World Wildlife Fund
Report date
November 2023
What has been most instrumental to your progress?
The Strong Hold Working Group, comprised of members appointed from the nine political districts on Pine Ridge, continued progress toward its goal of bringing diverse perspectives from across the reservation to the future management of the Strong Hold area. Regular meetings and collaboration are key to building group cohesion and advancing shared priorities identified from community survey data. “Protection” emerged as the strongest priority due to frequent disregard for Tribal lands, including theft and removal of cultural resources. In response, the Working Group continues to work with relevant authorities to create and install signage in key locations citing Tribal laws. The Working Group also continued to seek Tribal Council recognition by meeting with and asking the Crazy Horse Planning Commission to take a resolution to Council. The Working Group also continued to create a story map of the community survey results to share with all nine Pine Ridge districts. In 2024 we will collaborate with other local stakeholders and organizations to hold facilitated stakeholder meetings, including the Working Group and districts they represent, to generate shared goals and outcomes.
The Strong Hold Working Group, comprised of members appointed from the nine political districts on Pine Ridge, continued progress toward its goal of bringing diverse perspectives from across the reservation to the future management of the Strong Hold area. Regular meetings and collaboration are key to building group cohesion and advancing shared priorities identified from community survey data. “Protection” emerged as the strongest priority due to frequent disregard for Tribal lands, including theft and removal of cultural resources. In response, the Working Group continues to work with relevant authorities to create and install signage in key locations citing Tribal laws. The Working Group also continued to seek Tribal Council recognition by meeting with and asking the Crazy Horse Planning Commission to take a resolution to Council. The Working Group also continued to create a story map of the community survey results to share with all nine Pine Ridge districts. In 2024 we will collaborate with other local stakeholders and organizations to hold facilitated stakeholder meetings, including the Working Group and districts they represent, to generate shared goals and outcomes.
Two years ago, we initiated a weekly, hour-long radio show, “Indigenizing conservation. Being a good relative,” on KILI radio that is heard throughout Pine Ridge Reservation and Rapid City, as well as online at KILIRADIO.org. As the only radio show on Pine Ridge to address conservation topics, the program explores—through a conversational, listening-centric format—how to Indigenize conservation and the history, complexities, management, and ownership of Strong Hold land. It elevates community voices by promoting findings from our 2018 survey showing strong support for restoring bison and improving land access for Tribal members. Strong Hold Working Group members regularly share these perspectives. Invaluable, ancient knowledge has been discussed, as well as information from specialists on conservation, climate change, and resource management. These unique discussions have revealed invaluable lessons, such as the interconnectedness of all actions and the ecosystem relationships that must be remembered and restored. In 2024, we plan to broaden the reach of these messages by creating a podcast and website with recorded episodes.
Key lessons learned
Working in an environment of widespread poverty is not easy and must be considered in planning timelines. Group members volunteer their time, while their personal needs are significant. Many are financially insecure, sometimes unable to afford cell phones required to join calls, or vehicles to attend meetings. Many have family priorities. Difficult social issues are at the forefront when working with volunteers and often prohibit us from meeting as a group and with partners. Lack of computers and internet access also pose challenges to joining the radio show or zoom meetings with partners. Our Working Group is down to four active members. We are now recruiting to fill vacancies for full representation of all nine districts. Going forward, we need to be adaptable and accepting of these challenges and constraints. We view all of these not as failures, but rather as challenges to overcome and important lessons learned that will help inform our approach going forward.
Securing the Tribal land lease for a new bison herd, and the related bureaucracy, has been extremely challenging to navigate due to the complex politics and novel, time-consuming processes involved. Our work with Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation remains critical to launching the bison project. Though securing the land to restore bison is a very involved process that requires in-depth knowledge of Tribal policies and the political landscape, Thunder Valley’s staff is well suited to advance these efforts.
Similarly, getting resolutions from each of the nine political district executive boards endorsing official recognition of the Working Group for Council action has presented significant challenges. In response, we have identified an alternative approach—going through the Crazy Horse planning committee, which includes the chairperson of each district executive board, to present one unified resolution directly to Council. We also must engage more with the Oglala Sioux Tribes Council, President, and Vice President to ensure that they are aware of and tracking Working Group discussions and progress.
Similarly, getting resolutions from each of the nine political district executive boards endorsing official recognition of the Working Group for Council action has presented significant challenges. In response, we have identified an alternative approach—going through the Crazy Horse planning committee, which includes the chairperson of each district executive board, to present one unified resolution directly to Council. We also must engage more with the Oglala Sioux Tribes Council, President, and Vice President to ensure that they are aware of and tracking Working Group discussions and progress.
Reflections on inclusive, collaborative or resourceful problem-solving
Resourceful. The Strong Hold Working Group has had to dig deep and made the decision to keep advancing with only four active members and five vacancies. Through all of the local social issues such as poverty, they have remained resilient and focused on a better tomorrow for the Oglala Lakota people and conservation of their lands. Working Group members have made time every Monday to be present on the radio show; share resources, such as vehicles; and exchange information to help each other navigate difficulty. To accommodate those with schedule conflicts due to their jobs, meetings occur late in the evening. To ensure local control of Working Group funding, one member manages the group's finances, and monthly requests are submitted by members to undertake activities according to identified priorities.
Other key elements of Community Innovation
Consistency and persistence.
Understanding the problem
Because the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the National Park Service manage Strong Hold land and related economic opportunities, the owners of this land—the Oglala Lakota people—have lacked a meaningful voice in how their land is managed for far too long. The Strong Hold Working Group is closing this gap by providing information and opportunities for conversation. Survey results have played an important role in sharing community perspectives regarding conservation, especially as these relate to partnering with Thunder Valley on bison restoration and securing the necessary land lease. The need for more representative voices and connections is clear, and the Working Group is prioritizing recruitment and new member orientation. Additionally, the story map has been formatted and now includes the Working Group’s own song, which was composed and shared by a young man. The story map is an extremely important piece for presentation to the Tiospayes (communities), allowing any member, at any time, to be more present and consistent in information sharing. We no longer want to wait for district meetings, but saturate the Tiospayes.
If you could do it all over again...
Trust the process of prioritizing active presence and consistent engagement with the nine districts and the Tribal Council. This is critically important to our work. The Working Group depends on formal recognition from Tribal Council in order to play the most meaningful role possible in decision-making and sharing communities’ important views, perspectives, and desires. Also prioritizing the needs of Working Group members and maintaining full representation is important for ongoing progress. While communities lost so much due to COVID, we are emerging with a commitment to being more prepared and self-reliant, including through managing land for sustainable food sovereignty rather than exporting and importing all resources.
One last thought
The restoration of bison and work of the Strong Hold Working Group has led to further conversations with the federal government, including consultation meetings to gather Tribal input on leasing regulations. This has provided an opportunity to suggest other regulations for long-term leasing of special projects that provide a better return for the Tribes, address infrastructure needs, and shift prescribed management actions to reflect more holistic, traditional approaches that emphasize Tribal relationships to nature. This enhanced decision-making position for their land allows Tribes to realize real progress on priorities such as creating jobs, introducing research and educational opportunities, bringing quality food back to the Tribe’s diet, and restoring the ecosystem relationships on the land.
The Working Group is painting a picture of self-determination, committed to determining how this most unique 133,300 acres of Tribal land can be conserved, so that future generations have access to all that we do today.
The Working Group is painting a picture of self-determination, committed to determining how this most unique 133,300 acres of Tribal land can be conserved, so that future generations have access to all that we do today.