Task J Findings and Recommendations
J2 Finding
Recommendation The ITC should serve as a primary contact for providing input to the Forest Service and BLM in the development of co- management policy and plans. ■ Using the prior work of the joint ITC/ USFS Working Group to implement the P.L. 93-638 provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill and to facilitate tribal stewardship agreements, the ITC should continue to provide assistance to tribes concerning new initiatives by the Congress and federal agencies encouraging co-stewardship agreements on federal forest lands.
Indian forests are being showcased as models of good stewardship which should be applied to management of federal lands. ■ New research shows that indigenous- managed lands have high levels of intact biodiversity (Garnett et al. 2018, Schuster et al. 2018) ■ Members of Congress have highlighted the significance of tribal stewardship and have requested the U.S. Forest Service Chief to develop policy for tribal co-management and stewardship of federal forests and grasslands. ■ The BLM Director has issued a directive to state directors requiring development of state-specific plans for outreach to identify co-stewardship opportunities, including identifying potential tribal partners and sources of Indigenous Knowledge. ■ Tribal governments across the country are pursuing opportunities to engage with the federal government to co-manage specific areas of federal forests in efforts to protect and enhance treaty resources, to mitigate cross-boundary negative impacts of federal forest management and exercise off- reservation rights. ■ A priority co-management activity would be project work to improve forest health on federal lands and address issues which have negative impacts on traditional forest uses and values by tribes.
Task Findings and Recommendations 191
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