TUSCARORA ENVIRONMENT

More Information about the Tuscarora Scholarship Program is available HERE.

Above: 2009 scholarship recipients - N. Patterson and K. Oddo.

Date Started: 2007

Contact Person: Patti Fischer

Date Completed: Ongoing

Synopsis: 

The TEP aides the scholarship committee via in-kind services, a distribution point of applications, and advertisement of the program via the TEN, the website, and public events.  If you would like more information please contact the TEP office or a member of the Tuscarora Scholarship Committee.

Past winners of the Tuscarora Nation Scholarship:

2009: Nick Patterson and Kayley Oddo

2008: Mia McKie and Waylon Wilson

2007: Brooke Patterson and Nick Smiedela

More Information about the Swamp Project

and the proposal to the Niagara Greenway Commission you can visit their site at www.niagaragreenway.org

Date Started: 2008

Contact Person: Neil Patterson Jr.

Date Completed: Ongoing

Synopsis:

The TEP office developed a proposal for the Niagara River Greenway Commission for the Nation to generate a plan for the Swamp. The proposal, "Ecological Enhancement, Wetland Restoration, and Aquatic Habitat Restoration Project on Tuscarora Nation Lands with the Niagara River Greenway Cooridor" will help us understand the ecosystem of our Swamp and develop a plan to protect and enhance our natural wonder.

In 2009, The TEP staff and the project's contractor, Ecology & Environment Inc., began making site visits and developing data for the final report. The assessments involve monitoring water levels, studying plant life, and counting bird and animal sightings.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Days 

Date Started: 2000

Contact Person: Rene Rickard

Date Completed: Ongoing

Synopsis:

The TEP conducted another HHW collection day in 2008 for Tuscarora. The five-hour event was a complete success, albeit a bit of rain dampered a part of the day.  The event at the School collected everything from aeresol cans, motor oil, washers, big televisions, and propane tanks.  Below are some preliminary numbers to understand what was collected and disposed of properly:

• 9 refridgerators
• 6 air conditioners
• 3 ranges
• +15 propane tanks
• +4 computers
• +20 televisions
• 1 treadmill
• 1 hot water tank
• gallons of paint related materials
• liquid pesticides

In the past the TEP has held Household Hazardous Waste  Collection Days for Tuscarora residents. In 2006 (2007 numbers have not been completed) the event collected motor oil, refrigerators, televisions, pesticides, propane tanks, and everything in between. The four-hour event attracted more than 70 households from Tuscarora. We want to give a special nya:we to Erie County Department of Environment and Planning, Division of Environment Compliance Service; Tuscarora Indian School; Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force; and the Tuscarora Nation.

HHW Collection Days:

• May 3, 2008
• September 15, 2007
• September 16, 2006 (CLICK HERE for flyer [pdf])
• November 2003
• August 12, 2000

Co2 Kit Distribution Program

Start Date: 2007

Contact Person: Rene Rickard

Date Completed: 2009

Synopsis:

TEP offered a detector that plugs into any standard 120 VAC outlet (note: this unit did not have a battery backup or LED readout). Detectors could also be purchased at many local hardware or home improvement stores for $20.00, at four times the cost TEP is offering.

The Tuscarora Environment Office offered FREE CO2 detectors for all Tuscarora residents over the past few years. In total, the TEP distributed more than 200 Co2 detector kits. Initially we sold the units to residents but we made them free for our elders, but eventually we made all the units free to each household.

This program was supported by the Erie County Health Department, U.S.E.P.A. Indoor Air Program and Tuscarora Environment Office.

Start Date: 2008

Contact Person: Patti Fischer

Date Completed: N/A

Synopsis:

Be on the lookout for the nine spotted ladybug beetle. Cornell University is doing a citizen science research project looking for the New York State insect symbol: the nine-spotted ladybug. The nine-spotted ladybug once the most common ladybug in the northern U.S. and Canada, began an abrupt decline in the 1980's. Scientists aren't sure why, but one speculation is the introduction of the Asian ladybug to combat agricultural pests. The may have taken over the food source and habitat of native ladybugs causing them to become scarce if existent at all.

The Tuscarora Indian School has volunteered to participate in this project. She and her students will be looking for ladybugs, record their findings, and email it to Cornell University. 

You can find out more

information about Abitibi

by clicking HERE.

Date Started: 2007

Contact Person: Rene Rickard

Date Completed: Ongoing

Synopsis:

Did you know that you can recycle newspaper, magazines, shopping catalogs, office & school papers and mail 24 hours/7 days a week at our Tuscarora Indian School?

You can find out more

information by downloading

the map and guide for

the Garden and Nature Trail HERE [.pdf file].

Start Date: 2000

Contact Person: Patti Fischer

Date Completed: Ongoing

Synopsis:

In 2000 the TEP office acquired a grant through the Niagara County Environmental Fund (NCEF) to develop a community garden and nature trail at our Nation's Tuscarora Indian School. Over a two year span the TEP and our summer interns worked very hard to move soil, stack rocks, lay edging and weed barrier, and grow native plants.

The groundbreaking ceremony in June 2000 was a great success, with Jake Swamp on hand to plant our White Pine tree in the 7-Clan Garden. Other additions to the garden include traditional and contemporary vegetable gardens, the Turtle Garden, 3/4 mile long walking trail, a boardwalk through a successional forest, a simple pergola, and more than 30 native plants along the way. We have also provided 6 high-grade benches for resting throughout the trail and Picnic grove. 

For more information about

the t-shirt design contest and

the Roadside Cleanup program

check out more information HERE.

Start Date: 2005

Contact Person: Rene Rickard

Date Completed: Ongoing

Synopsis:

For more than 35 years the Tuscarora Temperance Society has championed the Tuscarora Roadside Cleanup by facilitating the DOT road crew, prividing materials such as plastic bags and gloves, and serving a lunch to all those lending a hand.

Over the past few years the TEP office has promoted the project via our TEN newsletter and at local community events.  We have also conducted a T-shirt design contest with our local students for the past four years. You can see the results HERE.

From the Roadside Cleanup Team: "Many Hands Lighten The Load".

Start Date: 2003

Contact Person: Bryan Printup

Date Completed: 2003

Synopsis:

In the Fall 2003, TEP received a small monetary award to help explore the option of designing a "green building" for the Nation. As a low-cost alternative we asked college students to take a crack at it first for us.  The following year, Spring 2004, a graduate architecture class at the University of Buffalo utilized our project and program as part of their curriculum. By the end of the spring semester, we presented 11 "green building" options to the Tuscarora public at the Old Gym.  The students showed each of their buildings, and how it relates to Tuscarora. In the end, after an informal selection process, a building design was selected as the most popular.

After the student's showcased their work, they presented to us a booklet of their designs and a Green Guide, developed by themselves, pertaining to our specific project.

Thanks to the UB students for their work. Their designs helped spur the current development to erect our first Nation building.

For more information about the program you can check out the Program's section HERE.

Start Date: 2005

Contact Person: Rene Rickard

Date Completed: Ongoing

Synopsis:

The TEP and the Nation began looking at solutions to residential well and septic system problems Tuscarora households are facing. A program was identified which provides new septic systems and wells for Indian nations. After reaching a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Nation and Indian Health Services (IHS), TEP established an application process and a set of criteria toward Tuscarora recipients. In fall 2006 this project saw somewhat of a frenzy to get the applications filled out for residents within the Tuscarora Nation Territory.

Although the following is not a complete list of measures, it might give you an understanding of what will be asked of you if you apply:

• the households being served under this program are to be new or like new homes, trailers/double-wide mobile homes;
• the home (i.e. trailers, mobiles, modulars, etc) cannot be on wheels, should be leveled, and fully skirted;
• the home should be a long-term permanent residency for the applicant;
• TEP will look to see that the home is structurally sound, because the program will not invest into a home that will be gone in 10 years;
• and other questions about Tuscarora enrollment, possession of land deeds, number of residents, and current condition of the residential well and septic system.

For more information about the plan and future endevours, please contact the TEP office.

Start Date: 2007

Contact Person: Rene Rickard

Date Completed: Ongoing

Synopsis:

The Tuscarora Environment Office (TEP) recognized the seriousness of solid waste at Tuscarora. What is Solid Waste? Solid wastes are any discarded (abandoned or considered waste-like) materials. Solid Wastes can be solid, liquid, semi-solid or containerized gaseous material. Examples of solid waste incude waste tires, septage, scrap metal, latex paints, furniture, toys, domestic refuse (garbage, trash), discarded appliances, vehicles, construction debris to name a few.

During the Tuscarora Solid Waste Management Plan process, the TEP completed a solid waste audit. This audit targeted specific households with a set number of people and asked them to complete the survey to the best of their knowledge on how they managed their household trash. This audit gave TEP a better understanding of what household residents thought of the management/disposal of their household waste.

To date, the Solid Waste Management Plan is still in draft form and is in the process of being updated for future approval and possible implementation.

Start Date: 2000

Contact Person: Bryan Printup

Date Completed: Ongoing

Synopsis:

Start Date: 1999

Contact Person: Bryan Printup

Date Completed: 2004

Synopsis:

Start Date: 2002

Contact Person: Neil Patterson Jr.

Date Completed: N/A

Synopsis:

The Tuscarora White Corn Inventory Project was an idea born from the need to promote and nurture the ability of Ekweheweh people to continue growing kahnhakerat, or Indian Corn. Tuscarora people have been well recognized for their ability to grow notable crops of white corn across Haudenosaunee territory. The Husking Bee, a social gathering to distribute labor during harvest and an opportunity to increase social interactions among the community, is still being carried out.

During the development of the soil survey, the Environment Program noticed an increase in the amount of our own farmers growing Indian Corn. A standard soil survey report includes estimates on fruit and vegetable yields for specific soil survey types, but does not include estimates for our Indian Corn varieties. The Tuscarora White Corn Inventory Project began in 2002 to gain preliminary yield estimates for Indian Corn production for different soil types on Tuscarora. However, another unexpected benefit of the project was realized when Tuscarora farmers began taking an interest in soil science and friendly competition between farmers to better their yields. The project continues each growing season at Tuscarora to better understand how land can be managed for sustainable agriculture practices and to promote and continue the legacy of Tuscarora Indian Corn.