Section ENV.01.01 — Tribal Council Purpose And Findings

The Tribal Council finds that:

(a) One of the most important short and long-term resources is the fish and wildlife of the Stockbridge-Munsee Community.

(b) The fish and wildlife are important cultural resources to the Tribe.

(c) The Tribe desires to manage the fish and wildlife for present needs and for future generations.

(d) Certain species need protection in order to survive as a species.

(e) Properly managed natural resources will provide an excellent environment for natural habitat such as fish, wildlife, natural herbs, wildflowers, and forest resources.

(f) The Tribe's ownership of fee land, forest crop fee land, managed forest fee land, and the United States' ownership of federal trust and proclaimed lands for the benefit of the Tribe implicates Tribal, federal, and state law depending on the ownership of the land.

(g) The Tribe's increasing land base, home building, economic development, and reforestation efforts necessitate increasing involvement and management of the natural resources by the Conservation/Ecology Departments, the Fish and Wildlife Board and the Tribal Council.

(h) All enrolled members of the Tribe shall have a right to share in the beneficial use of the natural resources of the Tribe's trust and fee lands.

(i) All individuals with privileges under this ordinance also have a responsibility to be good stewards of the natural resources on the Tribe's trust and fee lands. While tribal members do have a right to share in the bounty from the land, they must do so in a responsible manner that ensures the long-term continuation of healthy and sustainable natural resource populations for the benefit of future generations. This responsibility extends to maintaining a healthy environment for sustaining those fish and wildlife resources as all life is inter-connected.