America's Indians own and manage 7.7 million acres of timberland and 10.2 million acres of woodland. Their lands are among the best managed in the entire nation. We have featured Indian Country forestry in Evergreen Magazine on two occasions - first in June of 1998 (click) and again in our Winter 2005-2006 edition (click). Tribal lands are sovereign - meaning that they are nations within our nation. Our nation's relationship with tribes is improving, but it has come through a long period of neglect - a time when, in our opinion, the federal government was not living up to well defined treaty and trust obligations and responsibilities.

Increasingly, tribes are assuming full control over the management of their forests and woodlands. But our nation still has financial obligations that it cannot legally escape. Of these, none is more important - from a land perspective - than providing the federal funding needed to ensure the proper management of tribal lands.

Although it is too early to draw any definitive conclusions, there are signs that the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management are warming to the idea of shifting more of their federal forest and rangeland management responsibilities to tribes that once owned these lands. We regard this as a positive step forward, not just because we believe these lands ought to be returned to Indians from who they were taken, but also because we see much to admire in the Indian Way of managing lands, which does a far better job of accounting for cultural, historic and spiritual connections to land and place.

As time passes, we'll have more to say about this important topic. For now, our goal is to post thought-provoking information about Indians and Indian Country in this section.

—Jim Petersen, Evergreen

The National Indian Timber Symposium is an annual event designed to facilitate communication from the prospective tribes, the BIA, private industry, legislative bodies and academia on issues and concerns of current forestry management practices. Select topics at this year's symposium included Farm Bill 2008, Apache Sawmills and the Green Building Sector, the diverse marketplace, and many more select topics of interest. For quick and easy reference, please find various PDFs of powerpoint presentations, speeches, photos, graphs, and more from the symposium.

Introduction

Indian Timber Symposium at a Glance

Thirty-Third Annual National Indian Timber Symposium 2009 Host Tribe Presentation

Welcome from Sam Penney, Chairman, Nez Perce Tribe Executive Council (NPTEC), Lapwai, ID

Welcome from Greg LaFrance, Superintendent, BIA Northern Idaho Agency, Lapwai, ID

Welcome from Nolan C. Colegrove, Sr., President Intertribal Timber Council Portland, OR

Welcome from Keith Havens, President & CEO Lewiston Chamber of Commerce Lewiston, ID

The Evolving Traditions of Native Fire ITC Leadership Lecture Series Luncheon

Keynote Address

Keynote Address, Jaime A Pinkham (Nez Perce), Vice President, Bush Foundation

Panel I Discussions

Farm Bill 2008 Programs for Indian Tribes and Indian Forest Lands

Farm Bill 2008 Additional Information

Farm Bill 2008 Fact Sheet

Farm Bill 2008 Conservation Opportunities

Farm Bill 2008 Non-Industrial Private Forest Land

Farm Bill 2008 Adjusted Gross Income Provision

Farm Bill 2008 Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Farm Bill 2008 Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program

Farm Bill 2008 Conservation Stewardship Program

Farm Bill 2008 Healthy Forests Reserve Program

Farm Bill 2008 Wetlands Reserve Program

Farm Bill 2008 Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program

Farm Bill 2008 Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiatives

Farm Bill 2008 Conservation Innovation Grants

Farm Bill 2008 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative

Using EQIP* on Forestlands, Frank Gariglio, Idaho NRCS State Forester, Lewiston, ID

Panel II Discussions

Insights to State & Private Forestry programs that enhance tribal forestry

Tribal Participation in – and Utilization of – Stewardship Contracting

Farm Bill Requirement & Redesign Components: STATE ASSESSMENTS & RESOURCE STRATEGIES Final Guidance

National Association of State Foresters Membership Directory

Panel III Discussions

The Apache Sawmills and the Green Building Sector: A Tribal Marketing Case Study

The Apache Sawmills and The Green Building Sector: A Tribal Marketing Case Study Continued

Hard Times, Tough Choices: Possible Options for Tribal Forest Enterprises

Markets Happen: The Value of Diversifying Markets

Ingredients of Successful Sawmills

Present and Future Woody Biomass Markets

Wednesday General Meeting

Items Up For Discussion 

The Economy Stinks

Photos