This land

Indigenous tribes and bands have been with the lands that we inhabit today throughout Oregon and the Northwest since time immemorial and continue to be a vibrant part of Oregon today. We would like to express our respect to the First Peoples of this land, the nine federally recognized tribes of Oregon: Burns Paiute Tribe, Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua & Siuslaw Indians, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, Coquille Indian Tribe, Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians, and The Klamath Tribes. It is important that we recognize and honor the ongoing legal and spiritual relationship between the land, plants, animals, and people indigenous to this place we now call Oregon. We also recognize the continued sovereignty of the federally recognized tribes who have ties to this place and thank them for continuing to share their knowledge and perspective on how we might care for one another and the land, and how the land can take care of us. Polk SWCD values its existing collaborations with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, and commits to continuing to engage in respectful and successful partnerships as stewards of these lands. 

Land acknowledgement adopted by the Polk SWCD Board of Directors on April 12, 2023