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Tribal Relations
Tribal Relations Action Plan
Our commitment at the Forest Service is to work with tribal partners to achieve healthy and resilient landscapes both now and for generations to come.
As stewards of National Forest Lands, the USDA Forest Service is committed to strengthening relationships with American Indian Tribes that have lived in the Pacific Northwest since time immemorial.
Indigenous cultures, traditions, and knowledge help define the Pacific Northwest, and regional Tribes continue to maintain deep connections to their ancestral homelands. We actively collaborate with Tribes to make effective land and resource management decisions, from fuels reduction to the preservation of sacred sites, to conserve resources for generations to come.
“Understanding the perspective and wisdom Indigenous People have also gives us an opportunity to reflect on what is wrong with our current policies and practices and what role we can play in trying to right those wrongs.” - Forest Service Chief, Randy Moore.
The agency recognizes American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians as people with distinct cultures and traditional values. American Indians and Alaskan Natives also have a unique legal and political relationship with the government of the United States. This relationship is defined by history, treaties, statutes, executive orders, policies, court decisions, and the US Constitution.
Biden-Harris Administration Invests $20M for Indigenous Communities to Access Emerging Climate Markets as part of Investing in America Agenda. Learn more.
Tribal Relations and Enhancing Co-Stewardship
Explore the StoryMap below to learn more about ways that we are working to strengthen relationships and collaborate with American Indian Tribes that have lived in the Pacific Northwest since time immemorial.
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Featured Accomplishments
Our creative approaches in collaboration with Tribes work to restore and honor traditional knowledge and place-based relationships.
U.S. Forest Service Pacific NW Regional Contact
Kristine Harper - Regional Tribal Relations Specialist
kristine.harper@usda.gov
509-690-9888
Forest Service policy in general states that the agency will:
- Maintain a governmental relationship with federally recognized tribal governments;
- Implement our programs and activities honoring tribal rights and fulfill legally mandated trust responsibilities;
- Administer programs and activities to address and be sensitive to traditional relations beliefs and practices; and
- Provide research, transfer of technology, and technical assistance to Tribes.
Throughout the agency, line officers are responsible for cultivating and maintaining government-to-government relationships in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, Executive Orders, and agency policy.
Consultation and coordination requirements are summarized in the U.S. Forest Service Manual 1563.11, General Consultation Requirements.
Forest Service officials shall:
- Notify Tribes of proposed policy, plans, projects or actions that may affect tribal rights or interest in order to provide Tribes an opportunity for meaningful dialogue on potential implications and effects.
- Develop, in consultation and collaboration with Tribes and, when mutually agreed upon, unit-specific programmatic and other agreements and statements of relationships with Tribes that help clarify tribal rights and interests and set forth procedures and protocols for consultation, including the points of contact.
- Provide Tribes with contact information for Forest service officials, and staff who are responsible for making final decisions that may affect Tribes and request the same of Tribes.
- Involve tribal representatives, including staff and technical representatives, in the consultation process including development of proposed policies, plans, projects, or actions, where appropriate.
- Fully consider the information from and recommendations of Tribes and address tribal concerns on proposed decisions.
- Inform Tribes how their information and recommendations were considered in Forest Service decisions, including explanations in the event that tribal input was not adopted or incorporated.
- Document the process and actions taken to consult with Tribes, the results of those actions, and how the Forest Service’s final decision was communicated to affected Tribe(s). The consultation review and monitoring process shall include tribal officials and representatives and may be included in the general management review process.