What is It?

1. Directly Supports Tribal Sovereignty by making Tribal geospatial data sovereignty and governance a top priority.
2. Increase Tribal participation in the land management planning process on US Forest Service lands that result in prioritization of treaty, religious, cultural, and subsistence interests; and the identification of opportunities for collaboration and shared stewardship.

Areas of Tribal Importance

• Areas are to be determined soley by tribal governments (historical sites, cultural areas, traditional gathering areas, endangered species, treaty and religious use areas).
• Incorporate Tribal expertise and Indigenous knowledge into Federal land management.
• All data remains on Tribal Government systems and is fully governed by the tribe as long as no federal monies are involved in the data creation (pursuant to the GDA).
• NTGISC is available to support tribes in building geospatial capacity necessary to create and manage their data.
• ATI’s are another layer in addition to Section 106 of the NHPA because it covers more than historic properties.
• NHPA is project by project, while ATI is on a landscape scale and allows for early engagement in planning and management.
• ATI’s can be updated in near real time instead of given timelines like NHPA.

US Forest Service- Office of Tribal Relations

The Office of Tribal Relations within the US Forest Service serves as a single point of contact for consultation with American Indian and Alaska Native Governments. It ensures that relevant programs and policies are developed in consultation with tribal constituents and preserves Tribal sovereignty.