Task C Findings and Recommendations
C3 Finding
Recommendation Increased funding must be tied to a strategic workforce plan at the BIA that ensures that central office and regions have adequate staff to provide technical as well as direct trust services. Perform, in consultation and cooperation with tribes and tribal organizations, a comprehensive workforce development plan that integrates tribal and federal needs and explores ways to make interaction between entities and staff more efficient and mutually supportable. ■ This strategic plan should also acknowledge and find ways to support tribal and intertribal strategic plans, including the ITC strategic workforce plan. BIA Pathways personnel should recognize the unique nature of the NIFRMA mandated program. ■ This program is multi-year and includes tuition assistance. ■ Attempts should not be made to blend or “streamline” this program into a wider effort by Trust Resources to recruit across multiple disciplines. ■ BIA personnel should also enhance efforts to work with tribes, intertribal organizations,
The Bureau of Indian Affairs has begun the process of strategic workforce planning, but over a year into this process, there has been little communication, consultation, or involvement of the tribes in this process. Meanwhile the Intertribal Timber Council’s strategic workforce plan, which was developed in 2018 has languished due to lack of staff/capacity and funding.
and tribal colleges to support these students and this program in the most collaborative way possible.
C4 Finding
Recommendation The BIA should treat Indian preference as just that, and consider non-Native candidates whenever there is no qualified Native applicant on the first search without special considerations in order to ensure that tribes receive the needed services. The BIA should provide specific, “capacity building” training for tribal foresters and technicians who do not have a strong background in forestry specific education. Such training could take the form of a “boot camp” that would prepare such foresters to be successful and would qualify them for entry into key programs such as NASP.
Indian and tribal preference hiring policies have led to an increase in Native foresters working for tribes and the BIA but can have unintended consequences.
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