Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College Gets $1.1M Grant

CLOQUET - The Environmental Institute at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College has been awarded more than $1,150,000 in total grant project funding through the United States Department of Agriculture to continue innovative projects and expand capacity in science, technology, engineering, and math programming.

The Environmental Institute, along with project partner Fond du Lac Band Resource Management, will work together to accomplish the objectives established in the grant projects.

All of the grant awards are possible only because of the partnership agreement between the Fond du Lac Band and Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College.

The Environmental Institute promotes educational and cultural growth in studies related to natural resources and the environment.

Programs fulfill the college's role as a Land Grant Institution through extension programs covering research, education, and community outreach.

Three USDA Land Grant Extension grants totaling around $740,000 will support ongoing extension programs beginning in September 2014 and continuing through August of 2016 and September 2018, depending on the project.

A new USDA Capacity Building grant of approximately $410,000 also begins in September and ends in August 2018.

"I am really excited about continuing our extension programming and implementing the new things we will be able to do with the USDA grant funding," said Courtney Kowalczak, Director of the Environmental Institute at FDLTCC. "We have some great programs already in place, and we have a long list of interesting ideas for the future. The USDA grant funds allow us to continue to reach people in the communities we serve through conducting research and providing educational opportunities."

"For example, our Thirteen Moons program reaches around 2,000 community members each year and is a leader in connecting people with natural resources and Ojibwe culture. Our River Watch program is almost 20 years old and continues to teach over 400 students a year about our local rivers. The Bimaaji'idiwin Ojibwe Garden is continuing its great work in promoting local, fresh foods, and is helping more people see that they can garden."

The Bimaaji'idiwin Ojibwe Garden is a research and demonstration garden created by the project partners Fond du Lac Band and Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College to preserve and promote traditional Ojibwe cropping systems as well as educate the greater community about contemporary strategies for organic food and medicinal plant production.

An important objective for the research and demonstration garden is to develop, expand, and maintain a collection of Anishinaabe and Native American heirloom crop seeds through a miinikaanag agindaasoowigamig (seed library).

"Our ultimate goal is to increase access to fresh foods for the Fond du Lac Reservation and surrounding communities," said Nikki Crowe, Thirteen Moons Program Coordinator. "In order to make sure that access is sustainable, we work with local producers to develop skills and opportunities to provide these fresh foods." The Ojibwe Garden will also be used as an incubator for students and beginning farmers who wish to gain experience in growing and marketing produce.

The St. Louis River - River Watch program reaches over 400 teachers and students who participate in water quality monitoring each year.

River Watch students gather biological, chemical, and physical data throughout the St. Louis River watershed and western Lake Superior basin.

Students have a practical opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge in an important scientific data collection effort.

"Students develop valuable scientific and social skills while following detailed protocols, solving scientific problems, and cooperating with their peers," said Kowalczak. "The students are given opportunities to share not only their data but also the water quality issues that face their community." Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College provides the research resources and logistical support necessary to assist the schools in this effort.

The Thirteen Moons program addresses connections to natural resources.

Program staff deliver nine to twelve seasonal-content workshops on natural resource-related activities, including traditional practices such as the Sugarbush Tour, Wild Berry Camp, and Manoomin (wild rice) Camp.

Social and education-based events related to Ojibwe traditional natural resources and culture are also offered.

"We highlight the importance of natural resources in Anishinaabeg lives and livelihoods, and promote learning and sharing of the skills that will allow these livelihood strategies to endure," said Crowe. "The Ashi Niswi Giizisioog program is looking forward to continue presenting workshops and events for our community."

"Our new project, Capacity Building in STEM Programming for Sustainability, will transform our college into a space that supports our educational efforts on sustainability," said Kowalczak. "By managing our campus to support sustainability, we will impact our students and greater community by providing hands-on opportunities for students to learn about agricultural, natural resources, and alternative energy issues."

In the grant proposal, FDLTCC seeks to expand capacity to do research and provide education in areas of land management, nutrition, and sustainable foods.

The proposal will create a land use plan to enable the college to implement sustainable forestry practices to manage its pine tree plantation, integrate campus-level activities with community-level objectives, and develop hands-on learning opportunities related to agriculture, food, nutrition, and traditional growing practices.

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College created the Environmental Institute concept on campus to actively promote the educational and cultural growth in studies covering natural resources and the environment.

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College uses the Environmental Institute as the vehicle in environmental resource areas to follow all points of the College's mission and coordinate ongoing education, research, outreach, and other activities.

This emphasis also allows Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College to fulfill its status as a United States Land Grant Institution by "being a people's college and solving problems which benefit people."

A campus team coordinates programs and initiatives of the Environmental Institute and is advised by staff from Fond du Lac Resource Management, University of Minnesota Extension, resources within the community including local science teachers, and county resource managers, tribal officials, interested individuals, public officials, and citizen groups.