bad River tribe. I was born and

raised here on the Bad River Indian Reservation. I

recently joined the Mashkiiziibii Natural Resource

Department (MNRD) as the new Water Regulatory

Specialist.

I worked for a summer as MNRD Natural Resource

Aide where I worked a lot with invasive species, and

I did an internship with Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council (WTCAC) here at MNRD.

I graduated with my associate degree in Natural Resources at the College of Menominee Nation in

Keshena Wisconsin. I transferred to Northland College to pursue my bachelor's degree but then I had

my son, so my education was

put on hold for a while.

It has always been my dream to

be a part of MNRD and help

preserve Natural Resources for

the generations to come. It is

an honor to be part of the

MNRDs Water Resource team

and to serve as the Water Regulatory Specialist.

Jacob Rodmaker, Fisheries Specialist - fisheryspecialist@badriver-nsn.gov

T

he weather is getting colder and ice

is forming on lakes and streams. It

will be tempting to get out on lakes early to

start fishing before others. There are many

tips and tricks out there to get on to the ice

early, but here is my advice on how to stay

safe when going out on early ice.

1.

Thank you for giving me this

opportunity and I look forward

to this new journey ahead!

2.

3.

Bridget Thornburg, NLB Program Manager - nonlocalbeings_@badriver-nsn.gov

B

4.

oozhoo! I am Bridget Thornburg, and I am

the new Non-Local Beings Program Manag-

er. I was raised in southeastern WI, in the town of Delafield. There are lots of wetlands and prairies there, and I

have many fond memories searching for frogs hiding in

the muck and counting the seemingly endless seas of

sandhill cranes feasting in the open fields. I have always

felt my strongest sense of place in the natural world, and I

knew from a young age I wanted a career that allowed me

to spend time learning from and taking care of the landscape. This led me to Northland College, where I graduated with degrees in Biology and Natural Resources. After

graduating I worked as a Water Resource Specialist for the

Mary Griggs Burke Center. In this position I learned a lot

about the Penokee Lakes and their importance as the headwaters of the Bad River. I was lucky to monitor these

lakes year-round and

see them change

through the seasons. I

5.

am excited to connect

what I have learned

and further develop my

understanding of this

6.

landscape in my new

position. In my free

time I enjoy exploring

the area by hiking,

skiing, swimming,

fishing, botanizing, and sometimes just wandering the

woods with my 7-year-old dog named James. I am

grateful for this opportunity, and I look forward to getting to know this community, see you around!

Bring a friend or family member. If you

bring someone along, they should stay a

safe distance away, whether that is on

shore, or a minimum of 10 feet away. In

case you fall through they will be there

to help by throwing a long rope or calling for help.

Suit up. Bring ice picks and wear a float

suit or a life jacket when checking first

ice.

Know your different types of ice. Cloudy

ice is less safe than clear ice. Cloudy ice

forms fast, trapping air pockets in the ice

allowing the ice to fracture and cause

bigger gaps in the ice. Clear ice forms

slower allowing the crystal latus to form

more uniform and stronger.

Check the ice first. Spud your way out to

where you want to fish before dragging/

carrying your gear because ice is not

always uniform across a body of water.

Springs and currents can change how ice

may or may not form.

Changing conditions. On flowing bodies

of water ice conditions are always changing, check ice regularly when you are on

them. On warmer days check ice regularly

too. If you notice ice conditions changing,

get off the ice.

If you don’t feel safe on the ice, don’t go

out on it. Nothing is worse than going

somewhere that you don’t feel safe. Fishing and other ice related activities are

about having fun, and if you are uncomfortable, you aren’t having fun.

The recommended minimum ice thickness for

walking on is 4 inches. Any less and your risk

for breaking through is much greater.

What happens if you fall through the ice?

1.

2.

Stay calm. If you fall through the ice,

panicking can only make matters worse.

Catch your breath. After falling through

the ice, your heart is going to race and you

3.

4.

5.

are going to start breathing heavy. Catch

your breath and get your bearings.

Orient yourself to where you came

from. Once you are pointing in the direction you know there is ice that will

support you, you can start your selfrescue.

Pull yourself onto the ice. Since you

are wearing a flotation device you

should be floating, start kicking your

legs to push your body on to the ice and

used your arms and ice picks to pull

yourself onto the ice.

Stay low. Army crawl your way back to

safe ice or even land. This movement

may take the most energy, but it will

keep your weight distributed over the

largest surface area. Even though you

may have walked over this ice already,

you never know how breaking ice elsewhere may have affected that ice you

6.

were just on.

Get to warmth. Once you are safely

off the ice stay warm by doing jumping

jacks or other exercises. If you happen

to have spare clothes, change clothes

and get home so you can dry off completely and warm yourself up in blankets.

Stay safe and have fun fishing, skating, etc..

Jacob Rodmaker, Fisheries Specialist

Page 10

Page 7

Zakkary Zander, Air Quality Technician - airquality@badriver-nsn.gov

ine particulate pollution has been sampled on the

H

Wetlands Specialist for the past 2 years; I have now

area will be in the forefront of my thoughts), as

Bad River Reservation since 2002, allowing us to

switched positions to Air Quality Technician. As part of

compared to the extensive corn and soybean

see how the trend of poor air quality has changed

Nathan Kilger, Air Quality Specialist - airquality@badriver-nsn.gov

F

ello, most of you already know who I am,

the region is the relatively intact natural areas

and if not I’m Zakkary Zander. I was the

(not just wetlands, though the wetlands in this

my evaporation from the water program I hope to con-

fields of the Green Bay area where I’m from.

over time.

tinue to work with them on topics where air meets the

My goal as the Air Quality Technician position

In 2023 we counted 46 days levels of “moderate” or

water. I’ve been in the area for the last 10 years; I

is the same as it was in the Wetlands Special-

“unhealthy for sensitive groups” on the Air Quality Index.

moved here to attend Northland where I earned a BS

ist position and that is to help the community to

Wildfire smoke spread across the middle portion of the Unit-

in Biology. A good part of the reason I have stayed in

the best of my ability.

ed States for many days as millions of acres of wildfires

burned across four Canadian provinces. The only year in

recent history that saw so much wildfire smoke was 2021

when we measured 37 days of poor air quality.

TEST YOUR HOME FOR RADON!

In the winter months we sometimes see weather patterns that

trap wood smoke near the ground on cold nights, those

nights are counted towards our days of poor air quality.

However, in the summer months, much of our air quality

also depends on what happens farther away, sometimes as

year, 45.7 million acres burned in Canada, a record number of

both fires and acres in Canada.

With forecasts of an overall drier and warmer winter for southern

Canada and the northern States,

there is concern our snowpack

will be lacking this winter,

providing less snow melt in the

spring. If spring melt doesn’t

produce much water, or if

spring comes early, we could

easily be in a position where

drought returns in 2024 and we

have to worry about another

elevated wildfire season. The

current uptick in wildfire

smoke in recent years is a worrying trend and we need to

prepare for this happening

every year.

and identifying these sources are not always

simple. Reading labels and understanding

proper usage of cleaning agents or other

household chemicals should be done before

use and may help limit some pollutants.

Allowing an adequate amount of outdoor

air to be introduced into the home can often

avoid a build-up of many indoor pollutants.

Other pollutants may be more difficult to

control and may even require a sort of testing to identify. Radon is naturally occurring, odorless, cannot be seen, and may

cause the development of lung cancer. A

test kit placed in the home is the only way

to determine the indoor radon concentration. Depending on the recorded level of

radon a home may require radon reduction

system to be installed to lower the levels.

Other pollutants, such as carbon monoxide

are also odorless, cannot be seen, and can

cause death. Maintaining and understanding

the proper usage of gas appliances can help

avoid a build-up of CO and CO detectors

are important in every home and building to

avoid being present during threshold levels.

Methamphetamine usage has brought to

light additional indoor air issues. Previous

homes used as “meth labs” or from the “use

of methamphetamines “may still contain

residues and chemicals that can contribute

to indoor health concerns if breathed in or

come in contact with.

Health effects

FREE RADON TESTING

associated with

From January to April 2024

certain polluRadon

does

cause

lung cancer and can be prevented if

tants are more

difficult to pinaddressed properly. The Tribal Air Office offers free

point. With

radon testing and IAQ monitoring services every year.

multiple houseIt is easy and takes only a very short period of time to

hold chemicals

being present in

test your home for radon. If you would like to schedtoday’s homes,

ule testing please use the contact information below

along with each

and set a date to test your home.

person reacting

differently to

certain polluZakkary Zander, Air Quality Technician

tants, establishing precise

72682 Maple Street

concentrations

Odanah, WI 54861

related to the

Phone: 715-682-7123 ext. 1553

development of

Email: airquailtytech@badriver-nsn.gov

certain symptoms are drastically harder to

determine. Regsuch as radon. The United States Enviular wheezing, colds, and irritation of asthronmental Protection Agency (USEPA)

has this and additional information that

ma can often be signs of elevated pollutants.

can be found related to IAQ, at http://

It is important to notice time and place of

www.epa.gov/iaq/index.html. Inforsymptoms and if they lessen or go way once

mation can also be found on the Bad

leaving the home.

River Tribes website at http://

Not all indoor pollutants will be noticed

www.badriver-nsn.gov/tribal-operations/

immediately, which exposure to some pollunatural-resources/nrd/air-nrd.

tants overtime can contribute to cancers,

respiratory illness, or heart disease. This is

why it is important to identify pollutants,

Page 8

COMMON GROUND

Page 9

COMMON GROUND

Gina Abramson, Forestry - forester@badriver-nsn.gov

M

Paula Maday, Museum Manager - p.maday@badriver-nsn.gov

ino-biboon!

We just finished administering the

Birch Hill Red Pine Thinning and

couldn’t be happier with the results.

Each house in the Birch Hill Community had trees removed around them, and

no damage occurred to any of them!

We were very fortunate to have sold

this timber to a logger who has been in

the business for several decades. It has

been said that their processor operator

is one of the best in the country! Had

this work been done by an arborist,

simply for the protection of the houses,

it could have cost upwards of a million

dollars to accomplish what we were

able to do and provide revenue for the

tribe at the same time!

At the time of this writing, we’re not

sure of the exact dollar amount that the

tribe is collecting from this sale, but it

may be close to $100,000. Lots of people have been asking where the timber

goes. I’m happy to have this opportunity to explain that.

There was quite a bit of oak that had to

be removed in order to get to the red

pine logs. Instead of just running it

over, those small trees were cut in 8

foot lengths and stacked. The hardwood is being taken to the Bad River

Recycling Firewood Bank for processing and curing. It takes about a

year for green wood to dry out enough

to burn it safely and efficiently in home

heating systems. Because it’s not free

to cut or haul the prospective firewood,

the tribe paid the logger to have that

done. Processing it will be an additional cost. There’s a lot of work and expense that goes into providing firewood

for a community, and the tribe absorbs

most if not all of that cost. However,

firewood is sustainable and produces an

intensity of heat that can’t be replicated

by petroleum based systems.

The clearing just to the south of the

Birch Hill Community is intended to

provide space for a solar field which

will provide electricity for the 95(+-)

will provide electricity for

the 95(+-) Birch Hill homes.

If you’ve been up there to

see the difference, it’s

astonishing. There’s a new

view of the Penokee Mountains that really is remarkable.

Additionally, a small clearing has been made just north of the Birch

Hill Community House which will accommodate a new water tower. The new water

tower will be 2 ½ times the size of the

current one, according to the Bad River

Water/Sewer department. This new infrastructure will provide our much respected

water to the Birch Hill, Franks Field, and

Aspen Acres Communities.

Many people have been asking and chatting about where the timber sale proceeds

(money from the pine logs) goes. The logger that was chosen to cut the timber was

the high bidder in a sale advertisement

process that the BIA administered. He

makes payments for the wood as it is cut.

That money goes directly to the BIA in St.

Louis, Missouri. From there, it goes into

the Bad River’s TAAMS account.

TAAMS stands for Trust Asset Accounting Management System. Since there are

no allottees associated with the land on

which this sale was administered, 90 percent of the sale proceeds are allocated to

the Bad River Tribal Government and 10

percent goes to the Bad River Forestry

Program. Each year we allocate these

funds to further the forest development

into a healthier, more diverse ecosystem.

Sometimes that means purchasing timber

marking paint, equipment, or other supplies that help us carry out our mission of

creating a better forest for the 7th generation.

To further reduce the fire hazard on Birch

Hill, we are in the process of chipping the

tops of the trees. The tree tops are not

merchantable, and by chipping and leaving

them onsite, we provide nutrients for the

remaining trees, reduce the fire hazard,

improve the appearance of the land, and

O

reduce the

nesting

habitat of

rodents.

Additionally, the

chipped

tops will

hold moisture better

than the

bare sand,

which will

provide needed moisture

for the remaining trees

and vegetation.

Please reach

out to us if

you have any

questions or

concerns. We

appreciate

your interest

and input!

Gena Abramson, Forestry

Specialist or

Tyrease James

(TJ) Forestry

Technician

715-685-8929.

ne of the questions I have heard from several community

members since starting at the museum is: How can I take care

of historic items that I have at home? The answer to this question

can be different for everyone and is based on several factors. This

edition, we will start a series dedicated to sharing tips for taking

care of historic items at home.

The way that each person takes care of historic items is

usually a mix of honoring familial and cultural protocols and taking physical preservation precautions. When sacred items or important family heirlooms are passed down, they often come with

instructions on how to care for those items. It is important to continue practicing those ways, as they are part of your history and

your heritage.

When it comes to physical preservation of items, there

are five basic rules to keep in mind. Let’s dive into the basics of

preservation!

•

•

•

Preservation Protocols to Keep your Personal Collections Safe

at Home

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Avoid bright or direct light. Color photographs are especially vulnerable to fading when they are hit by light of any type.

Do not store films, prints, or fabrics in direct sunlight. Avoid

exterior, south-facing walls or other locations that receive

direct sunlight.

Maintain a consistent temperature in the storage area. Do

not store objects in attics or basements, where the temperature

varies by season. Attics get too hot and humid in the summer.

Also avoid placing collection items near heaters, radiators,

chimneys, vents, electrical sources, and open windows. An

interior closet can be a good option for storage at home.

Keep objects clean. Dust can scratch delicate surfaces such

as photographs and textiles. When dusting, use a soft, lint-free

cloth, and avoid rubbing. Always clean gently and avoid harsh

commercial cleansers or cleaning solvents.

Guard against insects and pests. Keep the area around your

items clean and food and liquid-free. If you are concerned

about bugs, consider using pest traps to alert you to their presence.

Avoid excess moisture. Do not store collection items in areas

that may experience water damage. Steer clear of plumbing

pipes, sprinklers, open windows, vents, or sinks. Avoid storing items in the basement or anywhere else where humidity

and mold are common and where flooding might occur.

These preservation protocols apply broadly to all types of collection items and putting them into practice can do a lot to protect

your items from physical deterioration. When it comes to taking

care of photographs specifically, here are some additional tips:

• Protect photos from light by placing them in acid-free folders,

sleeves, and boxes.

• Do not store photographs in wooden drawers or cardboard

boxes.

• Store documents flat instead of rolled or folded.

•

•

•

•

Do not use

staples,

paper

clips, tape,

or glue,

even if a

photo is

damaged.

Make a

copy to use for research or display and keep the original in proper storage.

Wash your hands before handling photographs and keep them

clean to avoid stains. Some people prefer to wear gloves when

handling historic items. If wearing gloves while handling photographs, it is recommended to wear fitted, clean, lint-free cotton

or nitrile gloves.

Be aware that many commercially available photo albums contain acidic paper, harmful plastics, and adhesives. Avoid laminated photo albums.

Avoid buffered tissue paper and plastic sleeves that contain

polyvinylchloride (PVC).

Separate out damaged or fragile photos. These may need to be

stored in a different way.

Create an inventory. Becoming familiar with the formats, sizes,

quantities, condition, and uses of your photos can help you

choose the best storage solution and keep it organized.

Some acid-free and archival storage supplies can be found on Amazon by searching for ‘acid-free’ + item name or ‘archival’ + item

name. For example, if looking for tissue paper, type ‘acid-free tissue

paper’ in the search box. Gaylord Archival is another reputable company that offers archival supplies for personal collections. They also

offer on-demand webinars and informational articles for a variety of

personal preservation projects. You can access these helpful resources at: https://www.gaylord.com/resources-personal.

Sources:

“Tips for Preserving your Family Treasures.” Smithsonian National

Museum of African American History & Culture, https://

nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/tips-preserving-your-familytreasures#:~:text=Here%20are%20the%20five%20basics%20of%

20preservation%201,and%20pests.%20...%205%20Avoid%

20excess%20moisture.%20. Accessed 5 December 2023.

“Family Photo Preservation 101.” Gaylord Archival,

https://www.gaylord.com/resources/family-photo-101. Accessed 5

December 2023.