ALASKA—In a groundbreaking development, the USDA Forest Service signed historic tribal co-stewardship agreements with the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, marking a significant milestone in land management and tribal-federal relations for the agency.

In November 2021, the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture issued Joint Secretarial Order 3403, calling upon federal land management agencies to engage in co-stewardship endeavors with federally recognized tribes. These milestone agreements meet the spirit and intent of the order and solidify tribal-federal cooperation to steward the pristine Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, blending traditional, cultural and historical knowledge into its management.

This cooperative effort culminated recently with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and a Master Participating Agreement. The memorandum presents an overarching vision for co-stewardship, including mutual benefits and interests for both the tribe and the agency, as well as a collaborative process for working together. Per this agreement, the traditional knowledge and cultural heritage of the Tlingit and Haida peoples will be integral considerations in all management decisions related to the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area.

The Master Participating Agreement lists interpretive opportunities where the tribe and agency may collaborate, including various projects, programs and plans aimed at enhancing cultural exhibits and activities at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center and campground. These opportunities include hiring more interpreters, cultural education for existing staff, reporting salmon runs in Steep Creek and improving interpretation programs to reflect Alaska Native culture more accurately and in more detail.

These co-stewardship agreements recognize the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area as a living landscape that supplies opportunities for tribal elders to convey to younger generations the stories, traditions and practices of their people, to help them understand where they came from, who they are and how to live.

The agreements underscore the trust responsibility between the federal government and tribes in managing federal lands and waters. They ensure that the Tlingit and Haida peoples’ traditional, cultural and historical knowledge are considered whenever possible in the stewardship of the recreation area.

These historic tribal-federal co-stewardship agreements are a significant step towards fostering stronger tribal relations, respecting cultural heritage, and ensuring sustainable management of the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area. They set a precedent for future tribal-federal partnerships and underscore the importance of tribal partnerships in public land management.