The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians' Tribal Council, staff and members are working to secure an environment that will sustain future generations by implementing programs that protect tribal lands and resources through environmentally-friendly management.

Created seven years ago, the Environmental Stewardship Program now has three staff members. They work to protect the tribal members' health and welfare and to protect the natural ecosystems. This is done by integrating environmental activities, choices and education in all Tribal Council goals and also in the Economic Development Corporation's activities.

Program objectives and activities developed through the years include:

Groundwater and surface water quality protection

The program works to assure that groundwater and surface water is clean through a comprehensive water quality protection program that includes surface water quality monitoring, macroinvertebrate collection trends analysis, non-point source pollution activities and ordinance enforcement, wellhead/source water protection plans and wetland protection.

Solid waste management/pollution prevention

The goal of this program area is to increase the percentage of solid waste processed through alternative methods, such as source reduction, source separation, recycling, composting, energy efficiency and energy alternatives.

Watershed planning

The program involves tribal members and staff in policy development, environmentally-friendly planning, decision-making and implementation by utilizing natural systems ecological knowledge. This knowledge promotes ecological integrity and biodiversity.

Great Lakes management

Staff seek to assure the Band has a voice and is at the table to take part in the development of management plans and policies that affect the Band's six-county service area of Leelanau, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Antrim, Charlevoix and Manistee; the Lake Michigan basin; and the Great Lakes basin. The staff provides a tribal perspective at meetings and planning sessions.

Air quality protection

Staff protect air through a comprehensive program that includes wet deposition monitoring (acid rain/snow), ozone monitoring and the creation of the Grand Traverse Regional Ozone Action Committee, air transportation and deposition issues, long-term air quality trends analysis, modeling and indoor air education.

Environmental health

The program seeks to assure tribal members are free from toxic chemicals by working for zero discharge and disseminating information.

Environmental education

Staff promotes natural systems ecological knowledge to all tribal members through the tribal newspaper, materials and presentations.

For more information, please contact Patty O'Donnell, Environmental Stewardship Director, at (231) 271-7368.