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Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin
Gary Schuettpelz
715-799-6152
Fax: 715-799-6153
gschuett@mail.wiscnet.net
Michael Chapman, Tribal Chair
Keshena, WI 54135
715-799-5114
The Menominee Indian Tribe has existed in what is now Wisconsin and Upper Michigan for over five thousand years. The name in Tribal language, "O-MAEQ-NO-MIN-NE-WUK," means "Wild Rice People." The Menominee once owned 9.5 million acres of land in what is now Central and Mid-eastern Wisconsin and part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Today, the Menominee live in an area, which is part of their original domain, now reduced to 235,033 acres of which 227,888 are in trust status. The pristine environment, with clear running streams, sparkling lakes, and 223,000 forested acres, is filled with animals, fish, and birds like when the Creator Spirit made the first Menominee. There are 200 lakes covering an estimated 7,000 acres, around 25,000 acres of wetlands, and over 300 miles of rivers, creeks, and streams. Water resources within the reservation include many miles of pristine rivers -- most notably the Wolf River -- which include segments of the Red River of Wisconsin, the Oconto River (West Branch), and the Evergreen River, plus many named and unnamed lesser tributaries. The fish found in reservation lakes and streams continue to serve as an important protein source for Tribal members. The reservation wildlife populations include many species listed as federal or state threatened or endangered species.
The current reservation population is 3,890. The economy of the Menominee Reservation is very dependent on the harvesting by managed sustained yield forestry practices of the reservation woodlands, the manufacture of lumber from the sawlog grade timber, and the sale to local paper mills of the pulp and paper-mills grand bolts. Local firms in nearby communities employ many Menominee. The Tribal economy also benefits from a tourist trade based on a lake development and the Tribal gaming complex.
A 9-member Tribal Legislature governs the Tribe. The Tribal Environmental Services Department reports directly to the Tribal Administrator and consists of an Environmental Services Director, Environmental Scientist, Environmental Specialist, Environmental Technician, Hazardous Materials and Waste Coordinator, and secretary/bookkeeper. The mission statement of the Environmental Services Department is to serve the Menominee Nation by defending the environmental integrity of the land, air, and water base which makes up the cultural and earth resources of the Menominee People. The protection of these resources will help to assure they are sustained for future generations of Menominees. To further assure that the health needs of the Menominee People related to the environment and land base are maintained.