Urban and Community Forestry Tribal Assistance

About Our Tribal Partnerships

Several new projects are underway in the Blackfeet, Fort Belknap, and Crow Nations. More tribal community work may develop in Flathead, Northern Cheyenne, Rocky Boy and Fort Peck in upcoming months. This work is funded through a Landscape Scale Restoration Grant.

As part of an ongoing partnership, the CSKT Forestry Tribal Nursery purchased approximately 300 tree seedlings, and the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Program provided continued business support toward culturally significant and native plants, maintaining contacts and resources for bringing these plants into tribal communities across the state. UCF also worked this spring with the Crow Nation and community of Wyola with functional tree plantings for community spaces, removal and mitigation of hazard trees, and training and equipment for workforce development. This included technical assistance and assessment of community trees for future maintenance and removal needs. UCF provided approximately 150 trees in total, planting over 60 along a new community walking path, with the remaining trees donated to community members. Provided at the same event were supplies, equipment and training for use of an Alaskan Sawmill, a portable version to create wood products on site. A partnering arborist contractor donated his equipment and time to split and donate cords of firewood to the community. He also trained members of the Mighty Few Community Group to operate and maintain the sawmill. Wyola’s newly trained operators for the portable sawmill will create wood for various utilization and potential businesses. Some of the wood milled will be used in ADA-accessible ramps for homes and the community center.