UW-Madison Launched Tribal Land Restoration Project

The initiative aims to create a handbook for donating land to Wisconsin’s 11 federally recognized tribal nations.

Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Native American

UW-Madison Launched Tribal Land Restoration Project

Live Poll

Would you consider donating or transferring your own land to a tribal nation for stewardship?

The University of Wisconsin-Madison launched the Tribal Land Restoration Project this summer after receiving a $116,024 grant. The team is developing a handbook to guide future land transfers to Indigenous groups throughout the state.

Why it matters

Donors and tribes currently face a lack of accessible legal guidance for land transfers, hindering potential restoration efforts. The project aims to resolve these barriers by documenting complex issues surrounding taxation and governance.

The project secured $116,024 in funding through the Reilly-Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Award. This effort supports potential land transfers for Wisconsin’s 11 federally recognized tribes.

The players

University of Wisconsin-Madison

This public research university hosts the Tribal Land Restoration Project and the Great Lakes Indigenous Law Center.

Ho-Chunk Nation

This federally recognized tribe acts as the ecological steward for land purchased by Dane County near the Yahara River.

Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe Nation

This tribal nation received the Marywood Spirituality Center from the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

The details

The project team includes six law students, a fellow, and the director of the Great Lakes Indigenous Law Center. They are currently drafting resources to help donors partner with tribes for ecological stewardship, building on precedents like the Dane County purchase of 165 acres near the Yahara River.

Fall 2025: Franciscan Sisters donated the Marywood Spirituality Center to the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe Nation.
Summer 2026: The Tribal Land Restoration Project received its funding award.
2026: Dane County purchased land for Ho-Chunk Nation ecological stewardship.
July 2027: The project handbook is expected to be completed.

Culture Shift

This effort aligns with the Wisconsin Idea, which posits that university research should extend beyond the classroom to serve state citizens. It reflects a growing trend of institutions facilitating land repatriation and ecological partnership with Indigenous nations.

Residents may see an increase in local collaborative land management projects as the guide clarifies donation processes. This could impact regional conservation efforts and how private landowners engage with tribal nations for land stewardship.

The takeaway

This initiative provides a crucial framework for simplifying complex legal and tax barriers associated with land donations. By establishing clear protocols, the project offers a template for how private and public entities can better support tribal land governance.