Winnebago Tribe Environmental Protection Department

10/08/2026

🦃🦌 Connecting students with natural resources and conservation!

EPD recently joined students at St. Augustine Indian Mission for an outreach event supported by our Stewarding Native Lands grant from First Nations Development Institute. This funding allows EPD and Wildlife and Parks to develop wildlife food plots and provide youth conservation education. Although we were unable to complete our planned planting activity and relocated indoors, students still enjoyed learning about wildlife, habitat, and caring for our environment! 🌱

Our conservation officers demonstrated deer and turkey calls, discussed our clover food plots and the benefits of year-round supplemental feeding, and showed students the clover seed being planted to provide forage for wildlife. Students also received a drone presentation from Eric Wischropp of Laser Specialists, Inc. Drawing on his extensive experience, Eric shared how drones support natural resource monitoring and management, along with other practical uses of drone technology. 🚁

Our Tribal Pesticide Circuit Rider explained integrated pest management in simpler terms and invited students to identify pests and rodents in their packets. She discussed how we help other species and how they help us, connecting these relationships to the clover planting’s benefits for soil and deer. 🤝🕷️

These activities connected students with local conservation efforts and encouraged them to explore their relationships with the land, plants, and wildlife around them.

Thank you to St. Augustine’s students and staff, our presenters, and First Nations Development Institute for supporting youth stewardship! 💚

09/17/2026

09/11/2026

AQI Light at Blackhawk Center: How to Read It Since August 2025, a glowing sphere on a tower above the Blackhawk Center has been telling Winnebago what the air is doing — from the parking lot, the road, and much of the village after dark. It is the Tribe’s Air Quality Index (AQI) Light.

The AQI Light was invented here. It takes two familiar ideas — the U.S. EPA’s AQI flag program, which uses colored flags to show air quality, and Sioux City’s Weather Ball, which changes color so people can read the condition at a glance. This sphere reports current air quality, not the weather forecast. Inside the 3-foot globe, LED lights change color with the Air Quality Index. Green and yellow are everyday air. Orange and above are the days to pay attention — especially for children, elders, people with asthma or heart and lung conditions, and anyone working or practicing outdoors.

The light runs on the Tribe’s own PM2.5 sensor network. Those monitors report to AirNow.gov. Each hour the AQI Light reads that hour’s data from the network and updates the color of the sphere to match. What you see on the globe is the same air the sensors just measured, not a forecast and not someone else’s city. The AQI Light operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week — daylight and after dark.

When the AQI reaches Orange or Red, EPD Air Quality sends warning emails to local authorities so schools, emergency management, health programs, and other partners know conditions have changed. If your organization wants to be added to that list, contact Kurt Lyons at EPD. Phone: (402) 263-8502, ext. 2003 Email: [email protected]

Phone app
A companion smartphone app is still in development. The app itself is built; release to the Apple App Store and Google Play is waiting on final account access through Tribal IT so the developer can publish it for iPhone and Android. Until that step is finished, the sphere at Blackhawk Center is the public signal. AirNow.gov and the Tribe’s Air Quality page remain available for anyone who wants the numbers behind the color.

Look up when you pass the Blackhawk Center. If the globe is green, enjoy the day outside. If it has shifted to orange or red, take it easier — and pass the word.

09/02/2026

🚨FYI🚨

09/01/2026

🍂Start clearing out the clutter and get ready for the 2026 Fall Community Clean-Up on October 27th and 28th!

🚮Dumpsters will be available on Mercer Street.

🍴Lunch will be served at EPD (920 N. Mission Drive) beginning at noon both days.

🧤Trash bags and gloves will also be available at our office.

⚠️Household hazardous waste materials will NOT be accepted. We apologize for any inconvenience.

🚨Curbside pickup is available by registration only. You must sign up to be added to the pickup route. Scan the QR code on the flyer or use this link: https://portal.laserfiche.com/d2162/forms/FCUCPR

Please call or email our office with any questions. We hope to see you all then!

(402) 878-4060
[email protected]

08/11/2026

🐝Community Pollinator Survey🦋

The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Environmental Protection Department is gathering community input on current pollinator garden locations, as well as interest in future projects, events, and other educational opportunities surrounding Pollinator Protections.

Whether you already have a garden, are interested in starting one, or simply want to learn more, WE WANT YOUR INPUT!
(This survey will also help us to identify community members who may be interested in volunteering or assisting with future projects.)

Your responses will help us to better understand our community and plan for the future. Pinagigi.

SCAN THE QR CODE BELOW
or click the link: https://portal.laserfiche.com/d2162/forms/survey/EPDPS

08/06/2026

🎉 Congratulations to our GIS/GPS Specialist, Byron Walker, and Wildlife & Parks Conservation Officer, Kenny LaPointe, on earning their FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot license!

This achievement marks an exciting milestone as we continue implementing the First Nations Development Institute's Young Natural Resource Professionals (YNRP) grant project. Drone technology will enhance our wildlife forage planting efforts and environmental monitoring through aerial mapping and vegetation assessments, strengthening our ability to make informed natural resource management decisions and support the stewardship of the Winnebago Tribe's natural resources.

A special thank you to Byron and Kenny for the time and dedication they invested in preparing for the exam. Their commitment to professional growth is strengthening Tribal capacity in conservation and natural resource management, and we look forward to the positive impact their expertise will have on this project and future initiatives!!

Congratulations! 👏🛩️🌿

08/03/2026

🥁🥁🥁 DRUM ROLL PLEASE 🥁🥁🥁

The Water Resource Committee casted their votes in this year's FLOW Symposium Art Poster Contest. We would like to thank all of the amazing Native youth artists that participated. Art pieces were selected on the detail, cultural relevance, and most importantly - our water. We are asking for the winners to come into the EPD building located at 920 Mission Dr. (across from the Ho-Chunk Renaissance building) to pick up their prizes and get a picture with their artwork.

1st Place - Thank you to Winnebago Wildlife & Parks-Winnebago Tribe of NE for gifting a Sunoyar tent to our first place winner. In addition, an Explorer Kit that includes binoculars, walkie talkies, and other camping essentials will be included.

2nd Place - Thank you to Whirling-Thunder Wellness-Program for gifting a free pool day to our second place winner. Also included will be a pool day kit that includes beach balls and small party favors.

3rd Place - Thank you to WinnaVegas Casino Resort for donating meal vouchers. A $100 meal voucher will be gifted to our third place winner. Also included will be a GoDaddy Kids Fishing Starter Kit.

Honorable Mentions will receive a $100 meal voucher from WinnaVegas Casino & Resort.

We would like to encourage our winners to stop in today from 12:30pm-4:30pm.

Thank you for everyone who attended the FLOW Symposium and we look forward to future Tribal community engagement events where we update and talk about surface water quality. A big thank you to all the amazing sponsors who made it possible!

07/22/2026

When in Lincoln, Nebraska, you may be lucky enough to run into one of Nebraska Men's Basketball dominating forwards. Braden Frager was the 2026 Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year and B1G All-Freshman Team member, playing in 33 games and averaged 11.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Pictured here is our Water Quality Specialist, Ase Overfelt, with the phenomenal 6'7'' forward, Braden Frager.

We would like to wish him a great next season and can't wait to see where his basketball career leads him! 🏀🏀🏀

GBR!

07/15/2026

Today is the day! Join us this evening for the 2026 FLOW Symposium to hear updates on surface water activities and listen to guest speakers like Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District and Iowa Environmental Council (IEC). We would like to give a big shout out to all of our sponsors including Ho-Chunk, Inc., WinnaVegas Casino Resort, Papio-NRD, and IEC. Thank you to Winnebago Comprehensive Healthcare System’s Wa i pi nagu Diabetes Program for sponsoring our light meal and connecting the importance of clean water and healthy eating!

The event starts at 5:30pm at the Whirling-Thunder Wellness-Program THIS EVENING.

Winnebago The-BigVoice will be live-streaming as well so make sure to tune into their Facebook and YouTube page if you are not able to join in person!

‼️We will also have a table set up specifically for voter registration for the Secretarial Election on the proposed enrollment change. PLEASE come down to learn more about it. Your vote is important!