Lakota Community Resilience

Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota, USA

Pine Ridge reservation is one of the poorest and most devastated areas in the US, with average lifespan of age 49 for males, 60% adult diabetes, inadequate housing, and a harsh environment.

Challenge:

To address the need for local, healthy food, water, shelter, and energy systems at Pine Ridge Lakota reservation.   

Solution:

To organize and support a series of permaculture projects that include research, education, tree planting, gardening, natural building and water catchment through a partnership with Ogala Lakota Cultural and Economic Revitalization Initiative (“OLCERI”)

This project is an ongoing, multi-year project aimed at creating food, water, shelter, and energy resilience and security, and cultural and economic revitalization through a research and demonstration site, education, outreach, and systems installation in the Slim Butte region of Pine Ridge.

Project Lead: Koreen Brennan