Tribal Forestry Today
September 27th WCSWA Meeting
Michael Wilson, on part of the tribe’s acreage
When Native Americans ceded their lands during the treaty era, much of it was forest. Today, many tribes, including those in Oregon, are working to regain some of those forests and have received national recognition for their sustainable management practices.
Join us as our speaker, Mike Wilson, a Grand Ronde Tribal Member and retired Director of Natural Resources for the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, covers the historical impact of laws, treaties, and land ownership that ultimately laid the groundwork for current land use laws.
The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon is federally recognized and includes over 30 tribes and bands from western Oregon, northern California, and southwest Washington, including tribal bands from the Kalapuya, and the Atfalati band of the Kalapuya Indians, who settled in the basin of the Tualatin Valley some 10,000 years ago, were the first peoples to call Washington County home. Historical records indicate they dwelt at Wapato Lake at what is now known as Forest Grove to Chakeipi, or “Place of the Beaver,” located in present day Beaverton.
Mike holds an Associate Degree in Forest Technology from Lane Community College, a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Environmental Studies from Linfield College, and an MBA from George Fox. He has worked as a tree planter, timber cruiser, wildland firefighter and several other jobs in the woods.
Annual Banquet Planning – Update
The Banquet planning committee is working hard to complete the arrangements for the Annual Banquet – scheduled for a Saturday in late November. Several venues and program ideas are being looked at, and the committee hopes to have the selections soon. It has been a long two years since we had our last banquet, and it will great to have everyone together again!
For more stories, information, and resources, see the September 2022 Forest Forum.
Last Updated on September 7, 2022