CPFdn Makes Eight Grants for Environmental Programs

Cherokee Preservation Foundation (CPFdn) has announced that it has made eight grants totaling more than $270,000 to support environmental programs. Of these, four grants valued at $114,400 have been awarded to organizations assisting in efforts to revitalize natural resources important to Cherokee artists.

Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources (RTCAR)
In early 2005, Cherokee Preservation launched RTCAR, an important multi-year grantmaking initiative designed to assist the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in the EBCI's efforts to strike a balance between the cultivation and use of natural resources that go into traditional Cherokee crafts. Resources such as river cane, young white oak saplings and clay are in scarce supply on the Qualla Boundary and other land owned by the Tribe.

Through RTCAR, the focus is on partnering with organizations who want to undertake habitat restoration projects, conduct research on sustainable harvesting development and develop cultural preservation projects that will provide Cherokee artisans with access to the natural resources essential to their craft. RTCAR is operated through Western Carolina University 's Cherokee Studies program.

The new RTCAR grants just announced by CPFdn will enable the following:

The botanical garden at Oconaluftee Indian Village will be enhanced by replacing non-native species with native, culturally relevant species that are in keeping with the original design of the garden. When complete, the garden will enrich the heritage tourism offerings available to visitors, and it will provide an educational tool for Cherokee school students and the entire local community.

The long-term sustainability of bloodroot (an essential dye plant for Cherokee basket makers) on the Qualla Boundary will be determined. Research by North Carolina State University will help experts project the long-run availability of the plant and lead to any actions that may be necessary to ensure the resource is available for future generations of basket makers.

The University of Tennessee (UT) will establish an experimental white oak orchard on the Kituwah property. UT will plant 400 white oak seedlings and utilize tree shelters designed to protect the young trees while encouraging the growth of long, limb-free trunks that do not have the knots that disqualify most white oaks for use in basket making.

Western Carolina University will locate, map, sample and test sources of clay in Jackson and Swain Counties and on the Qualla Boundary. The project will produce a resource bank of local pottery clays, and viable pottery clays will be collected and prepared for storage at Qualla Arts & Crafts and/or the Museum of the Cherokee Indian.

Other Environmental Grants
Other environmental grants announced by CPFdn will make the following programs and projects possible:

The Big Cove Community Club will develop an outdoor walking track and children's playground in Big Cove.

The EBCI will upgrade its software and hardware infrastructure to enable Tribal connectivity to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's computer system.

The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee will preserve farmland and historical sites in the Hiwassee River Valley . It will also support the conservation of the Cowee Mound and raise awareness of this historic Cherokee treasure.

The Little Tennessee Watershed Association will create a documentary about the watershed and its role in the life of the different groups that have lived on the banks of the Little Tennessee River .

CPFdn Has Made 41 New Grants
Overall during the Spring 2006 grant cycle just completed, CPFdn announced 41 new cultural preservation, economic development and environmental protection grants totaling nearly $7 million. As a result, since CPFdn began making grants in 2002, it has made more than 300 grants in the region totaling nearly $25 million.

About Cherokee Preservation Foundation
Cherokee Preservation Foundation was established on November 14, 2000, as part of the Second Amendment to the Tribal-State Compact between the EBCI and the State of North Carolina . It is an independent nonprofit foundation funded by the EBCI from gaming revenues generated by the Tribe. CPFdn is not part of or associated with any for-profit gaming entity.