Below is a news release from the U.S. Forest Service. Hunt 2 Conserve strongly supports active forest management for the benefit of wildlife, wildlife habitat, hunting, forest health and reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire.

The U.S. Forest Service and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians have signed a new shared stewardship agreement to expand collaborative forest and rangeland restoration across two national forests in Oregon. The agreement strengthens an already productive partnership and supports shared planning and work to reduce wildfire risk, improve forest health, and protect cultural resources.

Signed on Feb. 12 at Forest Service headquarters in Washington D.C., this agreement builds on a previous collaboration between the Tribe and the agency. It strengthens the government-to-government relationship and expands capacity to accelerate work that supports healthier forests and safer communities.

“The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians bring deeply rooted Indigenous land management experience and traditions that focus on caring for the land,” Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz said. “In partnership with the tribe, more than 37 miles of fuel breaks were created to protect tribal lands, private property, and National Forest System lands. I look forward to our expanded partnership and our joint efforts to reduce wildfire risk on a landscape scale and create resilient forests that benefit all.”

The agreement includes an initial planning project area of about 155,000 acres on the Umpqua and Rogue River-Siskiyou national forests. Within this landscape, the Forest Service and the tribe will work together to increase the pace and scale of forest management projects that protect people, communities, as well as natural and cultural resources.

“Wildfire is the greatest threat to the health of our forests, which is not only of cultural significance to the Cow Creek Umpqua, but also a critical part of Oregon’s environmental and economic landscape,” said Carla Keene, chairman of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. “This government-to-government partnership allows us to work toward a future where our forests are managed for long-term resilience, our communities are protected from the health risks of smoke, and our national forests remain an asset for all Oregonians seven generations into the future.”

National forests supply raw materials that support construction and wood energy industries, provide 180 million Americans with clean water, and host millions of visitors each year who enjoy world-class recreation opportunities. Protecting these benefits requires coordinated action across boundaries and jurisdictions, making shared stewardship agreements with states, counties and federally recognized tribes a critical part of managing a shared landscape.

This new agreement follows similar agreements with Montana,Idaho, Utah, and Georgia and reflects USDA’s commitment to working with all interested tribes, counties and states to improve forest health and strengthen rural communities.

More information on shared stewardship is available on the Forest Service website. The full agreement and additional details are available on the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians website.

(Photo source: U.S. Forest Service)