AKIING AZHENAN: “Take Back The Land”
In June of 2022, the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa reclaimed 28,000 acres of land within its traditional reservation boundaries through a purchase that marks the most significant Tribal Nation land return in the United States. Until the land transfer, the Band held 5% of its original territory and this acquisition nearly doubled its land base. The Band will manage the forest to meet their vision for a sustainable future which emphasizes and balances cultural, spiritual, environmental, and economic values. These improved forest management practices will increase the carbon in the forests. If successful, the Band can then sell the carbon credits to generate revenue to help fund management activities and pay off the mortgage from the land purchase.
The Bois Forte land re-acquisition is a major step toward righting a historical wrong. As a critical conservation pathway, the Band is working to leverage carbon credits through a partnership with the National Indian Carbon Coalition and enroll the 28,000 acres of forestland into the voluntary carbon market. This will create opportunities for the Band to increase access to resources and preserve healthy woodlands. The methodologies used create an innovative, potentially replicable model for supporting additional Tribal Nations’ land-back objectives while demonstrating sustainable climate, conservation, and equity outcomes in high quality, Indigenous-led carbon projects.