NELSONVILLE — The Wayne National Forest hosted representatives from the Osage, Shawnee and Miami nations and USDA Forest Service Eastern Region Heritage Program leadership as part of a Tribal Homelands Working Group visit Sept. 10-12 at its Athens Ranger District near Nelsonville.
Throughout the week, attendees visited significant Forest heritage sites and project areas. They discussed the Tribal nations’ and Forests’ experiences working under a legal framework like the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), which dictates that federal agencies return cultural items to their descendants, and the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA), which requires the federal government to consult tribes before permitting archaeological excavations on Tribal lands.
Wayne National Forest Heritage Program Manager Andy Tremayne said the working group allows Forests and Tribes to better understand one another’s challenges and strengthen co-stewardship.
“We all have a common goal to do what’s best for the land. Leaning on indigenous knowledge and perspectives can help the Forest deliver its mission while remaining respectful of culturally sensitive areas or traditional practices,” Tremayne said.
The Tribal Homelands Working Group aims to strengthen discussions between Tribal nations and the national forests in the USDA Forest Service Eastern Region, as well as increase visibility about tribes’ ancestral knowledge. The Wayne National Forest regularly consults with Tribal members about areas of shared interest, such as archaeological resources protection. Eden Hemming and Sarah O’Donnell represented the Osage Nation, Erin Paden and Tonya Tipton and Rosanna Dobbs represented the Shawnee Tribe and Scott Willard represented the Miami Tribe. Eastern Region attendees included Recreation, Heritage, Wilderness, and Wild and Scenic Rivers Director Jonathan Heyl, Regional Heritage Program Manager Troy Ferone and tribal relations specialist Paul Cloutier. Forest representatives included Monongahela National Forest Deputy Forest Supervisor Robert West, Monongahela National Forest Heritage Program USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. Manager Gavin Hale. Hoosier National Forest Heritage Program Manager Teresa Villalobos and Shawnee National Forest Heritage Program Manager Heather Carey. Forest personnel also provided presentations about different subject areas, such as prescribed fire treatment, and how their specialties relate to the overall Forest management plan. Wayne National Forest Supervisor Lee Stewart said Tribes play a crucial role in the history of public lands.
“Many people think of public lands as something that has always existed, but we need to remember that Tribes were part of these lands long before they were owned by the government. The Wayne encourages visitors to reflect on the fact that the Forest is culturally significant to people who were removed from it or otherwise displaced from their ancestral homes,” Stewart said. “Listening to Tribal descendants and learning about their history is a simple first step toward a deeper understanding of our modern-day Forests.”
As independent nations, Tribes have a government-to-government relationship with the United States that elevates their significance above common state-to-federal relationships. Their authority extends to the lands on which the Tribes are located, rather than state governments, and a trust relationship means the United States has a legal duty to protect the Tribes through legislative and executive powers.
The Shawnee and Miami nations controlled what is now southern Ohio until the 1795 Treaty of Greenville ceded indigenous lands to the United States. The Osage Nation was not a treaty signatory, but still holds ancestral ties to the land. In total, over 45 federally recognized Tribes call modern day Ohio their ancestral home. In May, the USDA Forest Service announced a $3.9 million investment to restore Tribal, state and private forestlands. For more information about the Forest’s work with Tribes, visit Wayne National Forest — Tribal Relations (usda.gov).
Submitted by the U.S. Forest Service
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