STOI DNR Update-November 2022

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Department of Natural Resources

November Report 2022

 

Forestry Administration 

  • Updating silviculture contract services to provide training to Forester and Tech staff, and provided pre-sale services
  • Prepared sale documents for tribal and allotted timber sales
  • Issued various permits including Free-use and Paid
  • Invoiced for the volume and stumpage for active sales
  • Assisted contractor with building floor remodel
  • Submit Annual Narrative Reports by 12/2
  • Equipment upgrades for GIS Program
  • Updating Position Descriptions

 

TIMBER SALES

  • Firebreak- McCrea crew is back in operation and working on missed area. Progress is slow because they only have two people currently working. Third crew member I on elk hunt.
  • Allotment 2021- Pioneer has finished with wildlife areas on Elk Drop and moved back to wildlife area on Frost Pocket. They started there this spring, but got mudded out. Phillip fixed corner so they can use new road and not have cross private property.  Only two small allotments will be left to do, they may have a hard time finding to do these due to low volume.
  • Frost Pocket- Redbones have returned to work and are getting some loads moved. Swiger is making good production, but are still way behind on slashing. Rajewski has been down all week. Waiting for a skidder or skidder parts.
  • New technician started for the Timber sale Program.

 

FOREST DEVELOPMENT

  • PCT activity ongoing in Test Fire, Kieffer West and Kalesten.
    • 26 active contracts.
  • Status updates for Forestry Work Contracts in anticipation of a Winter shutdown.
  • Vehicle and Equipment maintenance ongoing
  • Assisting with snow plowing as necessary.

 

PRESALES

  • As of yesterday (11/29) we completed our Continuous Forest Inventory (CFI) measurement. In total 996 plots were either remeasured or established. This project took almost 2 years and we had help from two different contractors as well as doing a lot of the work ourselves. The next step is to pass the data on to the Branch of Forest Resources and Planning (BOFRP) to compile the data, before we can begin our next Inventory Analysis.
  • Presales hired a third technician and now out field crew is fully staffed. Emphasis is on training and familiarization with program duties/goals.
  • Our 5-year plan for fiscal year 2023 was completed.
  • Timber marking is ongoing for the Guard Cabin Project Area. Will probably get snowed out with this next big storm and will then work on the Crowhop Project Area that is easier to work on in inclement weather.
  • Completed 4 realty cruises relating to the ongoing work of the new sewer line/ drain field for Wellpinit.

 

FIRE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM                  

  • Fire Management is working on getting a qualified IA dispatch.
  • Researching funding opportunities since funding for the Preparedness Program is getting less and less. The seasonal personnel’s time is get cut this year and items in the budget had to be eliminated.
  • Reviewing training needs for staff and planning training for Fy2023.
  • Performing Equipment Maintenance

 

FUELS

  • 18 Forest Work Contracts at Admin for E.D. Review/Signature
  • 9 active Forest Work Contracts, contract admin ongoing
  • Potential Admin Shutdown of Contracts for Winter
  • Ongoing Vehicle/equipment maintenance
    • heater issues with Textron Prowler UTV
    • side mirrors replacement on SIR 0172, awaiting wiper arm order to come in
  • Started 2022 Property Inventory, hope to complete by 12/2
  • Draft/Edit/Submit FY2022 BIA Annual Narrative Report by 12/2
  • Met with Ted et al. about Wildfire GIS Data
    • will download existing point data from WFMI and Inform to share
  • Snow plow driveways on Wellpinit/Joe Sherwood/Elijah Rd route

 

GIS

  • ArcGIS Pro concurrent licenses are now available, please contact April Kaiser (kaiser@spokanetribe.com) to activate license
  • Will be transitioning from ArcGIS Desktop to ArcGIS Pro
  • Buffalo drive Gisd001’s GIS data folder is now backed up onto Fmgd001 every Sunday.
  • Held 1st Steering Committee Meeting for Program Managers and GIS users.

 

Air Quality

  • Proposed Revisions to FARR (Federal Air Rules and Regulations)
  • NTAA Calls (Mobile Sources, EC Monthly Call, NTAA/EPA Air Policy)
  • Radon Poster Contest Workgroup
  • BIENNIAL MEETING EPA/TRIBES REGION 10 (WA, OR, ID) – Seattle, WA Nov 8th – 10th

 

Water & Fish

  • Reviewed PCB hatchery data
  • Met w/ council on adjudication of tribal waters
  • ID Team reviews and lead duties
  • Retrieved final temperature loggers from streams
  • Collected climate change data from Elder surveys
  • Electroshock fish Tshimikain -tagging and population assessment
  • Plant trees Lane Mountain and install protectors
  • Met with Cameron on RCPP Tshimikain Project and collected data on 4 sites
  • Met weekly with EPA and Newmont on Midnite
  • Sampled community water systems
  • Attended climate change symposium at NQ
  • Mtg w public works on EPA dump cleanup grant
  • Communicated with Water Resource Plan contractor
  • Attended BIA climate grant recipient training

 

TFW

The timber, fish, and wildlife program continued work to monitor timber harvest activities on private and state lands within the Tribe’s Usual & Accustomed area. This included review of 47 Forest Practices Applications and 5 Water Type Modification requests in Stevens, Spokane, and Lincoln counties. This work helped to achieve adequate natural resource protections and compliance with state regulations. Additionally, the program continued its collaboration with the Washington Forest Practices Adaptive Management Program (AMP) through participation in the Scientific Advisory Group Eastside (SAGE), the Instream Scientific Advisory Group (ISAG), the Cooperative Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research Committee (CMER), and the Washington State Forest Practices Board. Participation involved representation in meetings as well as review of AMP documents, including the study design for the evaluation of potential habitat breaks (PHBs) for use in delineating end of fish habitat in forested landscapes in Washington State.

 

Wildlife

In November the Wildlife Program has been primarily focused on the tribal elk hunt. This included preparation and training all staff on tooth, embryo, and lymph node collection protocols. Wildlife staff manned 2 elk hunt check stations for the duration of the hunt collecting all of these samples and various data metrics. The elk hunt resulted in 162 total animals taken in the 12 days. Following elk hunt, the Program enters data, checks all sample collection for continuity and appropriate labels. Wildlife Biologists continue to monitor animals equipped with GPS collars and monitor predators with trail camera data.

Tribal biologists also attended the national Wildlife Society conference in Spokane and presented on Stewardship on Tribal lands and Predator/Prey dynamics on the reservation.

 

Mitigation

The Program assisted in the collection of Lymph Nodes, Embryo checks and Lymph Node extraction for the annual Tribal Elk Hunt. We have been performing maintenance on tractors, ATV’s and UTV’s.

 

Range

During November 2022, the Range Program worked on livestock monitoring after the open range season closed, continued reinforcing corrals, equipment maintenance, and other end of season activities. Early snowfall inhibited Fall weed control plans, so the extra time was spent on data entry, conducting a supply inventory, and winterizing weed management tools. The program also continued a spring development and condition survey. Planning projects for 2023 was a priority for the latter part of the month, including spring developments, native grass seeding, noxious weed management, and vegetation surveys.

 

BPA Coordination

Presentations (STOI History) to:

  • West Valley school district junior class (150 students) Washington State Department of Social and Health Social (DSHS) services, state wide zoom (87 participants) Shadle Park Library ((62 participants) Yasuhura Middle School (43 Middle School students)

Interview/videos:

  • Spokane River-Keepers
  • Spokane Tribe Casino (Native American Heritage Month)
  • Q-6 History information
  • KREM 2 assist with STOI History airing

Meetings:

  • Eastern Washington State Hospital
  • Spokane Conservation District
  • Spokane University District
  • Leadership Spokane
  • Jack Nisbet river history project for Lake Roosevelt Forum
  • Various communications (15) on Spokane Tribe history information on curriculum requests

 

Anadromous Fisheries Program

In November the Anadromous Program continued policy and technical work. Participating in several policy processes including the Spokane River Lead Entity development, Columbia Basin Collaborative, Blocked Areas Anadromous Fish Working Group, and the Columbia River Treaty. Most excitingly, staff transferred juvenile chinook to net pens in Lake Roosevelt and have continued monitoring and feeding in anticipation of continuing juvenile movement surveys in Spring ‘23.

 

Fisheries Program

The month of November was the end of seasonal field work with the completion of the fall Northern Pike Survey with CTCR and WDFW and sampling in the Little Falls Pool. We began our winter season with monthly fish health assessment of net pen fish. Staff began post field season equipment cleaning and maintenance. White Sturgeon staff participating in the White Sturgeon Policy staff continued participation in many regional and national processes; Columbia Basin Collaborative, Blocked Areas Anadromous Fish Working Group, Columbia River Treaty, Fish Passage Advisory Group, the Federal Columbia River Power System Technical Management Team, and others.

 

Park Rangers

November is a very busy month for the Ranger department. Twelve days of annual elk hunt in which the Rangers patrol and assist both the public and wildlife departments.  One citation was written for a deer season violation. Two elk from the hunt were processed for the food bank. Many woodcutter and hunting checks throughout the month.  Fishing season has kicked off with a few tribal members shoreline fishing lake Roosevelt. The recent snow at the end of the month rangers were called upon many times to assist the public with the removal of stuck vehicles.