From the Eagle’s Nest

Winter 2025

Greetings NAFWS Members, Partners, Friends, and Family:

Hope you are staying healthy!

Happy New Year and Happy Holidays! I am honored to be here representing the NAFWS Board of Directors. We have survived another winter solstice. It is important to note on the day of winter solstice, many Native American communities will hold religious ceremonies or community events. The winter solstice is the day of the year when the Northern Hemisphere has the fewest hours of sunlight and the Southern Hemisphere has the most. For indigenous peoples, it has been a time to honor their ancient sun deity. They passed their knowledge down to successive generations through complex stories and ritual practices. I enjoy the longer days.

I hope you have had a great holiday season and are ready to get back to work. In 2025, the NAFWS is off and running and will provide seminars, trainings, work sessions, grant writing, education and provide working groups that will provide you tools to assist you in managing your tribal natural resources. We have an excellent staff that will be putting all this information on social media and offering assistance to the when and where. I hope you take full advantage of all things offered. We are also listening to what the needs are in your management you might need us to put together some additional training as needed.

The NAFWS is continually working on what can we do better. In early December 2024 at our winter Board of Directors and Staff Meeting, a working calendar was developed. This is a projection of yearly activities that will reach out to membership and keep them informed of upcoming events.

One of the NAFWS goals in the upcoming year and future is to work towards a Tribal wide natural resource impact. Where can we help? What can we do to make better? The NAFWS is a national Native American non-profit organization and a membership organization. The NAFWS strives to meet the needs of its member tribes and individuals. In order for us to be a successful membership organization, we need all to be involved. We serve as a communication network between tribal, federal, and state fish and wildlife management entities. We aim to follow our mission.

The NAFWS has long been a beacon of leadership and dedication in the conservation of fish, wildlife and the preservation (conservation) of our natural habitats. Our commitment is deep rooted in traditions and profound respect for nature that have been passed down through generations. This wisdom is not only a gift, but a responsibility that we carry with us as stewards of the land.

As we work in our daily jobs, we are reminded of the importance of our work. The challenges we face are significant such as climate change, habitat destruction and even species extinction to name a few. We are making strides in addressing these issues. Tribes have innovative approaches to conservation grounded in traditional ecological knowledge, are leading the way in sustainable practices and environmental education.

As I look at my calendar, we will have to hope and pray that all our forward movement continues into the New Year with successful funding to provide fish, wildlife and environmental assistance. We are heading into the grant and report writing time of the year. The NAFWS Staff does a great job in providing what is needed to be successful. I said this last quarter but it is worth repeating if we can help one more person or tribe, this is worth it.

The NAFWS BOD will continue to work on a new working Strategic Management Plan and updating other Policies. We have a FY2025 NAFWS National Initiatives. We will continue to identify funding for fish, wildlife, and conservation for Tribes. It’s been a pleasure working with these individuals.

The NAFWS National Initiatives continues to grow and has offered numerous wildlife seminars, grant writing, technical assistance, specialized trainings, assist tribes in Conservation Law Enforcement Officer funding and training, Alaskan Tribal Climate Resiliency Program, Wildlife Disease and Wildlife Health, Invasive species, Wildlife Connectivity, Fish and Wildlife Management, Recovering Americas Wildlife Act Initiative, Habitat Connectivity, Climate Resiliency, America the Beautiful Grant, Tribal Analytics Mapping Project, and provide educational support through Summer Youth Practicums, Scholarships and Trainings. The NAFWS Staff has worked very hard to reach out into Native Lands and offer and provide assistance. They can be found under events and training sidebar on our national website (www.nafws.org). I keep saying this, but we as a Society have come a long ways and we are better prepared today to offer our membership more than we had in the past.

The 2025 Native American Fish and Wildlife Society Annual National Conference, hosted by the Eastern Shoshone & Northern Arapaho Tribes of the Wind River Reservation, will be held from May 12 to 15, 2025 in Riverton, Wyoming. This year’s national will be sponsored by the Great Plains NAFWS Region. We are looking for presenters and sponsors. This is a great time to highlight a project or two.

We have several opportunities coming up for students. The application period for our in-person National Summer Youth Practicum (SYP). The SYP is in the planning process. Scholarships for all regions are being advertised now. Please encourage your college students to apply.

Hope you read and enjoy. The NAFWS continues to be very busy and hopefully with this newsletter finds it informative and helpful to you.

Thank you NAFWS members, I’d like to give a special shout-out of appreciation to our NAFWS Board of Directors, Executive Director and Staff, for their tireless effort working for tribes and their lands!

Thank you all!

Wishing you success

Donald J. Reiter, President

NAFWS

Happy New Year NAFWS members, partners, and friends! I can’t believe it’s 2025! I hope you are all rested and ready to continue the amazing conservation work you are doing. NAFWS Board and Staff have a lot planned for this upcoming year.

We ended 2024 strong with new staff and several successful meetings and events. We welcomed Jolene Auliye to our team as an Assistant Tribal Climate Resilience Liaison – AK Region. She is already busy learning and sharing her knowledge of climate impacts to Alaska Natives. We celebrated a successful Alaska Regional Conference in October in conjunction with the Alaska Federation of Natives. Hope Roberts (AK) was re-elected for a second term on the Board of Directors.

Laurel James, Shailyn Wiechman and I attended The Wildlife Society annual conference in Baltimore, MD in October; each of us presented on Tribal conservation work and perspectives. We also participated in the Native People’s Working Group and several networking events. I accompanied the grants team of Megan Hawkins, Andy Edwards and Katie Schultz and NFWF Program Director, Sydney Godbey on two site visits to the Cocopah and White Mountain Apache Tribes. A highlight for me was stopping by the White Mountain Apache Tribe Game & Fish Department and visiting with Cynthia Dale. Cynthia is a long-standing NAFWS member and has recently retired. Best wishes Cynthia! It is always a positive experience to visit Tribes and hear about the work they are doing. You can read more about our site visits at www.nafws.org/news/

November found us in DC with several of our Tribal partners educating on the status of Tribal fish and wildlife funding and challenges. It was a very successful trip, as we had almost 30 meetings with congressional staff and members in two days and met with many of our federal partners as well. While there we continued to educate on the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (S. 1149) and remain committed to seeing it pass and actively participate in the RAWA Alliance. Please continue to tell your stories to your communities, leadership and State, Federal, and private partners. We must continue to stress the importance of Tribes’ need for base funding for fish and wildlife.

We ended 2024 with our annual staff work week and Board of Directors’ meeting in Denver, CO the first week of December. This is one of two times that we are all together and I appreciate the time to reflect and plan as a team. Staff developed the 2025 training plan with many exciting events. We are eagerly planning for the 42nd Annual National Conference to be held May 12-15 hosted by the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapahoe Tribes of the Wind River Reservation at their Wind River Hotel and Casino in Riverton, WY. We are currently seeking abstracts, vendors, national award nominations and sponsors and will continue to update information on our website. We hope to see you all there!

We are encouraged by the over $50 million awarded to 20 Tribal nations through the America the Beautiful Challenge Grants in 2024. The overall request of nearly $244 M by 76 Tribal Nations continues to shine light on the need for dedicated funding for Tribal fish and wildlife programs. NAFWS Grant Team continues to identify funding opportunities and provide technical assistance to federally recognized Tribes.

NAFWS wants to hear from you to help develop better programming to address challenges Tribes face. We are launching several new programs in 2025 such as the Certified Tribal Technician pilot program. As a result of many NAFWS member voices, we have developed a survey to help assist the US Fish and Wildlife Service with their Native American Policy. If you are a Tribal employee working in fish and wildlife, we urge you to take ten minutes to complete the survey.

We look forward to serving our membership with the conservation, enhancement and preservation of Tribal fish and wildlife resources. As always, if you have ideas for the NAFWS, please contact me or your regional director(s).

Pilamaye ye,

Julie Thorstenson, PhD (Lakota)

Executive Director

In Navajo, we say, Happy Yas Niłt’ees (January) which translates “the melting or frying of snow” and let me say there has been no snow to melt in these first few days of January. However, there is a lot of planning for events, training and in our education programs for 2025.

To recap the last few months of 2024:

In October, NAFWS (Education Coordinator, Ashley Mueller and Education Intern, Arielle Vaughan) attended the American Indian in Science/Engineering Society (AISES) annual national conference in San Antonio, Texas. NAFWS held an exhibitor booth to share who NAFWS is and what NAFWS does while giving away brochures, stickers, pens, t-shirts and some of the Wildlife Stewardship on Tribal Lands: Our Place is in Our Soul textbook. Ashley presented to a full room of students and professionals in the Interested in Environmental Careers? Learn How to Find Them and What You Need to Enter the Field workshop.

As the year 2024, came to an end, NAFWS’ work and mission does not! NAFWS staff and board are excited for the memories, laughs and knowledge to be gained in the upcoming conferences, workshops, trainings and webinars. Please stay tuned for upcoming opportunities, due dates and events.

We would like to celebrate the Native Scholars that received a scholarship from NAFWS in 2024! Please follow the link to learn more about the students: https://www.nafws.org/youth-early-professional/nafws-scholarships/

Ungulate Working Group updates

Last year, the Ungulate Working Group focused on Chronic Wasting Disease and Big Horn Sheep. This year, we will focus on Wildlife Diseases that affect ungulate species. We will focus on each disease to be discussed individually in our meetings. These diseases include: Hoof Rot, Chronic Wasting Disease, Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, Bovine Tuberculosis/Wildlife Feeding, and Ticks.

Fisheries and Aquatics Working Group updates

2024 saw the startup of the Fisheries and Aquatics Working Group with the purpose of expanding NAFWS support and assistance in fisheries, aquaculture, invertebrates and other aquatic systems. Topics of the year were, stream restoration and barrier removal for anadromous alewife by the Penobscot Nation, funding resources –including NGOs, listed crayfish aquaculture at the Miccosukee Tribal Hatchery, and marine aquaculture of shellfish and abalone at the Alutiiq Pride Facility in Seward Alaska. The working group will alternate between freshwater and marine topics in 2025 and we are always looking for projects to highlight so let Sean Cross know if you are interested in presenting or joining the working group.

Tribal Wildlife Connectivity Group Updates

We are entering the fourth year of the Tribal Wildlife Connectivity Discussion/Working Group; please join us this year as we continue to discuss how Tribes across the country are working to proactively manage improved habitat and conserved wildlife migration corridors.

Pollinator Working Group Updates

The Pollinator Working Group launched in 2024, hosting talks from organizations like Tribal Alliance for Pollinators and the XERCES Society. As we look ahead to 2025, we’re excited to tackle additional topic requests and welcome new expert speakers to share their knowledge and drive meaningful discussions.

Reptile and Amphibian Working Group Updates

The Reptile and Amphibian Working Group launched in 2024 in partnership with the Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy. In 2024, we dove into key conservation topics related to herpetofauna and look forward to expanding our focus and continuing to address the interests and concerns of tribal communities.

Research and Publications Committee Updates

In 2024, the Research and Publications Committee completed a Tribal Research Guide, focused on strategic partnerships between tribes and non-tribal entities. Thorughout the remainder of 2024 and continuing into 2025, the committee has been working towards creating a NAFWS publication called From the Field – Elevating Indigenous Voices that focuses on tribal conservation and management. More information is coming soon.

More information about our working groups can be found at:  Working Groups – Native American Fish and Wildlife Society

Certified Tribal Fisheries Technician Program

NAFWS has launched an initial certified tribal technician program that will provide the necessary training and certifications to fisheries and invasive species field staff to increase natural resource program capacity. Applications were accepted until December 30^th and now 5 technicians will be selected to participate in the program through 2025 into May of 2026. NAFWS plans to implement this program on a long-term basis for technicians to submit their training and on the job experience in some examples to receive the certification. Contact Sean Cross for more information.

Our team’s focus is on assisting Alaska Native Tribes with their climate adaptation and resiliency. Alaska is facing rapid changes in climate, which touches every aspect of life for native people. From the collapse of the Yukon salmon fisheries to the impacts of intensifying storms like Typhoon Merbok, tribes have been dealing with the harsh realities of climate change. But Native Alaskans have proved resilient for generations and will continue to be capable and strong. In partnership with the Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center, our team has been working to assist tribes with their climate adaptation efforts by connecting them with others doing this work and useful climate science.

As a part of the Strengthening Resilience Today training series, in November, Kaitlyn Demoski along with several partners visited four tribes on Prince of Wales Island (Craig, Klawock, Hydaburg, and Kasaan). They held community meetings with each tribe to discuss climate science and issues they face on the island, with a special focus on landslides. Southeast Alaska is receiving more of its precipitation as rain (rather than snow) in recent years due to increased winter temperatures. This rain sometimes comes from intense atmospheric rivers which produce torrents of rain that the soil can’t absorb in such a short period of time. Paired with the region’s steep mountainous landscape, this leads to increased landslides, which have been devastating for communities. These community meetings were helpful to have discussions and encourage involvement in ongoing coordinated actions being taken in Southeast Alaska towards landslide preparedness and response.

After these site visits, our team, as part of the Alaska Tribal Resilience Learning Network, hosted two Information Sessions highlighting tribal landslide monitoring projects, funding opportunities, and stories about how people are adapting and building resilience to climate change in Southeast Alaska. From monitoring efforts to the Landslide Working Group, the resiliency of these communities and their ability to work together is overwhelmingly inspiring.

Building on the Momentum from 2024

The plans of the NAFWS Invasive Species Program are exciting for the upcoming year of 2025. Expansions in training that will allow for workshops in March, April, June and August will accompany the already event packed calendar for NAFWS. Tentatively scheduled, these workshops will allow for training in the Pacific, Southwest, Great Lakes, and Southwest Regions with smaller training opportunities possible as part of our regional conferences. Each of these workshops will be advertised on the NAFWS events and training webpage as they come up.

Our commitment to our membership is to keep building up the momentum that we are transferring from 2024. Our last presentation, as part of our year-long Invasive Species Peer Learning Webinar Series, was well attended with an impressive audience that encourages growth and expansion. Our plans to rise strategically are geared with purpose and precision that aid tribal managers in the field of invasive species management with an arsenal of tools and skills that will enhance any conservation program.

Another exciting addition this year will be the introduction of our Invasive Species Club. Not wanting to confuse this with a committee or council, this forum will be designed to provide a safe space for tribal managers challenged with barriers and obstacles in managing their tribal resources to come together for the common objective of controlling invasive species on their respective lands. This forum gives both virtual and in-person opportunities for tribal managers in the invasive species management to share knowledge, techniques, and strategies amongst each other for the benefit of tribal programs. Quarterly virtual meetings along with in-person meetings at the regional and national conferences will provide for the sense of involvement and ownership in the planning of invasive species-related activities offered through the NAFWS Invasive Species Program.

The ISP Team is excited and motivated to expand out programming and look forward to building on our engagement efforts to promote active and current management strategies for our tribal natural resources, environmental, and conservation programs.

As we begin 2025 anew, the NAFWS Grants team is reflecting on our last year of work. In 2024, we were lucky enough to visit 13 Tribal nations during site visits, assisted in 238 instances of virtual technical assistance with you all, and conducted 22 funding opportunity webinars. During this work, we came in contact with nearly 1000 individuals and representatives from 149 Federally Recognized Tribes. Numbers aside, the experiences we had hearing about and witnessing your grant-funded projects during 2024 left impressions on us all.

In the final quarter of the year, ATBC Field Liaisons Katie Schultz and Andy Edwards, and Director of Operations Megan Hawkins traveled to visit the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians to learn about their project restoring coho salmon habitat along the beautiful Oregon Coast through tidal wetland restoration at haich ikt’at’uu, which translates to “Heart of the River” in traditional Siuslaw language. The restoration of this property from a cattle ranch to its historical function as tidal wetland will providing much needed habitat while also allowing Tribal citizens to honor and maintain their cultural practices.

The team then traveled to Arizona to visit both the Cocopah Indian Tribe and White Mountain Apache Tribe. At Cocopah, the Tribe was responding to decades of riparian habitat degradation from diminishing Colorado River flows and leading an effort to restore 341 acres of cottonwood, willow, mesquite, and wetland habitat in the floodplain of the Colorado River Delta on the US-Mexico border. The Cocopah, which translates to “The River People”, are protecting the last green spot on the Colorado River while straddling a complex international border. Seeing the work they were doing there was awe-inspiring!!

In January, we are looking forward to working with many of you in person, as we host our first Retreat for Applicants and Grantees in Charlotte, North Carolina, focusing on the America the Beautiful Challenge and other NFWF National Programs. There are still spots available, and ample travel assistance is available for those who are interested! Please contact Andy or Katie with any questions, and register at this link.

As always, use this link to book a meeting directly with our team and see how we can further support your Nation on grant-related needs. Please get in touch with any questions at all – we can help you brainstorm, be a second set of eyes on proposals, or help search for the right opportunities for your program. We can also assist with grantwriting trainings, workshops on project management, and more!

Be sure to check NAFWS’ NEW Grants Database for Many more – we are always updating and you can search by topic, open and close date, match required, etc.

National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, Tribal Set-Aside: Due Jan 24, 2025

The NADPRP Program provides funds to support high-value projects that will help prevent the introduction and spread of foreign and emerging animal diseases that threaten U.S. agriculture. (Some diseases impact both wildlife and agriculture – inquire further for wildlife-related project ideas).

BIA Fish Wildlife and Recreation: Invasive Species Program: Due Jan 31, 2025

Used for the planning, prevention, or implementation to manage invasive species impacts on Tribal natural resources. Awards up to $200,000.

BIA Fish Wildlife and Recreation: Endangered Species Program: Due Jan 31, 2025

Projects for the BFWR Endangered Species Program may encompass either endangered species as identified in the ESA or Tribally-significant species as identified in a Tribal document, management plan, or Tribal Resolution. Awards up to $120,000.

BIA Fish Wildlife and Recreation: Fish Hatchery Maintenance Program: Due Jan 31, 2025

The Branch of Fisheries, Wildlife and Recreation (BFWR) provides competitive funding to federally-recognized Tribes to maintain and enhance fish hatcheries. Fish hatchery facilities are any structure used to spawn, hatch, rear, hold, care for, or stock fish and/or shellfish. No award cap.

BIA Fish Wildlife and Recreation: Tribal Youth Initiative: Due Jan 31, 2025
The Branch of Fisheries, Wildlife and Recreation (BFWR) provides competitive funding to federally-recognized Tribes and Tribal Organizations’ programs to engage Tribal youth in natural resource management work and prepare them for careers related to fisheries, wildlife and outdoor recreation. Awards up to $50,000.

NFWF Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund: Due February 5, 2025

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) seeks proposals to work with landowners to voluntarily restore, enhance and conserve longleaf pine and bottomland hardwood forests within the historical longleaf pine range. The Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund is a funding opportunity for on-the-ground natural resource conservation projects. Awards up to $3 million.

Pacific Salmon and Steelhead Hatchery Maintenance and Modernization: Due Mar 3, 2025

This opportunity will make approximately $184 million available to 27 eligible Tribes for maintenance and modernization at fish hatchery facilities.

John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program: Due Mar 14, 2025

The John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program provides grants or cooperative agreements to eligible marine mammal stranding network participants to support recovery, response, data collection, and facility costs in response to marine mammal strandings.

National Coastal Resilience Fund: Due Date TBD

The National Coastal Resilience Fund invests in conservation projects that restore, increase and strengthen natural infrastructure such as coastal marshes and wetlands, dune and beach systems, oyster and coral reefs, rivers and floodplains, coastal forest, and barrier islands that mitigate the impacts of storms and other coastal hazards to communities.

National Fish Passage Program; Accepted on a rolling basis

The National Fish Passage Program (NFPP) is a voluntary program that provides direct technical and financial assistance to partners to remove instream barriers and restore aquatic organism passage and aquatic connectivity for the benefit of Federal trust resources. In doing so, NFPP aims to maintain or increase native fish populations to improve ecosystem resiliency and provide quality fishing experiences for the American people.

Update: Changes to the USFWS Small Grants Program

The USFWS Small Grants Process is a new procedure for applying to existing USFWS programs and funding to make them more accessible to applicants under-served by the traditional grants process. The Small Grants Process provides a simplified application and award management process, including availability of FWS employees to support application submissions, and a way for applicants to bypass Grant Solutions. This can save significant time and administrative effort. Projects must have award amounts of less than $100,000 and be able to be accomplished within 2 years. For more information and links, visit the NAFWS Grants Database.

• NAFWS Deputy Executive Director – The Deputy Executive Director (Deputy) serves as a trusted advisor under the direct supervision of the Executive Director (ED) to advance the mission of the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society (NAFWS) by providing leadership, strategic direction, guidance and supervision. This is a supervisory position..
• NAFWS Communications Director– The Communication Director (CD) of the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society (NAFWS) serves under the guidance and direction of the Executive Director. The CD will be responsible for implementing a creative comprehensive communication strategy or network to enhance the visibility of Native American Tribal Natural Resource Programs and Native peoples. This will include promoting the exchange of information related to Tribal fish and wildlife management techniques and policy initiatives in a way that meets the organization’s mission and goals through media relations and public outreach initiatives. The CD will assist the Executive Director in the promotion and outreach of events and trainings for the NAFWS.
• We also have Internship applications open for our Alaska team and for a Education and Communications intern Here.