Welcome

The Department was established by the commissioner of Indian Affairs in 1971.

The department manages approximately 607,000 acres of commercial forest and 4.8 million acres of woodlands. In Addition to providing forest and woodland products, it supports important resources such as wildlife habitat, forage for grazing, water resources, and recreational opportunities.

In order for these resources to persevere, the forest and woodland resources need to be properly managed. By utilizing together a Forest Management Plan [FMP] and Forest Carbon Protocol [FCP], with available funding, the Department manages these important resources.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs still retains overall trust responsibility for these trust resources. Since 1982, utilizing Public Law 93-638, the Department has contracted the following forest management activities from the BIA; timber management, forest inventory, woodland management, reforestation and forest product permitting. Out of necessity to properly manage, the Department conducts enforcement and geographic information system obligations.