PARENT SESSION
Poster Session 16: Ecology Education
Tuesday, August 9, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM, Exhibit Hall 220 A-E, Level 2, Palais des congrès de Montréal
Sitting Bull College Ecology Club leads research on Standing Rock Indian Reservation.
Hugelen, Linda*,1, 2, 1 Sitting Bull College, Fort Yates, ND, USA2 South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA
ABSTRACT- The Sitting Bull College Ecology Club was awarded financial assistance through the Ecological Society of American (ESA) through the SEEDS (Strategies for Ecology Education, Development and Sustainability) program to provide research leadership on Standing Rock Indian Reservation and to seed native grass in a research site located on the new campus. Research leadership is needed on the reservation to increase awareness of the process and benefits of research done on the reservation, by tribal members, for the benefit of tribal members. Small short-term projects will be conducted in reservation communities with participation of the community residents, and leadership provided by the Ecology Club members and Sitting Bull College staff, with technical assistance from South Dakota State University Department of Horticulture in two projects. One goal is to lead efforts resulting in a tribal and college institutional review board to ensure that all research being conducted on Standing Rock Indian Reservation is properly reviewed and approved prior to commencing the research. The Landscaping Project was originally intended as a project for the Ecology Club to assist in seeding odd areas of the new campus to native grass. This project is being combined with the Research Leadership Project so the result will not only be native grass planted on the campus, but also research results will be collected as the result of seeding different species of grass in various combinations. The site will be located along the future interpretive trail that will connect the community of Fort Yates with the campus. Signs will be erected along this self-guided trail describing the research project. Signs identifying native plant species will be posted along the trail so the campus will also serve as an outdoor learning center. The results of these projects will not only be an attractive campus with a minimal maintenance native grass lawn, but also an area demonstrating that research can be beneficial, and, can be lead and conducted by tribal members for the benefit of tribal members. The Sitting Bull College Ecology Club organized in 2002 with a financial incentive from the ESA SEEDS program.
Key words: research, tribal, college, ecology