White Earth Nation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Celebrate Signing of MOA for Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge

Leaders from the White Earth Nation (WEN) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) celebrated the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge at the Shooting Star Casino, in Mahnomen on Tuesday. 

The historic agreement strengthens the enduring conservation partnership between the White Earth Nation and the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge.

The signing of this MOA:

• Delineates formal processes for water structures in the Refuge
• Provides dispute resolution mechanisms in case of dispute over the MOA with USFWS and WEN.
• Provides for government-to-government data/information sharing, planning, and implementation in real-time and annually.
• Makes it so both parties commit to work expeditiously on future agreements and co-stewardship.
• Amend the Conservation Code concerning Tamarac NWR to include permitting standards and enforcement protocols consistent with treaty rights, inherent Sovereignty, and federal law.
• Removes duplicative permitting requirements with Feds and WEDNR for band members for certain activities including ricing; furbearer trapping; harvesting leeches, turtles, and minnows; gathering wild plants; some wood cutting for dead and down timber and traditional wood products;

The MOA does not transfer ownership or management of the Refuge, alter current hunting/fishing practices, or provide permitting processes for any additional activities not currently utilized.