The U.S. Constitution1 and treaties establish the unique legal and political relationship between the U.S. Government and American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes, corporations, and villages. The Federal trust responsibility is an obligation on the part of the United States to protect Tribal treaty rights, lands, assets, and resources, as well as a duty to carry out the mandates of Federal law with respect to all federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes and villages.2 It “derives from the Federal Government’s consistent promise in treaties and laws to protect the safety and well-being of the Indian Tribes, Alaska Native corporations, and Tribal members.”3 The terms “federally recognized Indian Tribe,” “Indian Tribe,” and “Tribe” are used in this document to refer to any Indian or Alaska Native Tribe, Band, Nation, Pueblo, Village, or other community included on a list published by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to section 104 of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a-1; see also Executive Order 13175, sec. 1(b)). In addition to strengthening government-to-government relations with federally recognized Indian Tribes and Alaska Native corporations (ANCs), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service also encourages engagement with non-federally recognized Tribes and Native Hawaiians, as well as American Indian, Alaska Native, and other Indigenous individuals, communities, inter-Tribal organizations, enterprises, and educational institutions.

In the Forest Service, the Office of Tribal Relations (OTR) manages, leads, and provides direction for the national Tribal Relations Program; advises agency leadership on Tribal relations programs, policies, and procedures; and ensures service-wide orientation and training of Forest Service employees for competency in Tribal relations. The National Tribal Relations Team includes the OTR in Washington, DC; the regional Tribal relations program managers; forest, grassland, and prairie Tribal liaisons; and research station liaisons.

The Tribal Relations Program focuses on improving relations between Indian Tribes, as defined by 25 U.S.C. 479a,4 and the Forest Service.