Nez Perce TribeDepartment of Fisheries Resource Management

Nez Perce Tribe / Nez Perce National ForestPartnership Overview

February 3, 2011

Watershed Division

NPT DFRM Watershed Mission

The DFRM Watershed Division mission is to protect and restore watersheds and fisheries resources throughout

Nez Perce Territory, which are critical for future generations. This work has its roots in protecting tribal

sovereignty and treaty rights reserved under the Treaty of 1855. These activities are accomplished using a holistic

approach, which encompasses entire watersheds, ridge-top to ridge-top, emphasizing all cultural aspects.

““RIDGE-TOP TO RIDGE-TOP”RIDGE-TOP TO RIDGE-TOP”

Nez Perce Tribe Treaty Territory

13.3 Million Acres(Tribe owns approx.

150,000 Acres)

• 3 States 6 National Forests / BLM

12 Counties Private Landowners

Cooperative Restoration:Cooperative Restoration:Forest Service and Nez Perce TribeForest Service and Nez Perce Tribe

• Nez Perce Tribe and Clearwater & Nez Perce Forests Nez Perce Tribe and Clearwater & Nez Perce Forests began cooperative aquatic restoration in 1996. began cooperative aquatic restoration in 1996.

• External funding from BPA and Idaho State Office of External funding from BPA and Idaho State Office of Species Conservation and others.Species Conservation and others.

• The Forests and Tribe have aligned restoration priorities; The Forests and Tribe have aligned restoration priorities; cooperative work is in high priority watersheds, focused on cooperative work is in high priority watersheds, focused on anadromous fish.anadromous fish.

• The cooperative restoration program is integrated with the The cooperative restoration program is integrated with the Forests’ integrated management projects.Forests’ integrated management projects.

• The Forests and Tribe work together explore and expand The Forests and Tribe work together explore and expand cooperative approaches to accomplish restoration projects cooperative approaches to accomplish restoration projects efficiently and effectivelyefficiently and effectively

Clearwater Clearwater and Nez and Nez

Perce Perce National National Forests Forests

Restoration Restoration Priority MapPriority Map

Restoration Partnership GoalsRestoration Partnership Goals

• Improve / protect water qualityImprove / protect water quality

• Improve / protect fish habitat Improve / protect fish habitat

• Restore land to productionRestore land to production

• Recover TES species Recover TES species

• Protect fish habitat and produce Protect fish habitat and produce more fishmore fish

Partnership Projects •Road DecommissioningRoad Decommissioning•Barrier Culvert ReplacementBarrier Culvert Replacement•Road and Culvert InventoriesRoad and Culvert Inventories•Road and Culvert Risk Assessment and ImprovementRoad and Culvert Risk Assessment and Improvement•Stream channel RestorationStream channel Restoration•Native RevegetationNative Revegetation•Weed Inventory and TreatmentWeed Inventory and Treatment•Riparian RestorationRiparian Restoration

• FencingFencing• Off-site watering systemOff-site watering system• Streambank stabilizationStreambank stabilization

•Project MonitoringProject Monitoring

FS / NPT / BPA Interaction

• Forest Cost-share

• Provincial Review

• Biological Opinion (Biop)

Lower South Fork Clearwater River Project

• Project area– Meadow Creek to Silver/Legget

• Project Leader– Mark Johnson

• Types of work– Road Decommissioning– Culvert Replacement– Cattle Exclusion Fencing– Riparian Planting

Slate Creek Project

• Project area– Slate Creek Watershed

• Project Leader– Stephanie Bransford

• Types of work– Culvert Replacement– Riparian Planting

• Hoping to expand project objectives through provincial review process

Where do we go from here?

• Currently have very successful restoration partnership.– How do we maintain this given the increase in

project funding and organizational structures of NPT & NPNF/CNF?