Secretary Deb Haaland has commended the signing of 400 co-stewardship agreements under the Biden-Harris administration. The announcement was made during the 2024 White House Tribal Nations Summit, an annual event re-initiated by President Biden to foster discussions between Administration and Tribal leaders from the 574 federally recognized Tribes. The summit aims to strengthen nation-to-nation relationships and ensure enduring progress in Indian Country.
The Interior Department released its third annual report on Tribal co-stewardship, highlighting 69 new agreements formed over the past year. These agreements are part of Joint Secretary's Order 3403 (S.O. 3403), signed at the 2021 Summit by Secretary Haaland and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, with Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo joining in 2022. This order commits federal agencies to collaborate with Tribal Nations in managing federal lands, waters, and wildlife.
"Since time immemorial, ancestral homelands have been central to the social, cultural, spiritual, mental and physical wellbeing of Indigenous peoples," said Secretary Haaland. "Through this unprecedented amount of co-stewardship agreements, the Biden-Harris administration is demonstrating our commitment to acknowledge and empower Tribes as partners in the management of our nation’s lands and waters."
In addition to these efforts, a report published by the Department of Interior outlines treaty responsibilities that support both co-stewardship and Tribal stewardship. It details various statutes and regulations applicable across different bureaus within federal agencies.
The Interior Department oversees millions of acres significant to Indigenous peoples for their cultural and natural resources value. Many areas fall within regions where Tribes hold reserved rights through treaties for activities such as hunting or gathering plants.
This year's co-stewardship initiatives illustrate ongoing commitments by showcasing examples like:
- A cooperative agreement between Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in Massachusetts.
- A collaboration involving Miccosukee Tribe with Everglades National Park Service focusing on resource management.
- The Gravel to Gravel Keystone Initiative in Alaska supporting ecosystem resilience amid a salmon crisis.
- An MOU involving Pueblo Tesuque with US Forest Service ensuring cultural site protection on Caja del Rio Plateau.
Under Secretary Haaland’s guidance, new policies aim at enhancing federal land management through increased involvement from Tribal governments while safeguarding traditional practices alongside treaty rights.
