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Three Affiliated Tribes National Park
Three Affiliated Tribes National Park
Client: Three Affiliated Tribes; Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation
Date: 2021–
Tags: Park Planning, Trail Planning, Site Design, Conservation Policy, Federal Grants
Supporting the creation of a landmark Tribal National Park for the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation—marking a historic expansion of MHA Nation lands on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota. Over three years, RTCA has partnered with Tribal leaders to develop a comprehensive park creation plan—including detailed trail system planning, a conceptual visitor center design, and guidance for conservation, recreation, and wildlife policies—while coordinating across multiple jurisdictions, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and North Dakota State Parks. The project received a $1 million RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2024 to study wildlife connectivity and ensure safe wildlife movement across a state highway bisecting the park. Current work includes assessing and mapping existing trails, creating a detailed system plan, and advancing overall master planning to support cultural, ecological, and recreational priorities.
Sky Chief Park_Masterplan_Letter Size_ALL PHASES_FINAL_01032024 - Copy.pdfOgemaa Giizhiig – Sky Chief Park
Ogemaa Giizhiig – Sky Chief Park
Client: Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (TMBCI)
Date: 2021–
Tags: Trail Planning, Site Design, Community Engagement, Ecological Resources
Partnered with the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Parks Department and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to develop a multi-phase master plan for Ogemaa Giizhiig–Sky Chief Park. Encompassing 1,313 acres near Belcourt, North Dakota, the park features two lakes, diverse ecological habitats, and culturally significant sites. In response to rising visitation by tribal citizens seeking outdoor recreation opportunities, the planning process included a robust community engagement effort, along with an assessment of regional recreation offerings to inform development priorities and potential economic impacts. Site analysis, along with forest and trail inventories, informed detailed site plans for two new trailheads, lake access areas, and a Parks Department headquarters campus, supporting a phased strategy for recreational infrastructure development. The resulting plan outlines phased development of trail systems, lake access, camping areas, public facilities, and a long-term management framework rooted in cultural values and interagency collaboration.
Big Bear Park
Big Bear Park
Client: Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
Date: 2023-2024
Tags: Community Engagement, Forestry Planning, Site Design, Natural Resource Reuse
Partnered with the Winnebago Tribe’s Wildlife and Parks Department and the Nebraska Forest Service to support the development of Big Bear Park, an 80-acre site along the Missouri River. The project included designing and facilitating a community engagement process to gather visions from tribal members, conducting a tree inventory and health assessment, and developing a forestry management plan for public park areas. The plan also proposed culturally inspired site features—benches, shelters, and playground structures—constructed from salvaged cottonwood trees, and included a strategy for on-site milling, biochar production, and culturally informed material reuse aligned with Indigenous values of sustainability.
Baxoje Mowotanani - Ioway Tribal National Park
Baxoje Mowotanani - Ioway Tribal National Park
Client: Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska
Date: 2022-2023
Tags: Trail Planning, Site Design, Community Engagement
Supported planning for the 800-acre Ioway Tribal National Park, a new cultural and ecological preserve on the Iowa Reservation. Assisted in the facilitation of a design charrette with tribal members to shape the park’s vision and programmatic priorities and provided guidance to summer internship program to develop ecological data and concept maps for a future trail system. The resulting plan honors cultural and environmental values and laid the groundwork for park planning, interpretation, and long-term protection of sacred and historic sites along the Loess Bluffs of the Missouri River.
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