Support Reforestation Across the Indigenous West

This spring was our third year of tree planting on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and undoubtedly our most successful. All in all, 52 Native Americans were trained to plant trees and take better care of their land under the able supervision of our local partners, Lakota Solar Enterprises (LSE) and Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation (TVCDC). Henry Red Cloud from LSE was once again the overall project coordinator.

We planted 33,000 Ponderosa Pine tree seedlings in areas that suffered from forest fires in past years. It was a great crew, and there was lots of rain, so we are very hopeful for a high survival rate and that we have established an excellent new stand of beautiful young trees on more than 60 acres of tribal land.

This year we also brought in our friend Dave Bartechi from the non-profit organization, Village Earth, who GIS mapped all of this and past years' tree planting areas. This mapping will help us to conduct survival surveys in the years ahead. We also were able to have Chris Winslow of FCPublic come and take some photographs of the planting. This will help us show the amazing impact these community members are having on their land.  

As we look forward to the 2018 season, we are excited to have developed so many local tree planters and some competent crew leaders. They understand that they are a Bridge Between the Generations – ultimately linking the ancestors who once roamed across the Great Plains with those who will live at Pine Ridge in the generations to come.You can see a short video on our tree planting by clicking here!

Thanks again for all of your support. We are already looking forward to next year's season!