NETT LAKE- The size of the Bois Forte Band reservation sectors at Nett Lake and Deer Creek grew by an astounding 28,000 acres on Tuesday through the largest tribal buyback of ancestral lands ever executed in the country.
A large crowd was on hand at the pow wow pavilion at the Nett Lake government center to witness representatives from the Band, The Conservation Fund, and Indian Land Tenure Foundation sign the paperwork that returns the former Potlatch holdings to the Bois Forte people nearly 140 years after it was wrested away from them.
“With today being as historic as it is for Bois Forte, it’s not only Bois Forte. It’s historic for Indian country,” Bois Forte tribal chairwoman Cathy Chavers said. “Today we are acquiring, not through legislative action at all, we are acquiring and restoring over 28,000 acres of land, and our tribe of 3,500 members does not have to pay a dime. It’s a note for others that anything can happen, anything is possible. We never dreamed this would be possible.”
Becoming possible
When the Bois Forte ceded over two million acres of land to the U.S. government in an 1866 treaty, they reserved for their exclusive use 100,000 acres at Nett Lake and 23,000 acres at Deer Creek. But 20 years later the government began dividing much of that land for sale to timber companies and homesteaders.
Decades later, the land became part of the holdings of Potlatch Corporation, a timber company that at one time was the single largest private landholder in the state with about 330,000 acres of land across northern Minnesota.
Chavers said that a few years ago Band leaders talked with PotlatchDeltic, the successor to Potlatch. While company officials were open to seeing the land returned to the tribe, they indicated the Band would have to pay for it. At best, the tribe determined they would be able to acquire only 100 acres at a time, Chavers said.
“We put it on the back burner for a while,” she said.
But things changed dramatically in 2020 when the company sold its remaining 72,000 Minnesota acres to The Conservation Fund, a national nonprofit with a mission to acquire and protect working forests. Kim Berns-Melhus, Minnesota director for the group, knew what should happen with a portion of those acres.
“I had a vision when we acquired the Potlatch lands that these 28,000 acres belonged to Bois Forte,” she said.
Meetings and planning ensued, and the Indian Land Tenure Foundation, a national community-based organization dedicated to helping American Indian nations recover and control their homelands, was brought into the mix.
Bois Forte would still have to buy the land, this time from the conservation fund, but the deal was structured to take advantage of Minnesota’s Sustainable Forest Incentive Act (SFIA), which provides direct incentive payments to property owners to encourage sustainable use of forest lands. The annual SFIA incentive payments Bois Forte will receive will cover the costs of paying The Conservation Fund.
“Right now it’s at $21 an acre,” Chavers said. “So that’s where the money comes from to purchase the land.”
The Shakopee Mdewakanton also played a major role, providing a $500,000 grant to help with the closing costs for the acquisition, a contribution for which Chavers expressed deep gratitude.
Signing ceremony
The formal proceedings were opened with an invocation by spiritual advisor Vern Adams, followed by pipe, honor, and healing songs performed by the Bois Forte Singers drum circle.
In her remarks, Chavers praised the vision and leadership of the tribal council for their commitment to reacquiring ancestral tribal lands.
“We are proud to be here today to bring this land back to our people,” Chavers said. “Our ancestors are looking down on us and they are very happy because that land is now coming back.”
“It’s very important for us here at Bois Forte,” Tribal Council Secretary/Treasurer David Morrison St. said. “It’s important for our young children who are small and learning how to fish and trap. And the land that we are going to be getting back is going to help our spiritual people with the medicines and the plants that are growing that will be part of the reservation. It means a lot to every one of us here at Bois Forte, and we’re very proud to be part of the process that’s happening today.”
Larry Selzer, President and CEO of The Conservation Fund, said the collaboration with Bois Forte is in perfect harmony with the Fund’s mission.
“The restoration of these lands is an important part of our nationwide effort to make sure that forests stay as forests, providing clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, habitat for wildlife, recreational opportunities and economic opportunities,” Selzer said. “Through collaboration, dedication, and a shared vision, the Bois Forte band, the Indian Land Tenure Foundation and The Conservation Fund have accomplished something profound, something permanent, something to cherish for all future generations.”
Cris Stainbrook, President of the Indian Land Tenure Foundation, noted that what was accomplished in this historic land deal sends a positive message to other Native nations.
“It says these large-scale transactions can, should, and will be done,” he said.
After the ceremony, Berns-Melhus added some personal context to emphasize just how significant reuniting the Band with their land is.
“I’ve been working in land conservation and with Indian tribes for almost 40 years. It’s the most historic thing in my career and it just brings joy to my heart,” she said.
Meanwhile, Chavers was at a loss to put words to her emotions.
“It’s so overwhelming for me,” she said. “Because of the historical trauma in the boarding schools, I was never taught my history or my language. My mom and dad never talked about it. So, until I got out here I didn’t know anything, but I’m learning. And so today, having this land – I can’t even explain how it feels. We didn’t think we’d ever be able to buy our land back.”