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2015 NATIONAL

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
CONFERENCE
Indigenous Perspectives Empowered: Forest
Service Tools for Tribal Engagement
Estelle J. Bowman (Navajo) Assistant Director, Office
of Tribal Relations, U.S. Forest Service
March 12, 2015

FS Tribal Relations Strategic Goals:


Goal 1: American Indian and Alaska Native Rights
Uphold the US governments trust responsibility and
protect AI/AN reserved rights
Goal 2: Partnerships
Leverage partnerships to maximize mutual success
Goal 3: Program Development
Promote integration and utility of the Tribal Relations
Program throughout the Agency

Forest Service Tribal


Relations Tools
Tribal Relations Directives
Tribal Forest Protection Act
Indian Forest Management Assessment Team
Report
Tribal Guide to Grants and Agreements
Tribal Connections Mapping Tool
Sacred Sites Report and implementation
Tribes and Climate Change
Tribal Research Roadmap
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Tribal Relations Directives


Forest Service guidance and policy
Proposed Draft available for Tribal
Consultation June 2013
60-day public comment period
Publication of Final

Tribal Forest Protection Act


Funding to Intertribal Timber Council to provide
analysis
Final Report delivered in March 2013
FS funding to ITC to provide training

March 31 April 2, in Spokane


April 28 30, in Albuquerque

Indian Forest Management


Assessment Team Study III
Decadal analysis of the state of tribal forests
across the United States
Accomplished through a $300,000 FS grant to
Intertribal Timber Council
IFMAT III shows that Tribes are doing a great
job of forest management

Partnership Guide

Tribal Connections
Mapping Tool
Forest
Service
lands

Indian
lands

Treaty
cessions
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Sacred Sites Report &


Implementation
Implementing recommendations from the 2012
Sacred Sites Report to the Secretary of
Agriculture
Changing the culture and actions of the Agency
Bringing a Good Mind and a Good Heart
In sync with interagency Sacred Sites MOU
Working Group

Protecting Sacred Places


Facilitated Learning Engagements will provide:
On-the-ground Mutual Learning: FS leaders
with tribal governmental and spiritual
leaders
Agency-wide and Regionally-specific
webinars
Leadership Mentoring Program
Technical Guide on Culture and Heritage
Provisions
Replicating the To Bridge a Gap model
Case Studies for lesson learned
Enhancing FACA Committee representation
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Tribal Engagement Roadmap


Six objectives of the Roadmap:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Enhance Partnerships
Policy & Training on Tribal Relations
Cultural Transformation of R&D workforce
Internal Coordination on Tribal research
Joint Research with Tribes on issues of
mutual interest
6. Decision Support for Tribal Land Managers

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FS Office of Tribal Relations


Fred Clark, (Citizens Band Potawatomi) Director
Estelle J. Bowman, (Navajo) Assistant Director
Kathryn Sosbe, Acting Assistant Director
Ericka Luna, Policy Analyst
Alicia Bell-Sheeter, Policy Analyst
Mariel Murray, Program Analyst
Pamela Williams, Executive Assistant

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FS Office of Tribal Relations


http://www.fs.fed.us/spf/tribalrelations
/
Tele:

202-205-1514

Fax:

202-649-1178

Email:

ejbowman@fs.fed.us
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