Bad River Natural Resource Department: 2015 Annual Report

Bad River Natural Resources

The Bad River Natural Resources Department has helped the Tribe to protect and manage resources important to the way of life of Anishinaabe for 30 years. When the Department was started in 1985 it was comprised of few staff, which primarily focused on Forestry. Presently, the Department can have over 40 staff at one time, each working in specialized programs, including; Water, Forestry, Environmental, Fish & Game, Leases/Land, and Tribal Historic Preservation. Programs can further be broken down into the Air Office, Fish Hatchery, Wildlife, Geographic Informational System (GIS) Office, and more. Since its beginning, the Department has engaged in, completed, and continues to participate in projects intended to protect and manage important natural resources to the Tribe. To accomplish these goals Programs engage in multiple venues for outreach and education. With the vast array of funding and collaborations with other departments and agencies it can become difficult to inform the community of everything that contributes to the Department’s effectiveness. The Department holds its own outreach events and participates in many outside venues. This report’s purpose is to inform the community about the Department’s role in maintaining and protecting natural resources that are important to the ecosystems that rely on them and are also an essential part to the culture and lifestyle of the Bad River Community. We encourage the Tribal Community to support the Department and also become involved in projects that protect the environment for future generations