Indigenous-Led Alliance Establishes TEK Approach to Conservation

Indigenous-Led Alliance Establishes TEK Approach to Conservation of Natural Resources through In-Situ Regenerative Agriculture and Amendment Application: Biochar in Consort with Non-GMO Native Microbiota

ABSTRACT: The rapid rate of degradation of air, water and soil quality is of major concern, especially for underserved and disproportionately-affected tribal, minority and low-income farmers and communities. Although considerable efforts have been put forth from a multitude of sources, these previously proposed solutions have fallen short for a variety of reasons. 

The TEK  (Traditional Ecological Knowledge) Approach brings about innovative practices sourced from ancestral and indigenous ecological knowledge to produce a seemingly revolutionary solution.  This approach utilizes biochar with a variety of native non-GMO microbes combined with indigenous traditional principles of regenerative agriculture to establish and enhance not only immediate conservation efforts of fundamental natural resources but to fulfill an obligation to establish and maintain a sustainable state for seven generations and beyond. 

University-supported research (to include application thereof) demonstrates that the TEK Approach effectively increased the overall condition of both water and soil health. Support is needed for the Alliance to expand field trials to include indigenous-led partners to employ the TEK Approach at ten 7 contaminated sites to solidify best practices for widespread application of the TEK Approach. 

The primary objective is to establish a protocol that, when implemented, will promote the conservation of land and water in a manner which is productive, safe, environmentally beneficial and cost-effective.

Culturally appropriate methodologies will be employed to communicate project-optimized practices through educational and outreach programs to target historically underserved indigenous, minority and low-income farmers and communities. Utilization of such practices will empower the target groups to grow profitable, safe, diverse and culturally appropriate crops to reduce food insecurity, promote viable livelihoods and ensure clean, working lands.  

A process that combines ancestral knowledge and innovative practices from Indigenous ecological knowledge and uses bio char with a variety of native non-GMO microbes and Plants to remediate soil, water, & air. 

Industrial pollution disproportionately impacts underserved tribal farmers and communities. The negative environmental and social impacts of mining, manufacturing, and commodity agriculture are well documented. Contaminated water and land disproportionately impact underserved farmers and communities - including reduced soil and water quality for human consumption and agricultural use, poor health outcomes for Indigenous, Black, and low-income communities, displacement from sacred lands, and inhibited Indigenous farmers from utilizing lands for traditional fishing, hunting, and grazing.

Studies on Bio Char Now applications and phytoremediation, including university-supported research for The Indigenous Production Trade Alliance (IDPTA) suggests these treatments effectively reduce a range of contaminants in water and soil. Support will allow Indigenous-led applied field trials, IDPTA and partners at 7 contaminated sites will determine best practices for applying biochar and phytoremediation to convert contaminated land and water to safe productive resources.

The project will remediate natural resources so farmers can grow a diversity of profitable, safe, and culturally appropriate crops to reduce food insecurity, creating viable livelihoods and clean working lands. The practices optimized through this project will be communicated to Indigenous and other farmers and ranchers through educational and outreach programs that include native ways of knowing methodologies. 

ALIGMENT AND INTENT

Program priorities addressed by project: improve soil health, improve water quality and quantity, and improve the environmental and economic performance of working agricultural land. Funds are needed to pay for water and soil testing supplies, lab testing and verification, sample data, biochar, phytoremediation supplies, payment for technical support, salaries for IPTA and partner organizations apply technologies and to build knowledge within the team and the capacity and capabilities necessary to conduct this onsite research. Also, funding is required to develop educational tools and outreach materials so underserved farmer groups, tribal organizations, environmental groups, agencies, and others can use these methodologies for future remediation of other contaminated sites.  

Site #1: "The Tar Creek Superfund Site"  

Community impact 9 Tribes and four States. Tar Creek is the Largest & Oldest site  on the National Priorities List,

The Tar Creek Site completely resides within the Quapaw Nation Reservation, a 47 square mile area of abandoned lead and zinc mines located in northern Ottawa County Oklahoma. The Site is one of four Superfund Sites in the Tri-State Mining District (TSMD) within corners of KS, MO & OK.  The TSMD covers an area of 2,600 square miles and the entire district drains in to the Grand River Watershed in Ottawa County, OK. however, because of extensive offsite release of pollutants, the entire county is now included in the Superfund program (wherever contaminants have come to reside-CERCLA) under Operable Unit 5 Feasibility Study, which includes all the streams in the county.

Contamination Source: Mining Known Contamination: lead, cadmium, manganese, arsenic, zinc 

The Quapaw Nation has extensive acres of agricultural in production and much more that could be put into production once remediated of toxic heavy metals related to the Site (lead, cadmium, manganese, arsenic, zinc and more). 

The EPA process has been slow, 42 years since EPA was first involved in 1979, and then the Site was listed on the National Priorities List in 1983.  To date, the site looks much the same as it did in 1979 and the off-site releases continue unabated.  

Desired land use, if remediated: Production crop agriculture (grasses and small grains)  

Site #2: Bekoshe  Community

 Impacted: Choctaw Nation; ~512 people Location: OK Area Impacted: 352 acres Contamination Source: coal mining and fly ash Known Contamination: lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, copper Desired land use, if remediated: farming, fishing 

 Site #3: Apache  Community

 Impacted: Apache Nation; 50,000 - 100,000 people Location: AZ Area Impacted: Comanche county, Caddo County, and Cotton County Contamination Source: herbicides, fracking, wastewater storage Known Contamination: hydrocarbons, heavy metals Desired land use, if remediated: farming, fishing, livestock grazing 

Site #4 : St Lawrence River 

 Akwesasne/Hogansburg  https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/98794.html Community Impacted: Mohawk Nation; 5,632   Location: NY (Treatment area downstream from General Motors Superfund) Area Impacted: 33.16 square miles / 25.7 acres.  Contamination Source: General Motors Central Foundry, Reynolds Metals and Alcoa  Known Contamination: PCBs, heavy metals  Desired land use, if remediated: Specialty crop production, fishing, hunting  

Site # 5 St. Regis River 

Akwesasne/Hogansburg  https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/98794.html Community Impacted: Mohawk Nation; 5,632   Location: NY (Treatment area downstream from General Motors Superfund) Area Impacted: 33.16 square miles / 25.7 acres.  Contamination Source: General Motors Central Foundry, Reynolds Metals and Alcoa  Known Contamination: PCBs, heavy metals  Desired land use, if remediated: Specialty crop production, fishing, hunting  

Site # 6 Bois Forte 

Community Impacted: Bois Forte Band of Chippewa; 613 tribal members

Location: MN (Nett Lake Peatland, one of the world’s largest contiguous wild rice bodies) 

Area Impacted: 162 sq mi

Contamination Source: Abandoned sawmill fuel tanks; illegal hazmat soil dump site

Known Contamination: Hydrocarbon, heavy metals

Desired land use, if remediated: Goat grazing and wild game hunting

Site # 7 Mass Moca

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Objective 1: Conduct farm and community-scale field trials to determine the efficacy, practicality, and best method of deployment of proven biochar microbe and crop production / phytoremediation technologies for improving soil and water quality.

Objective 2: Build organizational capacity and capabilities among IPTA and project partners (primarily veteran and tribal organizations) to lead remediation efforts using biochar micobe plant  applications and phytoremediation on contaminated agricultural lands and community water resources

Objective 3:  Develop education materials, outreach programs, and communications strategies for widespread dissemination of soil and water remediation technologies to BIPOC, veteran, emerging farmer-rancher groups, tribal organizations, environmental organizations, USDA departments and agencies, and state and local environmental agencies.  

Objective 4:  Create a biochar microbe plant phytoremediation protocol based on the farm-scale trials, building toward a process standard and/or certification program, for conducting these and similar remediation work nationwide. 

PROJECT BENEFICIARIES

Beneficiaries include IPTA and site partner organizations (Indigenous, women, minority, and veteran organizations), which will benefit from building knowledge and the practical, in-field expertise to complete this project and initiate future bioremediation efforts.

These beneficiaries include multiple tribes and disadvantaged communities all negatively impacted by contaminated water, land/soil, and air. Total population benefited would be greater than 100,000 people. This project also builds capacity for IPTA to bring new and qualified staff onboard, as well as an advisory board including PhD agronomists and experienced industry professionals working in tribal water protection, tribal bison/livestock management, supply chain and tribal law. Benefits from these partnerships strengthens sovereignty in tribal communities, which could lead to the creation of IPTA independent evaluation, standards, or certification programs. Tribes and communities living on, and near remediation sites will be beneficiaries of successful remediation. 

 The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers and non-industrial forest managers to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, increased soil health and reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, improved or created wildlife habitat, and mitigation against drought and increasing weather volatility.

This voluntary conservation programs helps producers make conservation work for them.  Together, NRCS and producers invest in solutions that conserve natural resources for the future while also improving agricultural operations.

Through EQIP, NRCS provides agricultural producers and non-industrial forest managers with financial resources and one-on-one help to plan and implement improvements, or what NRCS calls conservation practices.  Using these practices can lead to cleaner water and air, healthier soil and better wildlife habitat, all while improving agricultural operations.  Through EQIP, you can voluntarily implement conservation practices, and NRCS co-invests in these practices with you.

Some of these benefits include:

• Reduction of contamination from agricultural sources, such as animal feeding operations.
• Efficient utilization of nutrients, reducing input costs and reduction in nonpoint source pollution.
• Increased soil health to help mitigate against increasing weather volatility and improved drought resiliency.
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Conservation Incentive Contracts are an option under EQIP, with a focus on Climate-Smart Forestry and Agriculture and Drought Resilience management practices. EQIP-CIC provides financial assistance to adopt conservation activities on working landscapes.

In fiscal year 2022, Conservation Incentive Contracts are available to producers, nationwide. For more information, read the January 10, 2022 news release.

Through five to 10-year contracts, producers manage, maintain and address important natural resource concerns and build on existing conservation efforts.

Review the updated fact sheet for additional details.

The EQIP advance payment option limits out-of-pocket conservation costs for historically underserved producers. The option provides at least 50 percent of the contracted payment for each conservation practice up front, before the practice is implemented, to purchase materials or contract services.  The advance payment must be expended within 90 days of receipt, and the practice completed as agreed to on the EQIP plan of operations.

Under the general EQIP payment process, a producer is reimbursed after a conservation practice is implemented. This process often means that producers must pay up front costs with their own funds, which can be cost prohibitive for many historically underserved producers.

Who is Eligible?

Historically Underserved Producers:

• Beginning Farmer or Rancher – is someone who has never operated a farm or ranch, or, has operated a farm or ranch for less than 10-consecutive years.
• Socially Disadvantaged Farmer or Rancher – is a member of a group whose members have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of that group without regard to their individual qualities.
• Veteran Farmer or Rancher – has served in the armed forces and has not operated a farm or ranch, has operated a farm or ranch for less than 10-consecutive years, or first obtained veteran status during the last 10 years.
• Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher –  has a household income at or below the national poverty level. Eligibility can be determined by using the Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher Tool.

How It Works

All EQIP practices are eligible for advance payments, including vegetative, structural, and management practices. Producers can use the option for as many or as few practices as they choose and have the right to change their decision before they receive payment. Historically underserved producers are also eligible for a higher payment rate