April 2, 2026
By Amy Fredregill, Sr. Director of Sustainability, WSB
As we kick off Earth Month 2026, I am reflecting on the collaboration between partners in the Tribal Nations of MN. We have had the opportunity to support idea-sharing on environmental issues between sovereign nations in dozens of ways since last year’s Earth Month celebration, and wanted to share some of my top takeaways. These observations have occurred because over the last year, we at WSB have served as technical assistance providers to MN tribes on behalf of the MN Pollution Control Agency on a multitude of environmental and energy-related efforts. This role has provided us the opportunity to connect with community leaders across disciplines, in different jurisdictions, and around the state.
Each Tribal Nation advances their own vision of sovereignty for their community. In many instances, they also collaborate with other Tribal Nations across areas of expertise and lived experiences. These conversations have covered such varied topics as sustainable farming, local foods, renewable energy, land conservation, climate protection, water quality improvements, and beyond.
By coming together, we reinforce and demonstrate an attitude of abundance, instead of scarcity. There are many environmental challenges, and by coming together to share ideas, lessons learned, best practices and resources, we can turn the challenges into opportunities for innovation, growth, community-building and vitality.
A specific example of fruitful collaboration is demonstrated by the work of the Tribal Advisory Council on Energy, or TACE. This relatively new organization brings together MN Tribal Nations to advance energy sovereignty. TACE members share best practices on renewable energy, collaborate on local community projects, advise on stakeholder conversations with policymakers and utilities, and beyond. By adding capacity and expertise to common efforts, TACE supports its members to go farther, faster, together.
This Earth Month, you will be hearing more stories from WSB leaders about energy planning, nature-based solutions, coastal resiliency, climate modelling integration into comprehensive planning, and beyond. We learn by working across systems, communities, cultures and sectors. I am excited to see how these recently planted seeds will grow, and hope to do my part in cultivating these robust conversations. I’m putting a “green flag” in these efforts to circle back over time and observe the cycles of growth, adaptation, calibration, and learnings.
