Cooperative Agreement Summary

The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe received a Cooperative Agreement award of $306,270 from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), effective June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2027, to implement an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach for managing Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) populations in the Akwesasne reservation and surrounding traditional use areas in northern New York. The project addresses the threat posed by EAB to ash tree populations that are culturally and economically significant to the Tribe, particularly for traditional Mohawk basketry practices. The Tribe will deliver Slow Ash Mortality (SLAM) mitigation methods encompassing silvicultural treatments, pesticide applications administered by a contracted New York State certified applicator, biological control measures, and ash utilization activities including firewood production, timber harvesting, and basketry material harvesting.

The project builds Tribal capacity for managing invasive insect species while generating tangible benefits including prevention or reduction of costs associated with widespread ash mortality, tree removal expenses, and infrastructure damage. Secondary beneficiaries include U.S. residents in northern New York and the USDA, with outcomes expected to strengthen the government-to-government relationship between the federal government and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe.