Living by the clock and calendar doesn't always allow us to take advantage of those perfect days for prime fishing or blueberry picking. But it's never to early to be prepared! Wild Rice harvest season opens August 15th in the 1854 Ceded Territory. Your checklist should include:

• 1854 ID card, tribal ID, OR MN state ricing permit

• canoe

• paddles

• pfd's

• push pole

• flails

• bags

It's our job at 1854 to assist our band members in getting out to hunt, fish and gather. We want to make sure you have the right tools for the job. Consider joining us at our Manoomin Knocking Sticks Workshop this July, and craft your own set of flails! 

*Space is limited, so sign up today! Register under the QuickLink "Manoomin Knocking Sticks Workshop" on the home page of the 1854 Treaty Authority website: www.1854treatyauthority.org  

A  2011 study by MDH showed that 10 percent of newborns tested in the North Shore region had mercury above levels of concern in their blood. Too much mercury can cause lasting problems with understanding and learning. The 2011 study results spurred a collaboration in 2013 among Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, Grand Portage Health Service, North Shore Health, Trust Lands Grand Portage Band of Chippewa and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), resulting in the Fish are Important for Superior Health (FISH) Project. The FISH Project’s goals were to reduce mercury exposure in women in the area and pilot an in-clinic screening for high mercury exposure.

Read the news release for the project.

Check out the promotional video.

See the FISH project technical report. 

1854 Treaty Authority technical report, Moose Utilization of Habitat Restoration Sites, was published last week. Take a minute to catch up on our moose management activities involving the evaluation of moose browse preference, evaluation of habitat enhancement for availability of quality moose habitat, and the prevalence of detrimental parasites in moose habitat.

The 2017 Netting Clinic was a hit! On the shores of Lake Vermilion behind the Bois Forte Community Center, over 100 5th and 6th grade students from multiple schools in the area, gathered to learn something new about traditional subsistance culture. We couldn't as for better weather to host the LARGEST group of students in 6 years running! Thanks to all who coordinated, donated fish for the event, gave the blessing, set and pulled the nets, prepared food (the fish and frybread were great!), shared info on canoeing safety, described the meaning of treaty rights, and demonstrated how to clean fish. See photos from the day on our Facebook page. 

The Bois Forte Department of Natural Resources is hiring an Environmental Manager and a Forestry Coordinator. Applications are due by May 19th.

The Duluth-office of the 1854 Treaty Authority is closed today, Wednesday April 26th due to weather conditions. We will reopen with regular business hours tomorrow, Thursday April 27th. Be safe on the roads everyone!

*a FREE Invasive Species Open House*

Non-native phragmites has caused some devastating effects to the ecosystems and properties in Michigan and Wisconsin. Minnesota is in the unique position of catching this invasive species early and having the ability to control it before it causes the same devastating effects as it has to our neighboring states.

Join us Thursday April 20th at Pier B Resort from 6-8pm! Participants can learn to identify phragmites, understanding the detrimental effects of its establishment, and what is currently being done in our region to control it. This open house will be a very low key event with posters and samples to look, at as well as an open question and answer forum with some phragmites experts...and did we mention FREE appetizers while you peruse around the event???

Please help us spread the word by forwarding the information to folks in your network. We hope to see you there!

Want to join our team? We are hiring an Invasive Species Aide and a Fish and Wildlife Aide. Have the time of your life on an electrofishing boat, enjoy every day outdoors conducting surveys, and beef up your resume with an enormous amount of experience with our fish and wildlife management and research programs! Applications are due Friday April 7th. 

We are revising the 1854 Ceded Territory Conservation Code, and offering our constituents the chance to weigh in on any changes they would like to see to the existing 1854 Conservation Code and/or Gathering Code.

How to provide input: The comment form can be printed, filled out and

1) mailed to or dropped off at the main office: 1854 Treaty Authority, 4428 Haines Rd., Duluth MN, 55811

2) scanned and e-mailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

3) submit comments via this online form (closed)

 We will accept written comments through April 28, 2017.

Miigwech for your input!

Although we've had a fluctuating winter, we were able to find some snow to hold a Snowmobile Safety Field Day in Vermilion, Saturday February 25th. Congrats to our three participants, for completing their self-study, mastering the driving course and passing the certification training! Thanks to the Bois Forte CO's and the Boys and Girls Club staff for making the day a success! See photos from the day on the 1854 Facebook page. Watch Jonathan, Rey and Brant show the driving course who is boss on the 1854 YouTube channel.

1854 Treaty Authority's Ziigwan (spring) newsletter features teasers from the Resource Management Division's 2016 annual reports and a summary of our Conservation Code revision process, including how you can weigh in. Check out Fond du Lac's Iskigamizigan (sugar bush) tapping guidelines (thanks FLD forestry!), and learn how to start composting...just in time for Earth Day. Find the newsletter on the Education and Outreach page...

1854 has partnered with the St. Louis County Historical Society to bring an indigenous pottery workshop to the Duluth-area. This is a family program, scheduled for Saturday March 11th, at 10am, and held at the Duluth Depot. The workshop is FREE, but registration is REQUIRED, as space is LIMITED.  Miigwech to all who are registered, we are now FULL! If you have any questions about the upcoming workshop please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Would you like someone fro the 1854 Treaty Authority to come and speak to your school class, civic group or at a public event, about any programs we are engaed in?

Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to schedule a presentation: learn about our on-going management projects, review how treaty rights are protected and managed today, or discover culturally significant and traditionally harvested resources in a new light!

PUBLIC NOTICE

GRAND PORTAGE TRIBE

WATER QUALITY STANDARDS TRIENNIAL REVIEW

The Grand Portage Band of Minnesota Chippewa Tribe has water quality standards (WQS) approved by the U.S. EPA under section 303 of the Clean Water Act. Public comment period starts January 27th and will remain open through March 14th. 

Grand Portage seeks public comments on the following items:  (1) proposed changes in recreation criteria; (2) proposed biological criteria; (3) proposed ammonia criteria; (4) proposed nutrient criteria; and (5) whether any other changes should be made to the WQS during the triennial review process. The proposed recreation, nutrient, biological, and ammonia criteria are provided in red font in the Grand Portage Water Quality Standards.

* The Public Notice with contact information was removed March 14th, 2017.

* The Grand Portage Reservation Water Quality Standards, with proposed changes was removed March 14th, 2017.

* Supporting Information for Grand Portage Proposed Nutrient Criteria was removed March 14th, 2017.

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is hosting three open houses on the wild rice sulfate standard rule-making...

Here are the answers to the "Dressing for Winter" word scramble printed in our Biboon newsletter. Remember to be safe and prepared this winter!!

1854 Treaty Authority's Biboon newsletter features reminders for harvest activities this winter and safety tips for the outdoors, including the impacts from salting our frequently traveled areas. Check out the plans for the Prospectors ATV Trail, and catch an interview with one of the ceded territory’s rare bow hunters. Find it under the Education and Outreach page...

For some, the sub-zero weather means one exciting thing: thickening ice on the lakes! EVEN IN WINTER we need your help to stop new aquatic invasive species (AIS) from coming into new lakes.

1854 Treaty Authority has just updated our new Infested Waters list, showing all waters in the 1854 Ceded Territory that have an AIS infestation. Although there are a few new editions to the list, efforts to stop the spread of new aquatic infestations are proving to be quite successful, with less than 5% of MN waters being infested.

Here are a few things you can do to stop the spread of AIS:

• Make sure to empty all bait buckets and/or drain the bait buckets you are using. Some infectious diseases and smaller AIS have been known to hitchhike from one lake to another by travelling in contaminated bait water. Not only is this good practice, it is also the law to not transport any water from one lake to another.
• Check your ice auger and fishing gear to make sure it is clear of any vegetation. Some aquatic vegetation can stay viable during winter months and frozen temps, and survive frozen temps.
• Look at the origin of your bait. Even if it is dead or frozen, it could still be infected with exotic viruses. Verify your bait came from a “VHS free zone”  and has either been harvested from MN waters or has been preserved under a “bait preservation permit”. All legal bait will have this explicitly stated on the label. 

A public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday December 7th, at 6:30pm at the Sandy Town Hall (County Rd 303 and Hill Rd). Wildlife managers and agency partners will give a presentation on cooperative wild rice and water level management efforts on Big Rice Lake over the past 30 years. Avid ricers, waterfowl hunters, trappers and other stakeholders are invited to discuss Big Rice Lake history, management and current conditions. *Participants are encouraged to bring any photos of Big Rice Lake as historical evidence of water levels.

Anyone who is interested buy cannot attend is welcome to send comments to Tower Area DNR Wildlife staff: 218-300-7860