Hall of Nations dedication ceremony honors tribal knowledge, relationships
In honor of Native American Heritage Month and to acknowledge our long-standing relationships with tribes, Chief Tom Schultz and Office of Tribal Relations Director Reed Robinson recently dedicated the hall outside the Chief’s suite as the Hall of Nations. The hall will have a rotational display of tribal flags. These flags are an important diplomatic and cultural declaration, representing tribal status as sovereign nations as well as the desire to foster relationships with the Forest Service.
Chief Schultz explained the significance of the flags, “May we always be reminded that these are not just flags made of printed and woven material, but symbols of great Native American Nations that the Forest Service is proud and honored to work hand-in-hand with on a daily basis.”
Robinson welcomed agency employees to the dedication ceremony and conducted an azilya (smudging with sage ceremony) with attendees. He then addressed the gathering, speaking about building relationships and encouraging the exchange of knowledge. He also emphasized the philosophy of the seventh generation, which states that planning should be carried out, particularly regarding natural resources, so that we have a sustainable world seven generations into the future. Additionally, he welcomed Ivan Looking Horse of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, who joined the ceremony remotely to sing an opening prayer song and, later, a flag song.
Chief Schultz spoke about the significant contributions Native Americans have made to our culture, from renowned Sac and Fox Nation athlete Jim Thorpe to the longest serving Native American in the House of Representatives and member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, Tom Cole, to mathematician and aerospace pioneer Mary Golda Ross of the Cherokee Nation.
The Chief also described how we are supporting tribes, tribal organizations and Alaska Native Corporations with both monetary investments—$26.5 million since February 2025—and the agreements we’ve signed, including a 2025 agreement with the Inter-Tribal Timber Council.
Chief Schultz pledged that the Forest Service will stand by its commitment to fully implement the agency’s Tribal Action Plan, "Strengthening Tribal Consultations and Nation-to-Nation Relationships," which has four focus areas:
Strengthen relationships between Indian tribes and the Forest Service
Fulfill trust and treaty obligations
Enhance co-stewardship (aka tribal shared stewardship) of the Nation’s forests and grasslands, and
Advance tribal relations within the Forest Service
Chief Schultz noted how much we have learned from our work with Indian Country and emphasized how we will continue to learn as we chart a cooperative path. He quoted Black Elk, Oglala Lakota (1863-1950), “It is not enough to have a vision. In order to have its power, you must enact your vision on earth for all to see. Only then do you have the power.” As we recognize Native American heritage all year, let these flags be the reminders that our relationships with tribes don’t end in November. The Forest Service sets the standard across the federal government for working with tribes, and continuing to build upon existing policy and relationships is critical to maintaining that standard.
The initial seven flags on display represent the:
Navajo Nation (Arizona/Utah/New Mexico)
Snoqualmie Nation (Washington)
Karuk Nation (California)
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (Minnesota)
Confederated Tribe of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (Oregon)
Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma (Oklahoma)
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (South Dakota)
Explore the legal foundations of Forest Service–tribal relations:
Presidential Action: Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production
Presidential message on National Native American Heritage Month