Representatives from three groups recently signed a memorandum of understanding to co-steward significant tribal places within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Taos field office, as well as the Santa Fe and Carson National Forests. The BLM has described this agreement as historic, marking a collaborative effort between federal agencies and tribal leaders to uphold a 2021 Joint Secretarial Order. This order, originally signed by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack, aims to protect Tribal interests on federal lands.
According to a release by the BLM announcing the agreement, Shaun Sanchez, Santa Fe National Forest Supervisor, and Jack Lewis, Carson National Forest Acting Supervisor, jointly stated: "The Forest Service is honored to have worked collaboratively with Ohkay Owingeh these last five months to get to this historic agreement. We are confident this will serve as a national co-stewardship model for other federal land management agencies and federally recognized tribes who have mutual protection and preservation goals."
A December 2023 annual report on tribal co-stewardship from the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides some context on this issue. It states that President Biden unveiled a Tribal Homelands Initiative at the Tribal Nations Summit in November 2021. The report also discusses a joint order that mandates both the Department of Interior and USDA to manage lands in ways that safeguard treaty rights, religious freedoms, subsistence needs, and cultural interests of federally recognized Indian Tribes. In addition, it highlights advancements made by USDA in 2023 towards creating opportunities for co-stewardship.
According to the same report, actions taken by USDA include developing an action plan through its Forest Service aimed at building nation-to-nation relationships. It also renamed the State and Private Forestry Deputy Area to be known as the USDA Forest Service State, Private and Tribal Forestry. Furthermore, USDA issued a cash matching waiver policy for grants and agreements.
Ohkay Owingeh Governor Larry Phillips, Jr., who was present at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Dec. 5, said: "Ohkay Owingeh is pleased to collaborate with the Forest Service and the BLM in this MOU to protect important cultural places on federal land. Protecting these places is one of our highest priorities. We look forward to working with the agencies in co-stewardship, future management and maintaining the integrity and sanctity of these places," according to a BLM news release about the memorandum.
