Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The MHA Nation is also referred interchangeably as the Three Affiliated Tribes (TAT). The Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara people make up the population of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. Although the tribes share government, federal recognition, and an era of history, each tribe supports its own unique culture, language, and existence. Education programs will focus on areas of youth development, nutrition and health, community leadership and development, and agriculture and natural resources. Extension education programs are serving an integral role to solve the equation "healthy communities=healthy families." Our community members face many unique challenges and needs specific to our people. Our tribes were uprooted from their homes during the early 1950s with the creation of the Garrison Dam that was constructed across the Missouri River and flooded the river bottoms inhabited by the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara. Eminent domain agonizingly forced the tribes into signing the treaty to "sell" the river bottoms for the Garrison Diversion Project. Communities would be lost, homes would be left, the only hospital inundated and families divided The inundation of the river bottoms resulted in the loss of 155,000 acres of prime fertile land optimal for gardening, farming and protecting livestock from the elements of weather. The backup waters from the Missouri River created profound social, economic, civic, and environmental conditions that are still apparent today. After the flooding, mortality, morbidity, and suicide rates increased, as well as the rate of alcoholism and other related problems. Extension programming focuses on addressing identified issues to positively impact community member's relevant conditions. The effects of compromised dietary intake and sedentary lifestyles are painfully evident. Education programming focusing on increasing awareness of related benefits to healthy eating and physical activity is pertinent for American Indian Youth. A holistic approach to health and well-being for native youth will impact their ability to make healthy lifestyle choices. The flood impacts resulted in the loss of over 94 percent of lands once used for agricultural purposes; the means of sustainability through gardening, raising livestock, and family living were forced to adapt to a new environment. Indian ranchers have faced the anguish and trial and tribulations transitioning from self-sustaining families thriving on the river bottoms to facing the challenges of competing in a fierce commodity-based economy. Due to these situations a large portion of the land has been deeded, leased, or rented by non-natives. There is a substantial opportunity for Extension to work with other tribal programs to increase the amount of American Indian owned natural resources to be American Indian used. The need is evident to assist American Indian ranchers in fundamental agricultural enterprise. Ranchers rely on Extension services to provide assistance in relevant issues from production agriculture to budget analysis. Extension also serves as a liaison between state and tribal issues that ultimately impact our producers.

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APPROACH: As with any plan, the first step of success is establishing rapport and trust. Often times in Indian Country, most projects fail or become stagnant due to the difficulties of obtaining local trust and local partnerships. Extension however has been an integral program providing services and collaborative efforts on Fort Berthold for over thirty-five years. The most basic step ensuring successful strategies for program accomplishments is overlooked many times, yet rapport, trust, and relationships are not taken lightly in Indian Country. Fort Berthold Extension will continue to maintain the reputation of providing quality, scientific based education and will continue to seek and develop new and innovative partnerships for the benefit of the people served on Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. 4-H and Youth Development programs will be delivered as school enrichment, after-school programming, summer camps, and traditional 4-H club initiatives. Materials will provide engaging experiential learning opportunities that are culturally relevant. In addition to reaching youth, parents, and 4-H leaders; educators and the general public will also be engaged in activities geared toward making healthy lifestyle decisions decreasing youth obesity and increasing physical activity, and enhancing life skills to make productive life choices. Youth will also improve life skill development through technology and science programs while also readying marketable skills for the workforce. Strategies employed in the areas of agriculture and natural resources will support objectives to increase profitability and economies of American Indian Ranchers, improve management of rangelands, and ensure clean quality water and air. The components of these two programs are closely related in providing opportunities to increase the value of beef cattle production and the resources required to mutually benefit the rancher and the environment. A balance of a healthy ecosystem will net profit for all community members of Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. An evaluation process will be incorporated into all aspects of the Fort Berthold Extension programs. The goal of the process is to measure progress toward identified outcomes using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative methods include measuring number of participants, events, inquiries, applications, and communications. Qualitative measurements will determine base-line knowledge, expansion of understanding and awareness, changes in behavior, societal changes, and skill improvement by participants. Each component activity and program relative to the proposed project objective will be reviewed and evaluated using Kirkpatrick's learning and training evaluation theories or a participatory evaluation, whichever methodology is most appropriate providing relevance to the desired outcomes to be measured.