Governor Bill Anoatubby
Preserving our environment for future generations
By Bill Anoatubby, Governor, Chickasaw Nation
The Chickasaw people have always maintained a deep appreciation for and connection to nature and wildlife. This special relationship continues today in our dedicated efforts to preserve our natural resources for future generations. Chickasaws continue to pass down generational knowledge of hunting and fishing and the special role they play in our management of natural resources.
Our commitment to serving as responsible stewards of our land, its resources and wildlife is among our most important endeavors. It extends to a number of water sustainability and infrastructure development projects, recycling initiatives, animal conservation and more.
Partnerships with communities throughout the Chickasaw Nation, as well as many tribal, state and federal agencies, are crucial to the ecological stewardship and economic growth of this region. These collaborations serve to enhance our combined conservation and preservation goals across the state.
Along with our partners in the Inter-Tribal Council, we are excited to announce the new Five Tribe Wildlife Management Reciprocity Agreement. As part of our mutual sustainable wildlife management efforts, this agreement allows hunting and fishing licenses issued through each tribe to be recognized within each nation's reservation. It also enhances the ability of the Chickasaw Nation Fish & Wildlife Service to effectively manage natural resources in a sustainable manner.
As we work to protect and preserve our environment, we appreciate the Inter-Tribal Council and other partner organizations in finding long-term solutions that will sustain and safeguard the precious, natural commodities we have been gifted.
We are pleased that last month, the newly established Citizens Support Center began operations. The Citizens Support Center is a call center designed to make it easier for citizens to connect with the Chickasaw Nation and the various resources offered by providing a centralized, go-to contact for information and guidance. Navigators are available 24 hours, seven days a week to provide friendly, one-on-one support, direction and assistance. For more information or to reach the Citizens Support Center, please contact (580) 757-9082, call toll-free at 1 (833) 551-0980 or email questions to CitizenSupport@Chickasaw.net.
We recently broke ground on a new Chickasaw Heritage Center in Tupelo, Mississippi, to tell the vibrant story of the Chickasaw people, from a Chickasaw perspective. This will be something special because we will be telling this story in our historic Homeland, which Chickasaws inhabited and thrived in for generations before Removal.
At the Chickasaw Nation, we are working daily with our mission in mind. Our progress is a direct result of our mission and the goals we have set to continue to evolve and meet the needs of Chickasaw people around the world.