Task G Findings and Recommendations
1 - Funding
G1 Finding
Recommendation Provide adequate funding and staffing to tribal forestry programs. ■ FMPs should be updated to include standards for funding and staffing specified by NIFRMA. ■ The CFR Part 163 formula to determine base funding for tribal forestry programs
Broadscale compliance of approved FMPs is not feasible without adequate funding and staffing. ■ NIFRMA requires that FMPs include standards for funding and staffing to meet the tribal vision. Many plans are being approved by the BIA without this component. ■ Low funding allocations and limited staff to carry out approved Forest Management Plans is limiting the tribes’ ability to fulfill their vision for forest management. ■ Tribes are often subsidizing the work to meet the gap and although this is a sign of the commitment from the tribes, many tribes do not have the resources to do this. See Task A and Task C for additional information. BIA and tribes are underfunded, resulting in understaffing. ■ NIFRMA requires BIA to provide funding for at least one professional forester plus a significant number of technicians for each tribal forestry program, yet the BIA does not meet this NIFRMA mandate. ■ As more and more tribes turn to direct tribal operations and assume performance of forestry functions and BIA funding for those functions, the capacity of the BIA continues to be diminished. ■ Tribes are underfunded and understaffed (See Task A and Task C) and when there is not adequate funding then tribes are simply not able to achieve their vision through an established FMP/IRMP/ITAMP.
needs to be modernized to align with present day tribal visions for forest management (see Task F).
■ The clear minimum funding level should be at least equal or exceed the funding levels of the adjacent federal land management agencies within geographic regional costs for forest management. Those funding levels should be reviewed annually to match CPI increases. (See Task A). Recommendation Review and address funding and staffing needs of tribes and the BIA central, regional and agency offices. ■ See Task A and Task C for additional specifications.
G2 Finding
Task Findings and Recommendations 143
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