Lessons from a programmatic agreement and heritage-based consultations between tribes and the national forests of Arkansas and Oklahoma

Abstract

Native American consultation and collaboration have become integral parts of national forest management, but the number of applicable laws, regulations, rules, and policies can make this process a daunting one. Over the years, a series of programmatic agreements (PAs) have been developed by the Ozark-St. Francis and Ouachita National Forests (OSFONF) to help with heritage resource management. These PAs have been continuously revised and improved, culminating in a document developed with the cooperation of more than a dozen tribes, state agencies, and the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Important lessons for managers can be gleaned from the 2006 OSFONF PA and related consultations. For example, in addition to providing a collaborative framework that streamlines OSFONF management, the PA facilitates other actions by identifying undertakings exempted from the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) compliance process. Beyond their operational utility, PAs can build trust and enduring relationships with tribal stakeholders, both of which are vital to further collaboration. Improved relationships benefit participants with expanded training opportunities and logistical support for shared understandings of patrimonial areas and traditional ecological knowledge. PAs can also serve as models for nonfederal landowners, helping them meet forest sustainability requirements and reach out to Native Americans with ancestral ties to the land.