# Understanding the Wy'East Tribal Resources Restoration Act

This bill creates a new partnership between the U.S. Forest Service and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon to manage parts of Mount Hood National Forest in a way that protects the tribe's traditional rights and resources. Essentially, it recognizes that the Warm Springs Tribe has legal rights to hunt, fish, gather plants, and raise livestock in certain areas of the forest based on an 1855 treaty, and it sets up a formal system to make sure those rights are actually protected when the Forest Service makes decisions about how to manage the land.

The bill creates special zones within Mount Hood National Forest where the tribe and the Forest Service will work together on management decisions. Instead of the Forest Service making plans on its own, they'll develop a shared management strategy that includes the tribe's traditional knowledge about how to care for the forest. This is particularly important for protecting the forest from wildfires and disease while also maintaining the plants, animals, and other resources the tribe depends on. The tribe will have a say in decisions about things like which trees to cut down, where roads can be built, and how to restore forest health. The bill also protects these zones from mining and other commercial extraction activities that could damage the resources the tribe relies on.

For most people, this bill won't directly change their daily lives, but it could affect how Mount Hood National Forest is managed going forward. Hikers, hunters, and others who use the forest might notice different management practices in these zones, though the bill doesn't prevent public access or use. The tribe will also have funding and resources to participate in forest management projects, which could create jobs and economic opportunities in the region. The bill authorizes up to $3.5 million per year through 2028 to support this partnership, and it requires the Forest Service to complete a management agreement within a year and a full management strategy within three years.

Wy’East Tribal Resources Restoration Act

Blumenauer, Earl

Wy’East Tribal Resources Restoration ActThis bill establishes within Mount Hood National Forest one or more Indian Treaty Resources Emphasis Zones in areas agreed upon by the Forest Service and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon to protect and enhance treaty resources, protect the reservation from wildfires, and enable a&nbsp;comanagement strategy between the Forest Service and the tribe.