Work

A potential model of national forest co-management: History of aspen management on the Leech Lake Reservation and Chippewa National Forest in Minnesota

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Aspen exists as the most abundant and industrially important forest type in contemporary Minnesota. Historically, the species was seen as economically undesirable yet saw prolific increases in abundance due to pine harvest and fire. The Leech Lake Reservation exists as a unique case study of tribal-U.S. Forest Service co-management, with 90 % of reservation land within Chippewa National Forest boundaries. This large geographical intersection was created by a series of American Indian law policies and makes the relationship between the Chippewa National Forest and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe unique within the USDA National Forest System. Comparison of pre-reservation and more modern forest/land cover types within the modern-day boundaries of the Leech Lake Reservation were conducted alongside investigation of historical management authority documentation of Chippewa National Forest and Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe cooperation and broader historical management of aspen in Minnesota. Results suggest historical power dynamics between the Chippewa National Forest and Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe influenced decreasing pine and increasing aspen on the Leech Lake Reservation. However, the modern relationship between the Chippewa National Forest and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe shows the potential for successful co-management within the shared goals of aspen management.

Source: Trees Forests and People

DOI: 10.1016/j.tfp.2024.100679

Authors: Tyler S. Gifford, Michael J. Dockry, Douglas P. Thompson, John M. Zobel

Institutions: University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota, Duluth

Language: English

Topic: Forest Management and Policy

Subfield: Global and Planetary Change

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Life on land

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,410