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White Earth Tribal Chairman Michael Fairbanks called it a “great day” as he prepared to sign a memorandum of agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tuesday in Mahnomen. 

“Our ancestors are happy too,” Fairbanks told a few dozen people gathered for the signing ceremony. 

The agreement will ease permit requirements for tribal members to harvest resources on the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. 

“Our tribal membership will be able to apply for different permitting out there for leeching or for fishing or for hunting and for ricing, the big one,” said Fairbanks. 

Tribal conservation officials will also have input on water levels and water quality to protect wild rice stands on the refuge. 

“We really do have a shared conservation goal,” said Refuge Manager Kent Sundseth. “The number one priority for us is healthy stands of wild rice. They’re important for wildlife and of course they’re important for Native folks to be able to harvest that resource.”

 is 42,534 acres located north of Detroit Lakes in Becker County. About half of the refuge is within the boundaries of the White Earth Reservation. The refuge was created in 1938.

White Earth and the USFWS have had a law enforcement agreement in place since 2017. 

Fairbanks called this memorandum of agreement a first step in what he expects will be a long process. His ultimate goal is to have the refuge land returned to the White Earth Nation. 

He also knows that won’t happen anytime soon. 

“We know it’s a tedious process. We know we have to work with them,” Fairbanks said.  “These are the steps we have to follow and we’re taking them. We have patience. We’re moving forward.” 

The agreement signed on Tuesday sets the stage for negotiations about co-stewardship, and an expanded refuge management role for tribal officials. 

White Earth will change its conservation codes to better conform with federal law to simplify the permitting and enforcement process. 

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White Earth and the Fish and Wildlife Service have long collaborated said USFWS Midwest Region Director Will Meeks. He sees this agreement as a foundation for future conservation agreements. 

“It’s really that process of the trust and respect that you have with a sovereign nation and how that looks through an agreement,” said Meeks. 

Meeks said it’s premature to even talk about the return of refuge lands to White Earth. White Earth has made clear that is their goal, but Meeks said this agreement “does not signal an end that is in that direction.”

He said the federal government is obligated to have those discussions at the request of the White Earth Nation. 

USFWS officials said this agreement will not result in any changes to public access, but visitors might notice more tribal activities happening across the refuge. The agency will add signage explaining permitted tribal activities. 

White Earth expects additional agreements to further expand tribal input on management of the refuge.  

“My job as the chairman of the White Earth Nation is to protect the next seven generations,” said Fairbanks. “I believe we’re here about protecting what we have left.”

Dan Gunderson

Author

White Earth tribal members will have easier access to natural resources on the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge under an agreement signed by the tribe and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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Dan Gunderson | MPR News

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USFWS and White Earth sign Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge agreement

An agreement between the federal government and the White Earth Nation gives tribal members easier access to natural resources on the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. 

USFWS and White Earth sign Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge agreement

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