5 Ways the MMF is making the Red River Métis Homeland greener

September 23, 2025

_{Read about the 5 ways the MMF is making the Red River Métis Homeland greener - one initiative at a time.}

To celebrate Forest Week this year, learn about how the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) envisions a greener future for our Red River Métis Homeland.

Multiple initiatives have been set into action - making unbelievable efforts to make a greener Homeland a reality. This accomplishment is a collective effort of departments, Regions, and Citizens coming together to make a difference, and preserve our traditional land.

1. Spruce-ing up the Homeland: MMF's Tree planting initiative

_{Citizens who want to add more greenery to their property can check their eligibility and apply to receive trees and shrubs through the Make Our Homeland Green Again Tree Planting Initiative.}

As the National Government of the Red River Métis, we have committed to planting two million trees across the Homeland, and Citizens are a big part of making that happen. The MMF's Natural Resources Department started the Make our Homeland Green Again tree planting initiative which supplies Citizens with a variety of native trees and shrubs.

Want to grow fruit in your backyard? Each year, the MMF's Energy, Infrastructure, and Resource Management (EIRM) Department publishes a catalogue available species of trees and shrubs, past options included Saskatoons, Sour Cherries, Balsam Fir, and Golden Willow listed in the 2025 catalogue.

Trees/Shrubs can be used for a wide range of purposes on Citizen property, such as: Citizen yard improvement, edible forests, shelterbelt, wildlife habitat restoration, and riparian area revegetation. To read more about these purposes and their definitions, see the Natural Resources Department's web page.

When Citizens apply for the program, they are added to the waitlist for the next tree order shipment. The department selects pickup locations that are central and accessible for the majority of Citizens taking part in program.

Citizens can fill out an application, application indicating their eligibility and receive up to 25 trees per order. If you are interested in receiving trees or have questions regarding the tree planting initiative, please email trees@mmf.mb.ca for more information.

2. Seeds of tomorrow - MMF tree nursery

_{By constructing the impressive MMF Tree Nursery we can assure the rolling out and planting of saplings will make the Red River Métis Homeland Greener for generations to come.}

In 2024, the MMF broke ground on the Red River Métis Tree Nursery, located North of Selkirk on an impressive 14 acres of land. The EIRM Department is working with Métis N4 Construction to create the Red River Métis Tree Nursery in four phases - growing in size and ambition at each step.

The first order of business will test the facilities capacity by sowing 250,000 white spruce trees, a trial crop to see what the tree nursery is made of.

The tree nursery received funding from Canada's 2 Billion Trees program, which was born out of Canada's commitment to plant 2 billion trees by 2031. The MMF, inspired by Canada, committed to planting 2 million trees, and the tree nursery is a direct result of that commitment. The nursery aims to grow 168 million trees over the next 20 years.

To learn more about the MMF's Red River Métis Tree Nursery, read our MMF Spotlight Article.

3. Red River Métis Protected and Conserved Areas

_{Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas play a vital role in conserving the lands and waters of the National Homeland of the Red River Métis while protecting Red River Métis section 35 rights.}

Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) are areas where Indigenous Nations lead conservation efforts using their own values, laws, and knowledge systems - creating sustainable traditional economies to benefit future generations.

The MMF is advancing two protected and conserved area proposals in the National Homeland of the Red River Métis: one in the Thompson Region and another in the Kettle Hills Blueberry Patch.

In the Thompson Region, the MMF is focusing on protecting boreal, barren ground and eastern migratory caribou - all of which are classified as species at risk. Working in partnership with Parks Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, the MMF is monitoring caribou populations and movements in key wintering and summering ranges to inform conservation efforts.

The Kettle Hills Blueberry Patch, known as the Red River Métis Breadbasket, is home to an abundance of blueberry patches, medicines, and a wide range of wildlife. After Red River Métis Citizens reported a decline in these natural resources, the MMF - supported by Environment and Climate Change Canada, Wildlife Habitat Canada, Nature United, and the Northern Manitoba Food, Culture, and Community Collaborative - launched various environmental monitoring initiatives in the area.

These efforts focus on key resources for the Red River Métis, including moose, berries and medicines, and migratory birds, to inform future conservation planning in the Kettle Hills Blueberry Patch.

If you'd like to learn more about the MMF's conservation initiatives, visit the EIRM Department's Natural Resources page.

4. Greens from our gardens to your plate: MMF Vegetable Gardens

_{The Red River Métis have practiced self-sufficient gardening practices for generations.}

The National Government of the Red River Métis has carried out multiple initiatives to produce and distribute healthy fresh produce to Red River Métis Citizens.

Riel House Gardens

The Riel House Garden, located at the Riel House National Historic Site, grows a variety of different fruits, vegetables, and herbs. This garden employs production methods traditional to Red River Métis. One example is the use of the "Three Sisters Planting" method, a traditional method where corn, beans, and squash are planted together to create benefits through intercropping. The harvested vegetables are then distributed to Elders and Citizens.

EIRM works in partnership with Parks Canada to manage the site, hiring Red River Métis Youth to tend the garden each season.

At-Home Garden Project

The At-Home Garden Project brings Citizens the opportunity to create a greener National Homeland in their own backyards. Garden boxes have been distributed to homes across the Regions, and we have Red River Métis Youth employees to thank for the construction of the boxes.

Food Security Greenhouses

The MMF's Agriculture Department has established five Food Security Greenhouses across the National Homeland thus far - located in the Interlake, Southwest, The Pas, Thompson, and Winnipeg Regions. The greenhouses can produce up to 7,000 pounds of vegetables per year for Red River Métis Elders and Citizens.

The greenhouses in the Winnipeg, Interlake, Southwest, and the Pas Regions have recently had fruit-bearing trees planted outside, supplied from the Make the Homeland Green Again tree planting initiative. This further supports the food security greenhouse initiative of reducing food insecurity for Red River Métis Citizens.

If you're interested in getting involved with the food security greenhouses, please contact foodsecurity@mmf.mb.ca or read more in our MMF Spotlight article.

5. Stewards of the Homeland

_{The EIRM Department is always hitting the ground running when it comes to keeping the Red River Métis Homeland thriving.}

The Red River Métis Stewards of the Homeland Program (SOHP) was created to actively protect, conserve, and restore the Red River Métis Homeland, empowering Citizens to connect with their ancestry and take part in their traditional stewardship of their lands.

SOHP works closely with Red River Métis Citizens to promote active engagement with the lands and waters of our National Homeland.

Events often include monitoring and stewardship efforts, traditional knowledge transfer between Elders and Youth, ecosystem monitoring, land-based education and discussions around understanding harvesting practices.

The program collaborates on knowledge sharing events for Citizens to learn cultural harvesting practices; some key land-based annual education events are Turtle Mountain Métis Days and Kettle Hills Field Days.

SOHP also helps organize the Climate Symposium each year, a major event that brings Citizens and EIRM programs together, sharing knowledge and building vital connections.

By blending traditional knowledge with modern science, the SOHP ensures that Red River Métis Citizens can be the stewards of their Homeland for generations to come.

Get regular updates about upcoming events by requesting a SOHP profile at stewards@mmf.mb.ca.

 

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