Bois Forte Natural Resources Management

Mission Statement

The Bois Forte Department of Natural Resources (“BFDNR”) is committed to attaining and advancing objectives and goals in management, conservation, sustainability and protection of the natural resources of the Bois Forte Band, both on federally-established reservation sectors and in the 1854 Treaty Area in cooperation with the 1854 Treaty Authority. BFDNR will utilize all tools available including research, education and outreach with Band Members, partners and stakeholders, to accomplish these objectives and goals.

2025 Program Highlights

Conservation Enforcement Code and Policy on Tribal Land Access – The Bois Forte Band is updating Conservation Regulation and Enforcement Codes. Codes are designed to protect Bois Forte Member rights and resources. Updated codes are necessary to replace older version of codes last published in 2011. Codes will be published on this website in the coming months. Revised codes and fine schedules will address non-approved access to Band-owned lands by non-tribal persons and agencies.

Realty and Land Use Policy – The Bois Forte Band has created what is generally regarded as the first official Realty Policy manual. That manual that defines lease-holder processes, rights and obligations. This policy will be published on this website in the coming months. The Realty program is presently undergoing substantial revision. An effort is under way to digitize leaseholder records and create a GIS-based interactive platform to allow rapid access to individual leaseholder records. This system is intended to reduce time spent by leaseholders and the Leasing Program Manager when attempting to gain access to or make inquiries about lease status. This process is in development but will take time to incorporate paper records. Completion of the GIS leasing platform is anticipated in 2026.

Blight Ordinance Policy – The Bois Forte Tribal Council has reviewed and passed a Blight Ordinance policy applicable to residents of Bois Forte. That policy is posted on this website.

Climate Change Planning – Bois Forte is a participant in the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan for the 1854 Ceded Territory, which includes Bois Forte, Grand Portage, and Fond du Lac. The Vulnerability Assessment is available online at (www.1854treatyauthority.org). BFDNR actively pursues climate-related grant funding for a variety of community needs (residential de-carbonization projects, ecological restoration projects to support and enhance sustenance food resources). BFDNR actively assists the Bois Forte Department of Energy Resources with planning and funding opportunities for sustainable, climate safe energy development for the Bois Forte community.

Carbon Program – Bois Forte has enrolled 22,000 acres of reservation forestlands in an Improved Forest Management carbon project. In collaboration with the National Indian Carbon Coalition and The Nature Conservancy, this project encourages healthy ecosystem growth, increases carbon storage in enrolled forests, and generates carbon credits. Carbon credits generated by this project are sold to secondary-source industry producers of greenhouse gases, who voluntarily pay for carbon credits. One “credit” is equivalent to one ton of stored carbon in the forest. Credits will not be sold to primary producers and consumers of fossil fuels which emit carbon-based greenhouse gases (gas and oil companies, for example). The revenue generated by the sale of carbon credits will fully fund the re-matriation of 28,000 forested acres on the Nett Lake Reservation which has historically been owned by a timber company. The project will protect the enrolled forests across the next 50 years. Bois Forte is working with partners to develop a Climate, Community, and Biodiversity plan (CCB plan) which will position this carbon project within a larger goal of landscape restoration and environmental stewardship. The project has been named “Akiing Azhenan,” translating to “Take Back the Land” in traditional Ojibwe.

Download the Playbook for Carbon Finance

Wildland Fire Management Plan (FMP) – Bois Forte Forestry carries out management operations based upon a forest management plan. That plan document is provided below.

Document not currently available      Map not currently available

BFDNR and Energy Department Collaboration: BFDNR is pleased to actively collaborate with the Bois Forte Energy Department, Planning Department and IT Department to identify and explore alternate and sustainable energy and communication initiatives, to plan and initiate projects, and to find and secure grant funding for renewable and sustainable energy resource projects that benefit the Bois Forte Community.

Website Permits: BFDNR is actively pursuing development of an online permitting platform to allow interested Band Members to obtain hunting, rice harvesting and netting permits through the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa website. This initiative is in early-stage development and is anticipated to be incorporated as Bois Forte Website content in 2025.

Locations