Published August 4, 2026
The 2026 Tribal Stewards crew will soon wrap up an eight-week program, contributing to ecological restoration projects across the ancestral lands of the Wadatika Band of Northern Paiute, Burns Paiute Tribe. Along the way, crew members have gained valuable field experience while supporting emergency response efforts when called upon.
The crew recently assisted with evacuation efforts for the Burns Paiute Tribe during the Second Flat Fire in late July. We’re incredibly proud of this dedicated crew for stepping up in service to the community and restoring the ecocultural landscapes of eastern Oregon through the Tribal Stewards program.
Lomakatsi has partnered with the Burns Paiute Tribe, Oregon Natural Desert Association, and many dedicated agency and community partners for the past three years to operate the Tribal Stewards program. This year, the program employed five Tribal and rural young adults, along with two Tribal crew leaders and mentors, who developed practical skills in ecological restoration, cultural stewardship, and natural resource management while exploring meaningful career pathways in conservation.
Guided by Lomakatsi tribal staff and technical specialists, Burns Paiute tribal elders, ONDA staff and trainers, and other natural resource professionals, participants worked on a wide range of projects, including native seed collection for post-fire recovery, invasive weed removal, native plant propagation, fisheries monitoring and management, bird banding and surveys, bat emergence counts, vegetation surveys, and tule harvesting to create traditional duck decoys. They also contributed to the Burns Paiute Tribe’s food sovereignty efforts through community garden maintenance and site preparation to improve access to traditional foods, medicines, and gathering areas.
Due to smoke from active wildfires, during weeks six and seven the crew was reassigned from projects at Pine Creek Conservation Area and beaver dam analog work at Hart Mountain Wildlife Refuge to conduct Genetic Site Stocking Surveys on the Fremont-Winema National Forest near Chiloquin, OR. This technical reforestation assessment and training included measuring seedling survival, stocking density, and overall tree health—critical data for guiding reforestation efforts and increasing the U.S. Forest Service’s capacity to complete regeneration and survival surveys in priority areas.
The reassignment also created an opportunity for cross-regional skill development through peer-to-peer learning alongside Lomakatsi’s Inter-Tribal Indian Youth Service Corps (IYSC). Through the program, participants earned 366 of the 640 hours needed for Public Land Corps hiring eligibility, taking them one step further toward long-term careers in natural resource stewardship.
We’re especially grateful to the Burns Paiute Tribal Council and community, ONDA, the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon State University, Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Bird Alliance of Oregon, Roundhouse Foundation, and all of our partners for making this program possible. Together, we’re creating opportunities for the next generation of natural resource professionals while building healthier ecosystems and stronger communities.
Lomakatsi Restoration Project Ian Snyder, Stewardship Technician with Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
