Landscape management on the Makah Reservation, Washington. PHOTO CREDIT VINCENT CORRAO
generally. BIA rules and procedures have lagged the advance of self-governance (E3) creating limited progress and understanding of ITARA demonstration projects (G17). ITARA promises self-governance benefits for interested tribes. However, many tribes have little or no knowledge about ITARA (E11). Tribes carrying out forest management activities under ITARA are performing functions previously considered inherent federal functions performed by the BIA (H9), yet funds are not made available to the tribes for these additional responsibilities (Table SG.1).
and service-provided tribes due to BIA regional policies and funding mechanisms (F7) which adds another layer of confusion. ■ Many tribes feel that the BIA requirements are burdensome in that they take up an inordinate amount of time, and do not always support the tribe in their goals and objectives (D12). For instance, the timber cruise accuracy standard of 5% for realty and timber sale transactions is difficult to achieve and often requires a 100% cruise of timber stands. This presents further challenges for limited staff in tribal forestry departments (G10). There is a misunderstanding by some BIA and tribal personnel, that the BIA handbooks and
manuals must be followed by self-governance tribes (G7). ■ Currently the BIA has no program review policy or procedure to evaluate BIA direct service (G8). 8. Many other challenges exist for tribal forests. ■ Tribes are increasingly acquiring fee land, some of which is brought into trust, and acquired fee land is often not within the reservation boundaries (H2). ■ Centralization of wildfire suppression programs (national and regional control of allocation of resources) has had serious negative impacts on tribal ability to respond quickly at the local level and keep fires small (H4). Fire suppression
■ Levels of BIA service vary greatly between self-gover- nance, self-determination,
10 Assessment of Indian Forests and Forest Management in the United States
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