Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings is first Native American appointed to Wisconsin's DNR board

MADISON – Fifty-five years after the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources was founded, the first Native American was appointed to its board last month.

Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings, a citizen of the Bad River Ojibwe Nation in northern Wisconsin, was appointed to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Board by Gov. Tony Evers.

The DNR works to manage and conserve the natural resources in the state.

"I think it's long overdue that we have some kind of Indigenous person on the board," Jennings said. "Indigenous peoples are often overlooked for their longstanding environmental knowledge that can contribute to managing the issues we have today."

"There's no shortage of issues when it comes to the environment," he said.

Jennings said one of those issues is PFAS, or forever chemicals, and the latest data and information from fish populations.

"That's a very concerning statistic," he said

He said an increase in mercury levels in fish also is concerning.

"Fish are not only important from the tribal community's cultural perspective, but also valuable to the state's economy," Jennings said.

Another issue he said he will be tackling is chronic wasting disease, which is affecting the state's deer population.

A recent Wisconsin Climate Change Report led by former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes had incorporated Indigenous knowledge and expertise.

Experts said that input was critical because it includes thousands of years of traditional knowledge of local ecology and how it has changed over time.

Wisconsin DNR officials have already been learning from Indigenous knowledge.

For example, DNR researchers have learned from Ojibwe elders that a certain species of tree in the Northwoods used to bud at the same time the walleye fish were starting to spawn, but now those times are becoming off because of a quicker warm-up in the season as a result of climate change.

One major recommendation in the Climate Change Report by the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC), which manages natural resources for the Ojibwe bands in northern Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan, is the need for more state involvement in a wild rice stewardship program.

Wild rice, or manoomin, is an important part of Ojibwe identity and culture.

Jennings, who had served on the Climate Change Task Force and is a former spokesman for GLIFWC, said state officials should listen to Ojibwe rice chiefs who monitor the health of the rice wetlands.

"It's important to know traditional knowledge systems are valid knowledge systems," he said.

Jennings also is the associate director of the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute at Northland College and holds a master's degree from UW-Madison for environmental studies.

His work with GLIFWC had required him to work closely with DNR officials. Together the two agencies manage what is known as the Ceded Territory in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan where Ojibwe members have treaty rights with the U.S. to hunt and fish on land that was once theirs.

These treaty rights have been used as legal arguments to protect the environment in the Northwoods.

Jennings said he would also like to find ways to get more young people participating in outdoor activities, such as hunting and fishing, because then they’ll grow to appreciate the outdoors more and want to protect it.

"I’m looking to promote policies that encourage communities to get outdoors," he said.

Jennings was one of three new appointments, who also include Paul Buhr, a dairy farmer, and Jim VandenBrook, a longtime conservationist.

"We are thrilled to have each of these well-qualified, motivated individuals on the board and for the expertise and perspectives they will bring to this critically important work," Evers said in a press release.

Frank Vaisvilas is a former Report for America corps member who covers Native American issues in Wisconsin based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact him at [email protected] or 815-260-2262. Follow him on Twitter at @vaisvilas_frank.