wild rice

Blog - River Alliance of WI

https://wisconsinrivers.org/2025-intertribal-rice-camp-report/

Allison Werner

New video captures wild rice revival project in Lake Winnebago

On: June 30, 2025

In: funded, grant, inter, Lake, manoomin, mayom, project, Research, sea, tribal, wild rice, Winnebago

The waters of Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin’s largest inland lake, were once teeming with wild rice – so abundant that historical accounts describe boats struggling to pass through the beds.

This native aquatic plant, known as “mayom” in the Mohegan language and “manoomin” in the Ojibwe language, has deep cultural and ecological significance, supporting fish, waterfowl, and overall ecosystem health.

Over the last 200 plus years, increased populations, shoreline development, and dams have stripped much of Lake Winnebago of this treasured resource. But through research initially funded by Wisconsin Sea Grant, the Lake Winnebago Wild Rice Revitalization team aims to restore wild rice beds, bringing together tribal nations, researchers, and conservationists in a project that bridges history, science, and community collaboration.

The Lake Winnebago Wild Rice Revitalization Project is a multi-year effort focused on reestablishing wild rice beds to harvestable levels. Co-led by the Brothertown Indian Nation and UW-Madison’s Dr. Jessie Conaway, the team seeks to answer critical questions: Where did the rice go? What conditions are needed to bring it back? And how can restoration efforts honor both traditional ecological knowledge and modern science?

For members of the Brothertown Indian Nation, whose ancestors were relocated to the eastern shores of Lake Winnebago in the 1800s, this work is deeply personal. “These waters are our responsibility,” says Vice Chair of the Brothertown Indian Nation Jessica Skeesuck, one of the project leaders. The restoration effort is not just about bringing back a plant – it’s about strengthening tribal nations, supporting wildlife, and fostering a healthier watershed for all fishers, hunters, harvesters, and Lake Winnebago communities.

Alex Mixtli leans out of a boat to check on the wild rice in the water.

Alex Mixtli, Environmental Specialist, surveys wild rice from a boat on Pawāhan-Sīpiah (Pine River), which means “wild rice gathering river” in the Menominee language. By studying water depth, sediment, and competition from other plants, researchers are learning where and why wild rice thrives.

Since receiving funding from Wisconsin Sea Grant in 2022, the team has had a number of successes. University students and agency partners have helped gather water quality data and monitor plant growth, creating a new baseline of wild rice data in the Lake Winnebago watershed. This data, as well as Indigenous knowledge, has helped the team begin reseeding portions of the watershed.

Community engagement has also grown, with more volunteers, tribal members, and local residents actively participating in restoration efforts. For the Brothertown Indian Nation, this work has been an opportunity for nation-building, strengthening connections to tribal conservation networks and providing the small nation with their first full-time staff members.

Project teams members smile during a discussion on the boat.

The project team has assembled a wide-ranging partnership with groups such as the WI DNR, US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council and more. They gather for an annual on-water meeting every summer, where they share updates and often reseed rice by hand.

The project is also supported by the US Fish and Wildlife Service Natural Resources Damage and Assessment Program, the Daybreak Fund, and the Fund for Lake Michigan.

“It’s pretty powerful to be at this place in the journey where we found some rice and we know what’s going good with it. We’re learning how to help it do better and we’ve continued to build really good relationships with our partners, both tribal and non-tribal,” says Skeesuck. “When we look out and see more rice here than there was last year – that just gives me so much hope.”

To learn more about the Lake Winnebago Wild Rice Revitalization Project and their innovative weaving of western science and Indigenous knowledge, watch our video here.

The post New video captures wild rice revival project in Lake Winnebago first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/new-video-captures-wild-rice-revival-project-in-lake-winnebago/

Bonnie Willison

Groups fight to preserve future of Michigan’s indigenous wild rice

On: April 3, 2025

In: Forests and Plants, History and Culture, indigenous communities, Latest News, manoomin, Michigan, News, Science, Technology, Research, wild rice, Wisconsin

Groups fight to preserve future of Michigan’s indigenous wild rice

By Jena Brooker, BridgeDetroit

This article was republished here with permission from BridgeDetroit.

An origin story, a teacher of life, a relative, and a source of crucial nutrition, manoomin now has a new protector.

Once covering much of Michigan’s inland lakes and streams, the wild rice (also known as mnoomin or mnomen) is indigenous to the Great Lakes region but has largely disappeared due to colonization, environmental degradation, and climate change.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/groups-fight-to-preserve-future-of-michigans-indigenous-wild-rice/

BridgeDetroit

Kathleen Smith: She Who Takes Care of the Wild Rice

On: November 21, 2024

In: lakes, manoomin, wild rice

Kathleen Smith: She Who Takes Care of the Wild Rice

Kathleen Smith works with the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission as their Manoomin Ganawandang, or “She Who Takes Care of the Wild Rice.” With deep experience in ecological conservation work, she’s now a regional leader who combines traditional knowledge with modern strategies to protect wild rice.

In our Q&A, hear from Kathleen about why manoomin is more than food. It’s a species that is deeply entwined with Ojibwe culture and history. Manoomin is a sensitive plant that depends on Nibi, or the clean water that gives us all life.

She also shared her advice on how non-tribal members can play an active role in protecting and restoring manoomin in Wisconsin.

Tell me about your role at GLIFWC. How did you get into a career in conservation?

I’m in a new role as “She Who Takes Care of the Wild Rice,” our most precious gift. Peter and Lisa David previously worked with the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission as wildlife and Manoomin biologists and retired about three years ago. GLIFWC reorganized and created two roles: wetland ecologist and my position that integrates traditional knowledge and culture to build relationships with rice chiefs and tribal communities to give a voice to manoomin.

My career path to get here was different. I started out early in federal wildland fire management for the Bureau of Land Management. I worked in California’s Desert District in Southern California located in the Mojave desert. I had a supervisory role – a fire engine boss – and worked on conservation efforts that included fire suppression and dealing with wildfires, but also controlled burns to protect ecological and biodiversity in riparian areas. I did participate in some research using fire to see how fire impacts tortoise habitat, and then transitioned home to Baraga, Michigan, becoming a plant technician and took interest in the plants program doing habitat restoration with native plants, dealt with invasive species, and did wild rice restoration. That led me to GLIFWC.

Here, I’m dedicated to preserving and enhancing manoomin in the ceded territories with 11 member tribes across Western Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota where I combine traditional knowledge with modern strategies to protect the species. I do education and outreach presentations, facilitate manoomin camps, and support tribal communities through wild rice committees with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. It all comes down to tribes’ determination to safeguard and protect their environmental and cultural heritage.

What do you think people should know about manoomin?

Manoomin is not just food. It’s a sacred being. We believe this about all nature on Mother Earth, all creatures, all living beings that make up our ecosystem, the flora and fauna. In our creation story, we have four orders: 1.) the elements, 2.) plants, 3.) animals and 4.) humans. The orders of creation play a part of who Anishinaabe people are. Manoomin is in the second order. It’s a part of our migration story and how we came here. For generations, it has provided a vital nutrient source and a staple of our diet. We use it in ceremonies as a main feast food today. We have this perspective that all things have spirit. Manoomin is a living relative.

Researchers are calling manoomin an indicator species for climate impacts in the upper Midwest. What are you paying the most attention to in protecting manoomin for both tribal rights and climate resilience for fresh water in the upper Midwest?

How I see it, manoomin are other beings that experience how the weather can shift in our seasons. It’s happening today. Climate change has extreme water fluctuations, from extreme rain and flooding, to less snowpack and droughts. This impacts rivers and streams, which shifts the channels of water going into rice water bodies. When there is a slower movement of water, we see things like lily pads and other native plants encroaching on rice. Those who work with manoomin recognize its sensitivity. We have estimated that nearly half of the historic range of manoomin has been lost due to habitat loss, decreased water quality and human activity where it had once thrived for thousands of years.

Nibi (water) is the giver of life. It connects all things. We are all caregivers, so we need to be mindful of what we are doing to water, including using less fertilizers or herbicides near our waterways. An elder once told me that manoomin reflects our human life cycles. When manoomin has a hard time standing up, it’s like the hard time between adolescence and adulthood. What happens to manoomin can also happen to us.

Manoomin’s survival is tied to climate adaptation and efforts to protect the sacred, culturally significant plant. To do this, we honor both the cultural and the technological balance. Manoomin can bring all people together to understand our plant relatives, and honor both tradition and biodiversity. It’s a warning that if you don’t take care of water and manoomin, other things are coming to wake us up. We need to be good stewards. Nibi is the caregiver of life, the most precious gift of life, and connects to all things.

What can non-tribal members do to help protect or steward manoomin as manoomin faces challenges from climate change?

Non-tribal members can play a crucial role in protecting manoomin. They can contribute by learning and respecting our indigenous knowledge, but they have knowledge themselves that they can share. It can be a cultural exchange. They can educate themselves about the cultural significance of manoomin to our communities, especially to Ojibwe people, and learn about the spiritual and ecological importance of this native grain. They can advocate for legal protections and support initiatives like the Rights of Manoomin like Minnesota is doing. They can advocate for legal protections in other parts of the state.

They can collaborate with tribal communities and put this interdisciplinary collaboration with native and non-native researchers and community members. They can collaborate to address issues like learning about seed and genetic contamination, and opt for resources that are local. They can work for water quality and habitat preservation, support sustainable practices, or purchase wild rice from certified tribal sources and avoid the commercialization of wild rice.

Participate in restoration efforts, or volunteer with local organizations in restoration work. Attend a Manoomin Camp to learn how to harvest sustainably. You can even work with us to go on a landscape to harvest seed to help in the restoration projects. Help in restoration projects that restore wetland habitats that are conducive to manoomin growth.

– Stacy Harbaugh, Communications Director

This message is made possible by generous donors who believe people have the power to protect and restore water. Support our work with your contribution today.

The post Kathleen Smith: She Who Takes Care of the Wild Rice appeared first on River Alliance of WI.

Blog - River Alliance of WI

https://wisconsinrivers.org/kathleen-smith-glifwc/

Allison Werner

Summer studies in Manitowoc open endless opportunities

On: October 1, 2024

In: Forget me not Creek, Freshwater Collaborative, Gabby Gonzales, Gabrielle Gonzales, Manitowoc, stream restoration, Titus Seilheimer, wild rice, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

One of the many fish that we caught in the Peshtigo River. Image credit: Gabrielle Gonzales

By Gabrielle Gonzales, Freshwater Collaborative summer research student

This summer, 35 undergraduate students from across the country conducted research with Freshwater@UW, the University of Wisconsin’s cross-site, cross-discipline research opportunities program. Freshwater@UW is supported by the Freshwater Collaborative, Wisconsin Sea Grant, Water@UW–Madison, the Water Resources Institute and the University of Wisconsin–Madison Graduate School. In the final weeks of the program, students reflected on what they learned. Here’s Gabby Gonzales, an undergraduate junior with an environment major from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, who worked with Titus Seilheimer with Wisconsin Sea Grant.

I spent my summer in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. I’m originally from Ludington, Michigan, which is the home of the car ferry that travels to Manitowoc throughout the summers; the sentimentality of being directly across Lake Michigan from my hometown was the cherry on top of this wonderful research experience.

My mentor, Titus Seilheimer, is a fisheries specialist. Knowing that I don’t want to work directly in academia once I enter my career, it was very useful to get a glimpse of all the realms of research I could get into without having to be a professor. I’m thankful to Titus for granting me the opportunity to gain all kinds of experiences and skills and have fun while doing it.

The mouth of Forget Me Not Creek in Two Rivers where we gathered measurements to calculate discharge, which is the volume of water flowing through the creek per second. Image credit: Gabrielle Gonzales

My activities ranged widely from assisting with an educational event for children at a public library, helping the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources with an electrofishing survey and wading through various creeks. In terms of research and science, I gained and refined many skills by working on a few different projects. Our team did pre-restoration habitat assessments in two creeks in Port Washington and Two Rivers, which both flow into Lake Michigan. We made observations about habitat types and water quality, which is important information for understanding the status of the creek and the suitability of the habitat for fish. This can then be used to make restoration plans that will help make improvements and ensure healthy fish populations.

We also assisted with wild rice monitoring throughout various locations surrounding Green Bay. Wild rice is important ecologically and culturally but has become increasingly threatened, which has warranted seeding and restoration efforts within the last few years. In addition to assessing attributes like rice density and water clarity, we were also interested in seeing how the presence and quality of wild rice populations corresponds with fish communities. My favorite part of the work this summer was learning the process of net fishing to observe fish species diversity in different coastal wetlands of Green Bay. This project in particular allowed me to explore my interests in community ecology and gain hands-on field skills that are bound to be useful in my future career.

Entering my senior year at the University of Michigan, my experience this summer allowed me to engage in self-discovery and better understand what next steps could be once I graduate next spring. The wide range of environmental science jobs can be overwhelming, but I’ve been able to get a firsthand look at the exciting choices that await. Being able to travel across northeastern Wisconsin and meet so many amazing scientists was a transformative experience that not only awarded me with applicable skills but also showed me that my opportunities are endless.

The post Summer studies in Manitowoc open endless opportunities first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/summer-studies-in-manitowoc-open-endless-opportunities/

Wisconsin Sea Grant

Learning about Manoomin

On: January 25, 2024

In: Adam Gips, Amy Corrozino-Lyon, Brothertown Nation, Deidre Peroff, Elliot Benjamin, Gweni Malokofsky, Jesse Conaway, Kane Farmer, Lake Winnebego, Lucia Richardson, manoomin, Menominee Indian Reservation, Oconto, Pipper Gallivan. Back row: Sashi White, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Sarah Zieglmeier, Titus Seilheimer, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, wild rice

Summer Outreach Scholar students Sarah Zieglmeier, Adam Gips and Gweni Malokofsky canoe to learn about ecological monitoring and a Manoomin restoration/reseeding project. Image credit: Deidre Peroff, Wisconsin Sea Grant

The calendar has flipped to 2024. Our staff members are already tackling new projects. Before they move too deeply into the new year, however, some staff members took a moment to retain the glow of their favorite 2023 project. Deidre Peroff, social science outreach specialist, shared her thoughts.

My favorite project from 2023 was when I took seven “Generation Z” students who are studying Manoomin (wild rice) camping near Green Bay. I was mentoring two of the students as part of Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Summer Outreach Scholar Program and the other five came from the University of Minnesota. They were also studying Manoomin and participating in summer Manoomin-related field excursions.

The Summer Outreach Scholar group enjoys an ice cream stop after a day trip. Pictured, left to right, front row: Elliot Benjamin, Adam Gips, Pipper Gallivan. Back row: Sashi White, Lucia Richardson, Deidre Peroff, Sarah Zieglmeier, Kane Farmer. Image credit: Deidre Peroff, Wisconsin Sea Grant

During four jam-packed days, we learned from Indigenous knowledge-holders about the significance of Manoomin and visited sacred cultural sites on the Menominee Indian Reservation. We met with Amy Corrozino-Lyon (University of Wisconsin-Green Bay restoration scientist) and Titus Seilheimer (Sea Grant fisheries outreach specialist) one day to learn about ecological restoration efforts of Manoomin in Oconto and did journal and poetry writing to better connect with a new plant (inspired by Robin Wall Kimmerer’s work, “Braiding Sweetgrass”). We also met with Jesse Conaway (who is working with the Brothertown Nation on another Sea Grant-funded project) to participate in a traditional Manoomin appreciation ceremony, plus we saw how drones are used for monitoring Manoomin in the Lake Winnebego region.

While the students learned so much, what I think we all appreciated the most was spending time together and getting to know each other. During our three nights camping, we enjoyed cooking meals together, playing cards, telling stories by the campfire and swimming in Lake Michigan.

At night, we reflected on what we had learned that day and I enjoyed seeing the students’ newfound understanding and appreciation of Indigenous knowledge and finding a balance between Western and Indigenous science approaches to conservation, restoration and monitoring of a cultural, spiritual and ecological keystone species. When we weren’t reflecting on what we were learning during the day, we enjoyed sleeping under the stars (and storms) and finding time to decompress in nature.

The post Learning about Manoomin first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/learning-about-manoomin/

Deidre Peroff

Lessons in wild ricing and wild rice lake restoration

On: November 16, 2023

In: Carly Lapin, Clam Lake Wisconsin, Deb Connell, Deidre Peroff, Donald Chosa, Kristen Blann, Manoomin Psin Knowledge Symposium, Spring Lake Wisconsin, Spur Lake Wisconsin, The Nature Conservancy, Thomas Howes, Todd Haley, Tony Havranek, wild rice, wild rice nutrition facts, Wisconsin Sea Grant wild rice poster, WSB

Science Communicator Marie Zhuikov attended a Wild Rice Symposium recently, along with hundreds of other people. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Wisconsin Sea Grant sponsored a recent symposium on wild rice, which I had the chance to attend as did Deidre Peroff, our social science outreach specialist. The “Manoomin/Psin Knowledge Symposium” was held at the Black Bear Resort in Carlton, Minnesota, in mid-November.

The manoomin display that Wisconsin Sea Grant and Nature Conservancy staff helped create. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Symposium-goers were offered instant inspiration by a large manoomin display at the registration table, which was created by Peroff, our creative manager Sarah Congdon, and Kristen Blann with The Nature Conservancy.

Most interesting were sessions where speakers described what wild rice means to them and tips for harvesting it.

Here are seven key things to keep in mind when harvesting wild rice in the fall and the names of the people who offered the advice:

Unprocessed wild rice features a long tail-like barb that can have uncomfortable consequences for unwary harvesters. It can sometimes get stuck in people’s tear ducts, requiring careful extraction! If this happens to you, you’ll be crying “warrior tears.” (Donald Chosa, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa)
Harvesters sometimes also inhale the rice and the barbs get stuck in their throats, making it hard to breathe and eliciting coughing. It’s a good idea to bring bread along while harvesting in case this happens. Eating the bread can dislodge the rice barb from a person’s throat. (Deb Connell, ricer, Lac du Flambeau)
“Don’t harvest rice at your convenience. Harvest it when it’s ready.” (Todd Haley, Lac du Flambeau Band of Ojibwe)
If your canoe tips over while ricing, it does not have any special Ojibwe cultural meaning other than, “It means you’ll get wet!” (Donald Chosa, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa) (I was especially keen on this information after my recent “immersive” wild rice experience.)
Lift weights to strengthen your arms for ricing for about a month beforehand. (Donald Chosa, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa)
Having music playing in the canoe makes the ricing day go faster. (Various speakers)
The best way to learn how to rice better is to copy someone’s movements who is a good ricer. (Donald Chosa, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa)

I also learned about three projects in Wisconsin that were successful in bringing wild rice back to lakes where it had disappeared. These involved Spur Lake (Oneida County), Clam Lake (Burnett County), and Spring Lake (Washburn County).

Nutritious wild rice is a true super food when compared to white rice, as noted in this image from one of the symposium speakers.

Carly Lapin with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said that Spur Lake, a historically important wild rice lake, began having trouble in 2009 when water levels became too high for wild rice to grow. She attributed this to beaver population recovery in the area and human alternations of the landscape. Also, aquatic invasive plant growth was out competing the wild rice.

Lapin said the DNR conducted a hydrologic study on the lake in cooperation with the Sokaogon Chippewa community to determine what was causing the water retention. In 2021, resource managers took advantage of naturally low water levels to remove competing vegetation with a mechanical harvester. The next year, they seeded the lake with wild rice and protected several plots with fencing to keep swans from eating the rice shoots. The protected areas grew successfully. A stream (Twin Lakes Creek) that provided outflow from the lake was restored and a harvest was able to occur in 2023.

Tony Havranek, an engineer with WSB, which is a design and consulting firm from Minneapolis, described the Clam Lake and Spring Lake projects. Clam Lake features two parts, an Upper and Lower Clam Lake. The lower part traditionally had wild rice, which declined from 2001-2009. In 2007 and 2008 the lake failed to grow any rice, which concerned the St. Croix Tribe. The tribe undertook studies with partners, who discovered that a steep rise in the population of common carp in the lake was the likely culprit. The age of the carp corresponded to the beginning of the rice crop failure. Havranek said the lake was home to 79,000 individuals, which equaled 670,000 pounds of fish.

“This is four times the tipping point for the lake environment,” Havranek said.

An integrated pest management plan was developed. Actions included installing barriers (nets) around the wild rice beds to keep out the carp, removing the carp from the lake and seeding the beds with local wild rice. Havranek said that over several years, 76,000 carp were removed.

By 2017, rice abundance had increased. Originally, 288 acres of rice beds were in the lake. By 2017, 177 acres had regrown, and harvest was able to begin again.

A successful wild rice harvest. Image credit: Thomas Howes, Fond du Lac Resource Management

Wild rice recovery at Spring Lake is still a work in progress. Problems began in 2000 when the outlet of the lake was changed. Floating leaf vegetation began taking over the lake. Herbicide was applied and unwanted plants were physically removed. After these actions, in 2005, rice was harvested.

However, rice production has declined recently (2016) due to cattail encroachment on the rice habitat. The cattails were mechanically removed and used for compost. Havernak said the rice harvest returned in 2017-2020 but that the lake is still struggling with rice production.

“We hope to remove more cattails and then put the lake on a monitoring schedule,” Havernak said.

Peroff and I staffed a table of publications at the symposium, which included our “ASC Chronicle” newsletter and a wild rice poster that features Ojibwe names for the different life stages of wild rice. The poster was very popular. It’s available online for free download here, or if you want a professionally printed version, you can contact Peroff at dmperoff@aqua.wisc.edu.

I left the event with a new appreciation for the complexities of wild rice management and harvesting. For a foraged food that’s strong enough to cause “warrior tears” or even choking, it remains incredibly fragile and needs our attention and care.

The post Lessons in wild ricing and wild rice lake restoration first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/lessons-in-wild-ricing-and-wild-rice-lake-restoration/

Minnesota Tribe Sets Enforceable Rules To Safeguard Wild Rice and Water Supply

On: August 30, 2023

In: Agriculture, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Groundwater Contamination, indigenous communities, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Minnesota, News, pollution, wild rice

Minnesota Tribe Sets Enforceable Rules To Safeguard Wild Rice and Water Supply

By Keith Schneider, Circle of Blue

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

In: Freshwater@UW Summer Research Scholars Opportunities Program, GLIFWC, Grace Bulltail, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Laura Zapata, wild rice

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/08/minnesota-tribe-enforceable-rules-safeguard-wild-rice-water-supply/

Circle of Blue

Research scholars’ reflections

On: August 23, 2023

In summer 2023, 31 undergraduates in the Freshwater@UW Summer Research Opportunities Program fanned out across Wisconsin, connecting with mentors and others within their cohort. They gained valuable research, career-building and, well, life experiences. Then they gathered their thoughts from the previous 10 weeks and put them into a reflections document.

Sea Grant provided support for the program, along with the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate School. The Sea Grant blog will periodically share these student reflections.

This post features Laura Zapata, mentored by Prof. Grace Bulltail of UW-Madison, who analyzed wetlands’ water quality data to better understand impacts on wild rice, particularly under a changing climate.

I’m from Pacoima, a largely low-income Latine neighborhood that happens to be the most polluted area in the area of LA County, California, where I am from. During my senior year of high school, the news that the power plant by my house had been leaking methane for years reaffirmed my decision to pursue a career in the environment. Although harmful to my community, that event opened my eyes to the reality of environmental injustice and the need for people from diverse backgrounds to work on problems relating to the environment to ensure our communities are served equitably.

Now, I’m studying chemical engineering at UCLA where I expect to obtain my bachelor’s in June of 2025. My desire to create solutions to environmental problems has led me to pursue research in a variety of areas. Most recently, I completed a project at the UCLA SEALab on the post-compaction behavior of common soil-based biofilter amendments, as well as a group project where we provided data visualizations for UCLA Sustainability. Through my academic and research experiences, I’ve become interested in water treatment and management, particularly stormwater treatment as well as green infrastructure and environmental remediation.

This interest led me to apply to the Freshwater@UW program where I had the pleasure of conducting an analysis of Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) monitored wild rice sites from the lens of water quality.

Wild rice is a grain native to the Great Lakes region and a key part of Ojibwe culture. Unfortunately, it has faced a decline from historic levels due to habitat loss and degradation. Organizations that work to preserve remaining wild rice beds, such as GLIFWC, face the challenge of assessing the effects of various water quality parameters in their areas of work. GLIFWC in particular has water quality data that has yet to be examined for use in wild rice work; the potential of this data from wild rice sites is unfulfilled without analysis.

Image credit: Laura Zapata

I was able to assist by identifying key contaminants and water quality factors for wild rice growth and graphing their presence at all sites. Data was supplied from GLFIWC’s lab reports that reported 31 parameters for 13 sites and field data with nine parameters from 17 sites. Historical water quality data for a site of interest, Chequamegon Waters Flowage, was obtained from the EPA. The data was visualized through histograms, a trend graph, and heat maps of various contaminant concentrations. My project presents data visualizations that can be used to guide GLIFWC’s wild rice preservation initiatives.

In this project, I used Python to process and graph the data provided by GLIFWC and downloaded from the EPA. I also made use of ArcGIS to map key water quality indicators. This was a particularly rewarding experience since I was able to learn how to use Python for data analysis, an area I had scarce experience with, through the course of my project. I also became familiar with the basics of ArcGIS, which I look forward to applying in my future work.

The post Research scholars’ reflections first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/research-scholars-reflections/

Moira Harrington

Michigan tribes fight long odds to restore wild rice, their history

On: August 1, 2023

In: Authors, Feature Homepage, History and Culture, indigenous communities, Latest News, Michigan, News, wild rice

Michigan tribes fight long odds to restore wild rice, their history

By Ashley Zhou, Bridge Michigan

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/08/michigan-tribes-fight-long-odds-to-restore-wild-rice-their-history/

Bridge Michigan

New project tests Ceded Territories for PFAS at request of tribes

On: April 3, 2023

In: Andre Bennett, Christine Custer, Emily Cornelius Ruhs, Eve Muslich, Gavin Dehnert, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Jonathan Gilbert, Lac Courte Orielles Ojibwe University, lake water, maple sap, maple syrup, Ojibwe Ceded Territories, PFAS, quantifying PFAS, Robert Flynn, Sean Strom, tree swallows, University of Chicago, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USGS, Voigt Intertribal Task Force, walleye, wild rice, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, wolves and PFAS levels, Zhewaab Reggie Cadotte

Eve Muslich, University of Wisconsin-Madison, pours maple sap from a collecting bag into a bottle for testing for PFAS. Image credit: Bonnie Willison, Wisconsin Sea Grant

April 3, 2023
By Marie Zhuikov

When Jonathan Gilbert, director of biological services with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, received a report about levels of PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) in wolves taken during the 2021 hunting season in Wisconsin, he was flummoxed. The scientific report contained terms and measurements that he, even as a biologist, didn’t understand. Gilbert’s quest for answers led to a larger project that is testing maple syrup, walleyes and lake water for PFAS in areas of the Midwest where Ojibwe tribal members harvest food.

During the wolf season, hunters volunteered their wolf remains to GLIFWC for PFAS testing. Gilbert said about 40% of the wolves had detectable levels of these chemicals. He was given Gavin Dehnert’s name as someone who could help answer his questions about the PFAS report. Dehnert, an emerging contaminants scientist, specializes in PFAS. Dehnert works for Wisconsin Sea Grant, a sister agency to the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute (WRI).

Jonathan Gilbert, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. Image credit: Bonnie Willison, Wisconsin Sea Grant

“So, I called him up and we had a nice conversation and he answered all my questions and educated me quite a bit on this,” Gilbert said.

Gilbert needed to present the wolf data to the Voigt Intertribal Task Force – a group composed of 10 of the 11 Ojibwe tribes that harvest from Ceded Territories in parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The task force ensures safe harvest limits and is advised by GLIFWC. Gilbert invited Dehnert to attend the meeting.

Dehnert said, “We spent probably two to three hours just listening to the questions they had, concerns they had – big questions they were really hoping to answer.” Those questions involved PFAS levels in fish, wild rice, and maple syrup and other things tribal members harvest on a regular basis.

“Gavin kept saying, ‘Well, we don’t know, we don’t know.’ But he took what he heard there, and he wrote up a grant proposal to test the waters in rice lakes and in walleye lakes, and to test the sap of maple trees. That’s exactly what the tribes were telling him they were really concerned about,” Gilbert said.

The three-year tribally driven project, “Quantifying PFAS bioaccumulation and health impacts on economically important plants and animals associated with aquatic ecosystems in Ceded Territories,” was recently funded by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Water Resources Research Act Program, the same program through which WRI is funded.

The project has three goals: 1) Assess aquatic environments for PFAS contamination in the Ceded Territories, 2) Determine the accumulation of PFAS in different plants and animals and 3) Understand the health impacts from PFAS exposure. In addition to Dehnert and Gilbert, the project involves Emily Cornelius Ruhs with the University of Chicago, Sean Strom with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and Christine Custer and Robert Flynn with USGS.

“Zhewaab” Reggie Cadotte, Native American Studies Faculty and Cultural Coordinator, Lac Courte Orielles Ojibwe University, and Gavin Dehnert, Wisconsin Sea Grant, inspect a maple tree for sap sampling on Lac Courte Orielles tribal land in northern Wisconsin. Image credit: Bonnie Willison, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Dehnert said that part one of the project will explore lakes where there’s high harvests of walleye and other fish species and wild rice in Ceded Territories. Researchers will look for the presence of PFAS and determine the levels.

Maple trees were tapped for maple sap collection on Lac Courte Orielles tribal lands to determine levels of PFAS. Image credit: Bonnie Willison, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Part two involves understanding the bioaccumulation of PFAS in harvestable goods. “If we know that it’s in the water source where these walleye or wild rice are living, we want to be able to have some sort of correlation between how much PFAS is in the lake water and then how much is then getting into the fish and wild rice,” Dehnert said. Gilbert stressed that they don’t know how much PFAS moves from the water into fish and plants. They will also test vats of maple sap harvested by tribal members.

Part three will look at impacts on organisms that live in the aquatic environments, focusing on tree swallows. This part, led by Ruhs, will explore how PFAS can impact the immune function of tree swallows in different life stages, from nestlings to adults. The swallows are considered an indicator species for contaminated water because they feed near their nesting area almost solely on aquatic insects. Researchers will take blood samples from the birds and look at white blood cell count and antibodies.

Part one will begin this spring with sampling of maple sap and lake water in 25 lakes.

Dehnert is looking forward to the project.

“It’s not focusing on just science for science. There’s a true actionable side to it. That was why we chose the plants and animals that were highly harvested by these tribes. If you’re finding high concentrations of PFAS in these types of harvestable goods, they are going to disproportionately impact the tribes because they are relying on them for their sustainability and food consumption. Sometimes in science people might look at different plants and animals that don’t really have a cultural tie. So that, to me, has always been why we got so excited about this project,” he said.

A research project team collects maple tree sap for PFAS sampling on Lac Courte Orielles tribal land in spring 2023. Pictured, left to right, are Eve Muslich, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Andre Bennett, Lac Courte Orielles Ojibwe University; Gavin Dehnert, Wisconsin Sea Grant; Jonathan Gilbert, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission; and “Zhewaab” Reggie Cadotte, Lac Courte Orielles Ojibwe University. Image credit: Bonnie Willison, Wisconsin Sea Grant

The post New project tests Ceded Territories for PFAS at request of tribes first appeared on WRI.

News Release | WRI

https://www.wri.wisc.edu/news/new-project-tests-ceded-territories-for-pfas-at-request-of-tribes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-project-tests-ceded-territories-for-pfas-at-request-of-tribes

Restoring piping plover habitat on Wisconsin Point

On: March 24, 2023

In: Allouez Bay, Cat Island project, David Grandmaison, Matt Steiger, piping plovers, St. Louis River Alliance, St. Louis River Summit, wild rice, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Point, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Field trip participants with the St. Louis River Summit learn about efforts to encourage piping plovers to nest on Wisconsin Point. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

I participated in a field trip during the recent St. Louis River Summit that involved snowshoeing out to a bird sanctuary on Wisconsin Point, which is near Superior, Wisconsin. The sanctuary is a protected area on a sandy spit of land, specifically designated for endangered shorebirds called piping plovers (Charadrius melodus).

I enjoy any opportunity to visit Wisconsin Point, but I also attended because I was involved in early habitat restoration efforts for these cute little birds before I worked for Wisconsin Sea Grant. I was interested in hearing the latest intel about their status.

A piping plover. Image credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The St. Louis River Estuary had breeding plover pairs up until 1989. The last nesting pair was seen at this bird sanctuary site. Plovers, which look like killdeers, prefer large isolated beaches for nesting. Much of this habitat type has been lost due to development and recreational pressure. Work to increase the population of plovers is going on all across the Great Lakes and in other parts of the country.

Matt Steiger, St. Louis River Area of Concern Coordinator with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), led the field trip along with David Grandmaison, St. Louis River wild rice and habitat restoration coordinator with the Wisconsin DNR.

As we snowshoed out to the end of the beach in a cold wind from the northeast, Steiger explained that several projects had taken place on the site over the years to make it attractive to plovers and common terns. The latest was begun with Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding in 2019, which involved enlarging the beach with clean dredged sand. The goal was to create habitat that would last despite changing water levels in the harbor and storms and would require minimal maintenance. Fourteen acres of nesting and foraging habitat were created along with three “nesting pans” composed of small cobblestones that plovers prefer.

Matt Steiger, WI DNR, (center) discusses the Wisconsin Point Bird Sanctuary restoration efforts to field trip participants. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Piping plover monitors coordinated by the St. Louis River Alliance have kept their eyes peeled for any plovers on this site and others around the estuary. So far, none have nested, but sometimes these efforts take time – decades, even. Steiger said that a female plover was spotted in the sanctuary during the spring 2022 migration season at the same time a male was spotted on nearby Minnesota Point. Let’s hope that someday two plovers will land on the same beach at the same time!

In other areas of the state, Wisconsin Sea Grant has played an integral role in habitat restoration that benefits piping plovers. Our staff were involved in the Cat Island Restoration Project in Green Bay, which created 1,400 acres of barrier islands in Lake Michigan that had previously disappeared due to high lake levels and storms. In 2016, for the first time in 75 years, endangered piping plovers successfully nested on a restored island there and fledged chicks.

Sea Grant was also involved in an earlier effort on Wisconsin Point’s Shaefer Beach to create plover habitat. We were involved in initial design discussions for the bird sanctuary work but are not currently participating. For more information, see this cool post and videos on the Perfect Duluth Day website.

At the end of the tour, Grandmaison described work going on in nearby Allouez Bay to restore wild rice beds. Historically, wild rice was abundant in Allouez bay and throughout the estuary, providing an important food source for Native Americans. Wild rice beds also provided habitat and food for birds and wildlife. Their abundance in the estuary declined significantly in the past century, and today only a sparse remnant stand exists in Allouez Bay. Wild rice seeds were spread throughout the bay. Exclosure fencing was installed protect the seedlings from browsing pressure of Canada geese.

As I snowshoed back to my car, I remained hopeful that someday, Wisconsin Point will be home to nesting piping plovers and lush stands of wild rice, thanks to these efforts.

The post Restoring piping plover habitat on Wisconsin Point first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/restoring-piping-plover-habitat-on-wisconsin-point/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=restoring-piping-plover-habitat-on-wisconsin-point

Minnesota Ojibwe harvest sacred, climate-imperiled wild rice

On: September 30, 2022

In: Anishinaabe, AP, Climate change, Food, History and Culture, indigenous communities, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Minnesota, News, Ojibwe, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Science, Technology, Research, Tribal Governments and First Nations, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, wild rice

Minnesota Ojibwe harvest sacred, climate-imperiled wild rice

By Giovanna Dell’Orto, Associated Press

ON LEECH LAKE, Minnesota (AP) — Seated low in her canoe sliding through a rice bed on this vast lake, Kendra Haugen used one wooden stick to bend the stalks and another to knock the rice off, so gently the stalks sprung right back up.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/09/ap-minnesota-ojibwe-harvest-sacred-wild-rice/

The Associated Press

Reviving rice: Large collaborative effort will investigate possible wild rice restoration around Lake Winnebago

On: August 19, 2022

In: Ashley Gries, Brothertown Indian Nation, Brothertown Nation, First Nations, Jessica Ryan, Jessie Conaway, Lake Poygan, Lake Winnebago, manoomin, Native nations, Skip Blanc, wild rice

As the largest lake entirely within Wisconsin’s borders, Lake Winnebago spans nearly 132,000 acres across three counties. Fed by the Wolf and Fox rivers, it’s a place rich in significance for several tribal nations, including the Ho Chunk, Meskwaki, Fox, Sauk, Menominee, Oneida, Stockbridge-Munsee, Brothertown and others.

It is this importance to multiple nations that led Mark Denning (Oneida/Menominee) to describe Lake Winnebago and its tributaries as “international waters.” Said Jessica Ryan, vice chair of the Brothertown Indian Nation, who recounted hearing this comment from Denning, “That (statement) really stuck out to us… We know that all these nations have called these waterways home, but that was really impactful. This is how all the trading happened, and the water sustained us. It’s the lifeblood of Earth.”

Ryan is part of a team working on an effort known as the Lake Winnebago InterTribal Connectivity Project, which is receiving Wisconsin Sea Grant support during Sea Grant’s 2022-24 research funding cycle. Her partners in this work include Dr. Jessie Conaway of the University of Wisconsin-Madison; Skip Blanc, a Brothertown tribal council member; and other members of the Brothertown Nation. They are joined by a vast network of partners from other Native nations, UW-Madison students, non-tribal partners, and agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This large, multifaceted collaborative is focusing on revitalizing wild rice in the Lake Winnebago area.

Wild rice grows in a coastal wetland in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, in summer 2022. A collaborative effort supported in part by Wisconsin Sea Grant will consider wild rice revitalization at Lake Winnebago. (Photo: Titus Seilheimer)

While still present, particularly in Lake Poygan (just west of Lake Winnebago), wild rice is not what it used to be in the area. Ryan recounted coming across an old journal that described Lake Winnebago as “teeming with rice such that the boats could not pass.” That vivid image stuck in her mind due to its disconnect with current reality.

Project work will include assessing water quality, sediments and wild rice habitat. Said Blanc of the wide-ranging effort, “It’s going to take all of us, Native and non-native, from all spectrums of life to do this.”

Building a network, looking ahead

Ryan and the UW’s Conaway first met back in 2015 and had kept in touch. The current work on Lake Winnebago got off the ground in 2019, in part due to help from Ashley Gries, a UW graduate student at the time. “Students can really be the engines of our work and very inspirational,” said Conaway.

In 2021, the Brothertown Nation, Conaway and Gries formed a strategy and invited 12 tribal nations to come together to discuss wild rice work and Lake Winnebago; eight were able to attend. Sea Grant support began in 2022 to help keep this effort moving forward.

Gries described wild rice as a “persnickety plant” that is sensitive to environmental changes. She sees water levels, water quality, nutrient loading, sedimentation and possible user conflicts as just some of the facets for the collaboration to consider. The team will need to weigh appropriate locations for reseeding plants.

Participants in the 2022 Lake Winnebago Water Walk draw attention to water as a vital, precious resource. All are welcome at the event coordinated by the Brothertown Indian Nation, whose vice chair, Jessica Ryan, is pictured third from the left. Ryan is also a key organizer for the Lake Winnebago InterTribal Connectivity Project.

The project will take a long view, considering not only what is feasible given current conditions and uses of the lake, but also what would be sustainable over many years to come.

“I want to see the rice restored, but I don’t know if that’s practical; I don’t know if it can be done long-term,” said Ryan. Yet it is a cherished goal given the cultural importance of wild rice to many peoples (and also its importance to other living beings that depend on it).

Conaway stressed the need to organize around conservation and tribal priorities. “This area is rich with history, stories and connections. It’s a large project, and it can feel unwieldy, but we know we’re on a good path… and I’m grateful for the opportunity. We’re in it for the long haul,” she said.

The Lake Winnebago InterTribal Connectivity Project will bring together resources, equipment and knowledge from its many partners to learn as much as possible and consider future plans. To learn more, contact Jessie Conaway at jessie.conaway@wisc.edu.

The post Reviving rice: Large collaborative effort will investigate possible wild rice restoration around Lake Winnebago first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/reviving-rice-lake-winnebago/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reviving-rice-lake-winnebago

Jennifer Smith

River Talk explores the impact of water levels on the St. Louis River Estuary

On: November 5, 2020

In: Brandon Krumwiede, Canada geese, Hannah Burgstaler, River Talks, st. louis river estuary water levels, wild rice

The new season of River Talks began in October with two speakers who discussed the impacts of water level changes in the St. Louis River Estuary via Zoom. Brandon Krumwiede, Great Lakes geospatial coordinator with NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management, presented, “Water Level Change Impacts in the St. Louis River Estuary.” And Hannah Burgstaler, freshwater fellow at the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve, presented, “St. Louis River Estuary Water Level and Canada Geese Population Effect on Manoomin Survival Rate.”

Brandon Krumwiede. Submitted photo

Krumwiede described how water levels are changing in the Lake Superior Basin and then narrowed his scope to the estuary. “There’s been a huge step up in water levels in Lake Superior – a continual rise over the last several years, from 2007 to 2019. We’ve basically added three-and-a-half feet of water to the surface of Lake Superior,” Krumwiede said.

However, since August of 2020, levels in the basin have started to drop and are expected to continue to lower during the next six months. “Hopefully, this is that sigh of relief that everybody’s looking for with our recent exposure to high water levels,” Krumwiede said.

More locally, the estuary is sitting at or above record-high water levels. These can be exacerbated when wind from the northeast pushes water through the Wisconsin entry and the Duluth shipping canal. Krumwiede said urban stormwater runoff together with these northeast storm events can cause high water levels all the way to the Oliver Bridge (near Oliver, Wisconsin). He showed images of erosion on Allouez Bay, Wisconsin Point and Clough Island, along with inundated boat landings.

Low water levels can be problematic, too. “Often, in those new areas that are exposed, phragmites are some of the first species to take hold, so you have to deal with invasive species work,” he said. Access to the estuary for boaters can also be impeded.

For her research project, Burgstaler monitored four bays in the estuary (Allouez, Oliver-Little Pokegema, Duck Hunter South and Walleye Alley) using water pressure loggers and trail cameras, looking for the presence of geese and water levels that exceed a threshold for healthy wild rice growth. “Wild rice is at risk of completely disappearing in habitats where it once thrived. Factors contributing to its decline are fluctuating water levels, sulfide and mercury pollution, invasive species competition and waterfowl grazing,” Burgstaler said.

Hannah Burgstaler. Submitted photo

Wild rice tolerates a fluctuation range of up to six inches during the growing season and has a maximum water depth threshold of three feet. Continuous high water can “drown” the plants.

She visited the sites every one to two weeks by canoe, boat or paddleboard, to collect the camera SD cards and change batteries from June to September. She’s currently in the preliminary stages of data analysis. She’s going to compare her data with similar information collected by the Reserve and Fond du Lac Dam water release data to determine which sites are affected by seiches and water discharge from the dam. She will also compare geese counts in the different bays.

“Wild rice health is poor in the St. Louis River Estuary, but it’s still present so there’s still hope. From my preliminary data, geese may be negatively impacting wild rice survival with their browsing. Water levels in at least one bay exceeded 3 feet during the season and could impact wild rice survival. A combination of high water levels and geese may be contributing factors in the struggle of wild rice health in the St. Louis River Estuary,” Burgstaler said.

The Nov. 11 River Talk will feature Dustin Haines, research coordinator for the Reserve, who will present, “Should I Stay or Should I Go? The Clash of Wetlands With Lake Levels, Invasives and Humans.” His talk will also be via Zoom and held in cooperation with Café Scientifique Twin Ports. Join us at 7 pm:

https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/97447413031?pwd=TkN2YjN5VGl0ODJtMWYzZGxCT2llUT09
Meeting ID: 974 4741 3031
Passcode: 424987

The post River Talk explores the impact of water levels on the St. Louis River Estuary first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/river-talk-explores-the-impact-of-water-levels-on-the-st-louis-river-estuary/

Promoting tribal health by protecting and restoring manoomin (wild rice) in the St. Louis River and beyond

On: February 3, 2020

In: Fond du Lac Reservation, manoomin, Nancy Schuldt, River Talks, wild rice

The River Talk series continues at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Drive, Superior, Wisconsin). Nancy Schuldt, water protection coordinator with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, will present, “Promoting Tribal Health by Protecting and Restoring Manoomin (Wild Rice) in the St. Louis River and Beyond.”

Nancy Schuldt. Image by Marie Zhukov, Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Manoomin and all the health benefits and wealth it creates are under threat from a variety of stressors. This native grain has declined substantially in its historic range on the St. Louis River and beyond. Due to the importance of manoomin to tribal health, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the state of Minnesota developed a health impact assessment to convey the importance of wild rice to Ojibwe people. Schuldt will speak on the assessment and share reflections from her career spent studying and protecting water.

The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Minnesota and Wisconsin Sea Grant programs offer this series of informal evening talks about the St. Louis River Estuary. Everyone is invited and refreshments are provided.

Other River Talks will be held on March 3, April 8 and May 13. The March 3 talk will be held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit.

For more information, visit go.wisc.edu/4uz720. If you miss a talk, visit Wisconsin Sea Grant’s blog for a summary

News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/promoting-tribal-health-by-protecting-and-restoring-manoomin-wild-rice-in-the-st-louis-river-and-beyond/