Piikani Lodge Health Institute
Piikani Lodge Health Institute
 
 
 

Participate in Piikani Lodge’s Agriculture and Climate Planning Programs

In partnership with the USDA, the Cedar Tree Foundation, and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Piikani Lodge currently stewards a thriving Agriculture and Climate Planning program that offers farmers and ranchers and their families direct technical assistance and other forms of support for the following:

  • Planning for drought and adverse weather conditions

  • Assistance and resources for market development and/or access

  • Technical assistance and producer incentives that cover labor, materials, and other related costs

  • Direct assistance with implementing practices which improve rangeland health, native habitat on rangeland, regenerative beef and bison, and more

  • Support for attending conferences and workshops focused on agriculture and marketing

If you are a Tribal producer and would like to receive information on how to participate, email Robin Johnson, Producer Outreach Manager at rjohnson@piikanilodge.org. We appreciate your patience as this program has attracted significant interest.

Producer Roadmaps - Navigating Native Land Management

Land tenure problems on the Blackfeet Nation typify patterns of fractionation, checkerboard ownership, and management challenges of allotted reservations all over the western United States. Under an award through the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), the PLHI-Montana State University Native Land Project team sought to better understand land tenure challenges and well-being through a comparative study of Native vs. Non-Native land managers as they sought to enact changes on their lands. We are using our results to create visual ‘road maps’ as tools for producers interested in navigating these processes with the least amount of time and resource loss. The full PDF is available for download below.

Participate in Piikani Lodge’s Summer Internship Program

The Piikani Lodge Internship Program brings a cohort of Native youth together each year during the field season for meaningful ‘On the Land’ learning and interaction with peers, elders, and Native role models. Piikani Lodge provides field gear and equipment, competitive wages, and supervised training for youth interested in agriculture and recreation-based careers.

Piikani youth to engage in culturally infused activities ranging from soil moisture and nutrient sampling to beaver dam analogue or snow fencing for moisture retention, to learning how to gather lodgepoles, put up Blackfeet traditional lodges/tipis and to harvest Indigenous foods and medicines. These trainings, blended with elder knowledge-holder wisdom sharing, empower youth and young adults in trades, strengthen identity, and build resilience and hope while promoting holistic wellbeing.

The Piikani Lodge Internship Program has supported a total of 75 Piikani Youth Interns in paid internship programs and provided professional development and mentorship for agriculture and recreation careers.

Piikani Lodge is currently recruiting for the 2026 Field Season. For information on how to apply to this program, reach out to Jaelynn Long Time Sleeping, Intern Coordinator, at jhenderson@piikanilodge.org.

Learn About Piikani Lodge’s Traditional Diet Study

Under a Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research Seeding Solutions award, PLHI launched the “Plains Indian Traditional Diet Study Pilot,” that is now receiving national recognition as evidenced by this recent article in The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/oct/23/blackfeet-nation-bison-food-sovereignty-montana. The research completed thus far has led to positive physical and mental health benefits for participants.

 
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 Land owner’s Guide: Land Exchange Process

This guide provides a series of visuals designed to help Amskapi Piikanii (Blackfeet Nation) Trust Land Owners navigate some of the more common trust land management processes.

Download the Full Guide (PDF): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zgmex5tqOf-SKxc_DJOwS8sYO-XgXRJE/view?usp=sharing

  • This section is your guide to planning for the successful transfer of your trust land and assets to the next generation. It outlines the decisions you can make "Before I Pass" (such as Sale, Gift Deed, and Land Exchange) and the steps required "Upon My Passing" (Writing a Will). It also details the judicial process, including the BIA verification, family document submission, and the steps the Office of Hearing and Appeals (OHA) takes to issue a final probate order.

  • Learn the step-by-step process for exchanging your individual trust land for tribal land, adhering to the "Value for Value" standard. This roadmap covers obtaining the application, negotiating with the Tribe through the Blackfeet Tribal Land Committee (BTLC), and the critical appraisal and valuation process overseen by BIA Realty and the AVSO. It ends with the preparation of the deed and the official exchange.

  • This guide shows you how to convey your trust land as a gift. It highlights the requirement to gift only within your family. The process starts with the landowner's decision and selection of eligible grantees, covers the necessary documentation (such as a Land Description and Title Status Report), and outlines the BIA Realty review, NEPA assessment, and the final recording of the Warranty Deed.

  • Understand the procedure for requesting the Secretary of the Interior (SOI) to take your land into trust. This section outlines the essential documents you must provide, including proof of Tribal Enrollment and your Land Title Status Report (LTSR). It details the BIA's 60-day response period and the subsequent steps required to grant a clear title.

  • This is a comprehensive checklist for obtaining a Right of Way (ROW) or Grant of Easement across Indian land. The process timeline is driven by gathering your supporting documents, which include legal descriptions, maps, security records, and records of consent from all landowners. The final outcome is either the granting of the ROW with defined applicant responsibilities or the application being returned.

  • This section outlines the two main parts of securing grazing privileges: the Allocation Process and the Grazing Permit Process. It walks you through filling out the four necessary tables in the BIA application, which detail grazing privileges, livestock owned, livestock not owned, and non-allocated land. The process concludes with the BIA preparing and sending out the grazing permit after approval from the Tribal Allocation Committee (TAC).