NATIVE AMERICAN FISH & WILDLIFE SOCIETY

FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS, THE NATIVE AMERICAN FISH & WILDLIFE SOCIETY (NAFWS), AN INTERTRIBAL NON-PROFIT 501(C)3, HAS STRIVED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ITS MEMBERS AND MEMBER TRIBES; DIRECTLY, THROUGH CONFERENCES, TRAINING, YOUTH EDUCATION, AND INDIRECTLY; THROUGH ONGOING SUPPORT OF, AND PROVIDING VENUES FOR GOVERNMENT CONSULTATIONS, DISCUSSIONS, AND BY PARTICIPATING WITH INNOVATIVE PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES IN INDIAN COUNTRY. THESE INCLUDED THE 40TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE SPONSORED BY THE ALASKA REGION AND HOSTED BY THE CHUGACH REGIONAL RESOURCES COMMISSION IN ANCHORAGE, AK APRIL 24-27, 2023. IN ATTENDANCE WERE 352 PEOPLE REPRESENTING 77 TRIBES FROM ALL 7 NAFWS REGIONS. WE ALSO HOSTED 6 REGIONAL CONFERENCES WITH A TOTAL OF 576 PARTICIPANTS FROM 95 TRIBAL NATIONS.MEMBERSHIPIN 2023, NAFWS SAW AN INCREASE IN MEMBERSHIP. THERE WERE 110 ACTIVE MEMBER TRIBE MEMBERSHIPS AND 866 ACTIVE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIPS WITH MEMBERSHIPS RENEWED ON A ROLLING BASIS. CONFERENCES IN ALL SEVEN REGIONS AND A STRONG SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE CONTRIBUTED TO MEMBERSHIP GROWTH.

TRAININGS, WORKSHOPS & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCEWE OFFERED OVER 70 TRAININGS, WORKSHOPS & WEBINARS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON TOPICS SUCH AS CLIMATE RESILIENCE, ELECTROFISHING, NEPA, WILDLIFE CHEMICAL IMMOBILIZATION, THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES, GRANT WRITING AND WILDLIFE DISEASE SAMPLING. IN TOTAL, WE HAD OVER 1,700 ATTENDEES. TRIBAL CONSERVATION LAW ENFORCEMENT: THROUGHOUT 2023, NAFWS PROVIDED TRIBAL CONSERVATION LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS (CLEOS) TRAININGS TO SUPPLEMENT AND/OR ACHIEVE ANNUAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS OR TO PROVIDE OFFICERS WITH ADVANCED LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING TO SAFELY AND SUCCESSFULLY CARRY OUT THEIR DUTIES AS SWORN PEACE OFFICERS. TRAININGS TOPICS INCLUDED WATERFOWL IDENTIFICATION, HUNT SAFE, HUMAN/WILDLIFE CONFLICT MANAGEMENT, TACTICAL MEDICAL TRAINING, DEFENSE TACTICS, LEGAL UPDATES, AND FIREARM TRAINING.HABITAT CONNECTIVITY: THE GOAL OF THE HABITAT CONNECTIVITY INITIATIVE IS TO ASSIST WILDLIFE MOVEMENT BETWEEN HABITATS WHILE MINIMIZING MORTALITY RISK AND HUMAN ENCOUNTERS. AT TIMES, IT IS NECESSARY FOR TRIBAL COMMUNITIES TO COLLABORATE WITH FEDERAL, STATE, OR OTHER TRIBAL ENTITIES, TO ADDRESS CORRIDOR CONCERNS ON TRIBAL LANDS. NAFWS HOSTED HABITAT CONNECTIVITY WORKSHOPS IN THE SOUTHWEST AND PACIFIC REGIONS AND HELD MEETINGS FOR A TRIBAL-ONLY WORKING GROUP. THE WILDLIFE CONNECTIVITY COORDINATOR PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO 47 TRIBES ACROSS 17 STATES ON WILDLIFE MIGRATION ISSUES. INVASIVE SPECIES: LED BY MITZI REED, INVASIVE SPECIES COORDINATOR, NAFWS HIRED THREE INVASIVE SPECIES TECHNICIANS TO HELP BUILD TRIBAL CAPACITY TO MANAGE INVASIVE SPECIES AND IMPLEMENT EARLY DETECTION AND RAPID RESPONSE (EDRR) AND MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES. THE INVASIVE SPECIES TEAM HOSTED FOUR INVASIVE SPECIES WEBINARS ATTENDED BY 101 PARTICIPANTS AND PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR GRANT PROPOSAL REVIEWS, LETTERS OF SUPPORT, INQUIRIES ON FUNDING ACTIVITIES AND SPECIES IDENTIFICATIONFISH & WILDLIFE BIOLOGISTS: BIOLOGISTS PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING TO NATIVE AMERICAN AND ALASKA NATIVE TRIBES TO IDENTIFY INVASIVE SPECIES, MONITOR WILDLIFE DISEASE CHANGES, SUPPORT ENDANGERED SPECIES PROGRAMMING, DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS, AND DEVELOP A RESOURCE BANK TO ASSIST TRIBES IN PROTECTION OF THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND POPULATIONS. SOME EXAMPLES OF OUR FISH & WILDLIFE WORKSHOPS INCLUDE: FUNDAMENTALS OF R PROGRAMMING ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PACIFIC NORTHWEST BAT WORKSHOP TRIBAL WILDLIFE CROSSING WORKSHOP CLIMATE CHANGE.HUNTSAFE PROGRAM: THE NAFWS HUNTSAFE PROGRAM WAS OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL HUNTER'S EDUCATION ASSOCIATION IN NOVEMBER 2022. THIS YEAR, THE HUNT SAFE INSTRUCTOR COURSE TRAINING PLAN WAS IMPLEMENTED, AND COURSES WERE CONDUCTED IN SIX OF THE SEVEN REGIONS WITH 94 ATTENDEES REPRESENTING 41 TRIBES COMPLETING THE INSTRUCTOR COURSES. ALASKA TRIBAL CLIMATE RESILIENCE: THE ALASKA TRIBAL CLIMATE RESILIENCE LIAISON (TCRL) TEAM WAS COMPLETED WITH THE ADDITION OF A SENIOR TCRL AND TWO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT TCRLS. WE ALSO HOSTED AN ALASKA NATIVE INTERN FOCUSED ON CLIMATE RESILIENCE IN AK. AT THE 2023 NAFWS ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN ANCHORAGE, AK, THE TRCLS HELD A CLIMATE ADAPTATION WORKSHOP. A SECOND WORKSHOP FOR THE STRENGTHENING RESILIENCE TODAY (SRT) PROJECT WAS HELD IN FAIRBANKS ATTENDED BY 23 PARTICIPANTS FROM SIX ALASKA NATIVE VILLAGES. ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRIBAL MEMBERS TO LEARN ABOUT AND DEVELOP CLIMATE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES ARE PLANNED FOR 2024. RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE: THE NAFWS RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION COMMITTEE (RPC) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2021 DUE TO CONCERNS REGARDING RESEARCH ON AND ABOUT TRIBAL LANDS, RESOURCES, AND PEOPLE. THE PURPOSE OF THE RPC IS TO AID TRIBAL FISH AND WILDLIFE PROFESSIONALS TO NAVIGATE, PURSUE, AND APPLY THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH-RELATED ISSUES INCLUDING RESEARCH GUIDANCE, DATA SOVEREIGNTY, PROFESSIONAL GROWTH, FUNDING, PUBLICATIONS, AND ACADEMIA INVOLVEMENT. GRANTS TEAM: IN 2023, NAFWS ESTABLISHED A GRANTS TEAM, WITH ONE GRANTS COORDINATOR (FUNDED BY DORIS DUKE CONSERVATION FUND) AND TWO AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL CHALLENGE FIELD LIAISONS (FUNDED BY NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FUND) HIRED TO SUPPORT TRIBAL GRANT APPLICATIONS AND REMOVE BARRIERS TO ACCESS FUNDING. THE TEAM PROVIDES DIRECT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAN HELP SEEK OUT AND APPLY FOR FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, AIMING TO GET MORE DOLLARS DIRECTED TOWARDS TRIBAL FISH AND WILDLIFE PROGRAMIN 2023, NAFWS STAFF PROVIDED DIRECT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (INCLUDES ONE ON ONE COMMUNICATION, TRAININGS, WEBINARS, WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS) TO 260 FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES, 21 GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, 28 TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS, 35 ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS (INCLUDING 4 TRIBAL COLLEGES), 64 NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND SEVEN PRIVATE COMPANIES. ASSISTANCE VARIED GREATLY BUT THE MAJORITY OF DIRECT REQUESTS WERE ASSISTANCE IDENTIFYING AND ACCESSING FUNDING, HUNTER EDUCATION COURSE DEVELOPMENT, PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, TRAININGS REQUESTS, AND RESEARCH METHODS.