An active timber harvest unit on the Quinault Reservation in western Washington. PHOTO CREDIT: VINCENT CORRAO
(J4) and, unfortunately, new authorities aimed at promoting tribal partnerships may often benefit the partners more than the tribes themselves (J7). A champion is needed on the tribal side as well as on the federal side to keep the collaborative process moving forward (K2). Federal agencies’ views on co-management and co-stewardship should be clarified and the tribes should be included in funding discussions regarding these projects (K4). ■ Prescribed fire, including cultural burning, is a consistently mentioned tool that tribes want to utilize in cross-boundary projects. However, this is often the most complex, although very critical component of many silvicultural treatments. Fire planning needs cooperation
among multiple agencies, landowners, and municipalities and without agreements in place this limits progress (J8). Presently there are not enough trained fire management qualified personnel in Indian Country (K10). ■ Fractionated, highly allotted tribal lands are especially challenging when promoting landscape-scale cross- boundary projects (J13). 7. There is a need for policy
and should be reviewed for relevance and applicability with current conditions, particularly the rapid progression of tribal self-governance (E1). ■ There are two divergent BIA forestry functions: direct service to tribes and working with self-governance tribes. It is not clear that BIA Forestry is adequately funded and staffed to do both at the required scale (E6). Furthermore, BIA staff have outdated resources (such as basic computer programs), oftentimes lack basic program information (G11), and show limited attention to some requirements in NIFRMA (A4, F1, G11). ■ There are special concerns/ benefits for tribes and BIA in carrying out forest management activities under ITARA and self-governance
reform and increased education regarding
available pathways to self- governance to fulfill the trust responsibility. ■ NIFRMA is one of the most recently legislated major federal forest policies and the ultimate basis of BIA Forestry rules and regulations, but the legislation is over 30 years old
Executive Summary 9
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