Tribal Relations

“This work is important in many ways such as bringing our youth and elders together to promote teaching and understanding; cultural identity and survival; preserving our environment encompassing land, air and water; strong partnerships and sharing of resources between the entities involved; education and employment pathway for our youth; and, understating better the importance of the spiritual value surrounding all these things.” –Everett Gomez, Hopi Tribe.

Tribal Connections is an interactive map that shows the connection between national forests and grasslands, tribal trust lands and tribal lands ceded as part of a treaty. The map is used by the Forest Service as one tool of many to better inform land management decisions.

The Kaibab National Forest (KNF) has a long standing commitment to establishing collaborative partnerships with within native communities. Tribal partnerships are built through government-to-government consultation, youth outreach, implementing projects on national forest and tribal lands, exchange of goods and services, and open and transparent communication. Our focus is on developing partnerships that provide benefits to tribes while helping to achieve critical restoration work on national forests. Partnerships like these are the key to our future success as resource managers.

The Kaibab National Forest has a collection policy which provides forest products to Native Americans for traditional and cultural use at no charge. Learn more on the Kaibab NF collection policy of forest products for traditional and cultural purposes. Read more information about firewood permits available on the Kaibab National Forest.

Alamo Navajo School Board Inc. (ANSBI) has thinned 100 acres of ponderosa pine within the 4FRI footprint. The KNF and the 4FRI team are exploring the option of expanding on the agreement with ANSBI. This expansion could include more crews and larger acres of treatment.

Since 2012, ANSBI has accomplished:

• 930 acres have been thinned
• 38 acres have been piled
• 280 cords of fuelwood provided to local communities of the Navajo Nation

Inter Tribal Council of Arizona: The Inter Tribal Council of Arizona was established in 1952 to provide a united voice for tribal governments located in the State of Arizona to address common issues of concerns.

Regional Office Tribal Relations: The Region consults and works directly with 43 sovereign Native American Tribes located in Arizona and New Mexico and an additional 9 tribes from surrounding states who have interest in our activities principally due to location of aboriginal lands. Tribes are engaged with the Southwestern Region in virtually every aspect of land management from fuels reduction to preservation of sacred sites.

Hopi Youth Spring Restoration Photos on Flickr: Photos of the work the Hopi Tribe and tribal youth completed in partnership with the Kaibab National Forest to complete restoration work of the Castle Springs spring water collection.

Washington Office Tribal Relations 

Tribal Relations Photos on Flickr