Tribes in the upper Midwest have been at the forefront of developing novel strategies to respond to climate change, mitigate threats to critical ecosystems, protect traditional subsistence and harvesting practices, and advance Tribal resource, energy, and food sovereignty.

Laura Matson and Arielle Wagner moderated a panel titled “Tribal Food and Resource Sovereignty in the context of Climate Change.” The panel featured Bradley Harrington (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources), Michael Northbird (Minnesota Chippewa Tribe), and Philomena Kebec (Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission). The panelists highlighted work being done on reservations, in state government, and in the treaty-ceded territories to revitalize Ojibwe cultural practices, develop food and resource sovereignty plans, and respond to environmental conditions and climate change impacts. The panel touched on issues of treaty law, food safety protocols and agricultural policy, and state/tribal cooperation around environmental initiatives.

This CLE was co-hosted by the Minnesota American Indian Bar Association and the MSBA Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Law Section.

Arielle Wagner