Tribal Relations

USDA Forest Service Tribal Relations Team: Washington staff, Regional Managers, and Field staff.

The USDA Forest Service Tribal Relations Strategic Plan Fiscal Year 2019-2022 describes our plans for fulfilling treaty obligations, meeting trust responsibilities, and finding new opportunities to work together in shared stewardship.

Tribal resource crews help restore national forests and archeological sites. Individuals at a training hosted by the Shawnee Tribe and the Forest Service. Photo by USDA Forest Service. Read more…

The 2018 field season of the Hoonah Native Forest Partnership is in the books! The partnership provides a working example of how investing in a local workforce can provide for a community and aid in land management. Read more…

NEW! NEPA Rule Tribal Webinar Recordings

Tribal information webinars were held on June 24 and July 12, 2019, to provide an overview of the changes in the Proposed Rule for NEPA procedures, how to submit comments, and how to engage in Tribal consultation.

• See the recording for the June 24th webinar…
• See the recording for the July 12th webinar…

2018 Farm Bill Listening Session, Title VIII: Forestry

Presented on May 15, 2019, the focus of the “2018 Farm Bill Listening Session, Title VIII: Forestry” was on Section 8624: Good Neighbor Authority for Tribes; Section 8703: Tribal Forest management Demonstration project (also known as “638’ contracts). There was also discussion on tribal woody biomass projects authorized by Public Law 115-325 (amending the Tribal Forest Protection Act).

View the recording of the listening session…

Tribal Connections

Tribal Connections is an interactive map that shows the connection between national forests and grasslands, tribal trust lands and tribal lands ceded as part of a treaty. The map is used by the Forest Service as one tool of many to better inform land management decisions.