WCTWS Membership Committee Brown Bag Webinar

"Understanding Ojibwe Treaty Rights"

presented by:

Jonathan Gilbert Ph.D., Director, Biological Services Division, GLIFWC

Jon Gilbert has worked for GLIFWC for 37 years, most of that as Wildlife Section Leader and as Director of the Biological Services Division for 6 years. He is a Certified Wildlife Biologist, with expertise in forest carnivores especially fishers and martens. Now he supervises scientists working in a wide variety of fields from inland fisheries to forestry, wildlife, invasive species, mining, climate change and pipelines.  This presentation will provide background information on the nature of Ojibwe treaty rights and the effects of these rights on state and federal wildlife management programs. There is much confusion about treaty rights, where they came from, why Ojibwe tribes have them and how do these rights affect state and federal rules and regulations. The confusion often times leads to lack of appropriate consultation with tribes and inter-tribal agencies and this lack of communication makes co-managing resources difficult. At the end of this presentation the audience should be able to define treaty rights, tribal sovereignty and appropriate consultation.