A Case Study for the Inland Northwest Economic Adjustment Strategy
6,800 enrolled tribal members; 3,700 live on or near the Flathead Indian Reservation
41% of workforce unemployed; 37% of employed have income below poverty line
Timber
Local strategy: Confederated Tribes investigating economic models used elsewhere, focus on industrial diversification, improving internet / telecommunications access and transportation infrastructure
A Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe founded information technology firm was recently awarded a $325 million contract to serve as the US Air Force logistics coordinator. Of 100 jobs created, 20 will be located on the Reservation
Background
The Flathead Indian Reservation is home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. The tribes consist of a confederation of Salish and Pend d'Oreilles Tribes and the Kootenai as an individual tribe. Of the approximately 6,900 enrolled tribal members, about 3,700 live on or near the reservation.
Historically, the Kootenai lived in the mountains on the western slope of the Continental Divide, while the Salish may have migrated from the Columbia Plateau. The name "Flathead" mistakenly attributed the practice of head flattening to the Salish.
At the time of white exploration and settlement, Native American tribes were nomadic. They changed their residence with the seasons according to the availability of berries, fish and game, including buffalo. Conflict with neighboring tribes usually had to do with control over hunting grounds.
The introduction of the horse and the rifle in the 1700s and early 1800s added a new dimension to intertribal conflicts, and contributed mightily to the decline of the buffalo, the staple of tribal culture. That decline, along with white settlement and governmental decisions, brought the Salish \ Kootenai, and Pend d'Oreilles to the Flathead Reservation, which was established in 1855. Reservation headquarters were established at Pablo (south of Flathead Lake) where they remain today.
In Montana, there are seven reservations representing eleven tribes. Nearly 9% of Montana's land is held in reservations governed by tribal or federal law.
Geography
The Confederated Salish/Flathead and Kootenai Reservation covers 1,244,000 acres in Flathead, Lake, Missoula, and Sanders Counties in western Montana, on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains.
Elevations in the surrounding mountains range as high as 7,000 feet. Ronan, one of several tribal centers, is located at more than 3,000 feet. Flathead Lake is a dominant feature of the reservation, with several communities located along its shores. The climate ranges widely, with only 12 inches of precipitation in the less-mountainous west to more than 100 inches in the east. Temperatures vary similarly-from below zero in winter to close to 100ƒ in the summer.
Human Conditions
The tribes' service population numbers 11,340 with 33% under age 16 and almost 5% over age 65. Tribal statistics state that 73% of tribal members have a high school diploma and 5.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher.
Almost 41%, of the tribes' workforce is unemployed. Of those employed, 37% fall below poverty guidelines.
In 1997, 46.8% of Montana per capita income came from wages and salaries. In the four-county Flathead Reservation area, wages and salary income accounted for an average of just over 43%. In 1997, 19.3% of statewide incomes and 22% of four county incomes came from transfer payments.
According to Census 2000, Montana has 412,633 housing units of all types. Just 3% of these, approximately 12,700 units, are located on the Flathead Reservation.
Economic Development
Timber and wood products, agriculture and tourism are important industries. The tribal government is the largest employer.
Spanning four counties, the Salish/Flathead and Kootenai Reservation totals of 749,426 acres. The reservation is home to the National Bison Range and several National Wildlife Reserves as well as to bison, deer, elk, moose, grizzly bear, mountain lion and many kinds of fish and birds.
Camping, hiking, fishing and hunting are popular attractions for residents and visitors alike. Many, but not all, tribal powwows are open to respectful visitors.
In early June 2000, Indian and non-Indian business and government leaders met at the Montana-Wyoming Tribal Economic Development Summit to discuss joint ventures and business partnerships.
Officials commented that collaboration with outside companies is often the most successful way to create new jobs and businesses opportunities on the reservation. Tribal leaders were encouraged to take advantage of the tribal sovereignty to promote and capitalize on opportunities available within the reservation.
Officials are also looking abroad for economic development models, with Alberta providing an example centered on industrial diversification, improving Internet and telecommunications access and improving transportation infrastructure.
A Montana Economic Development Summit organized by U.S. Senator Max Baucus has led to more mini-summits around the state to address specific economic development issues.
Additional Tribal Resources
Salish Kootenai College was one of the first tribal colleges to start a four-year degree program. The Kicking Horse Job Corps Center, near Ronan, is the country's first and only all-Native American Job Corps vocational/technical school.
New Approaches
An information technology firm founded by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes recently landed a $325 million contract to serve as an Air Force logistics coordinator for the next eight years. The contract represents Montana's largest-ever federal set-aside. S&K Technologies will track and route equipment from a worldwide network of vendors. The firm will have about 100 employees at five locations in the U.S. with about 20 working on the reservation. The tribal community college-Salish-Kootenai College in Pablo-provides the basic computer skills needed for this type of entry-level employment leading to on-the-job specialized training.
