The TCC forestry program provides a wide range of forestry and fire management services to Native allotments and their owners via the trust services program. The program also provides similar services via the technical assistance program to tribal councils, village and regional Native corporations and to other public and private landowners.
Specific TCC forestry activities and services include:
Native Allotment Trust Program
The trust services program assists allotment owners with a wide variety of activities. These services include, but are not limited to some of the following areas: timber trespass investigation, timber appraisal, timber sale preparation and administration, reforestation projects, pre-commercial tree thinning, vegetation mapping, forest inventory and forest management plan preparation. The program also acts as the wildfire liaison between Native allottees and federal and state fire fighting agencies. To support this task, a computerized allotment database has been developed by the program. The database is linked to a GIS system and contains individual parcel maps, vegetation overlays and information about each parcel in the TCC region. Both the forestry and realty programs in their daily management of trust lands utilize the database. Funding for trust services comes from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) via the TCC compact and by competitive funding requests to the BIA for add-on funding. Add-on funds are utilized for specific allotment projects and compete against other similar projects on a nationwide basis. The two main categories are forest development (pre-commercial tree thinning) and forest management and inventory planning.
The program is also developing a hazard fuel reduction program via BIA funding that can provide defensible space services to individual allotments.
The tribal governments of Tanana and Fort Yukon are co-signers to the TCC compact and provide the same types of services directly or "buy back" some services via the TCC program.
Services for Tribal Governments
TCC forestry assists tribal councils with business, land and forest planning issues, including review of forestry legislation affecting villages. Many of the same types of services provided for the trust program are available via the technical assistance program, but there are some limitations on funding since these lands are not considered "trust" lands. Many tribal programs have requested assistance in developing GIS capabilities and the program can provide advice and some on-site support for hardware and software installation and training.
The program is also working toward the development of a hazard fuel reduction program for lands in and around village sites. This program could use a combination of mechanical fuel treatments and/or prescribed fire to reduce fuel loads or to improve wildlife habitat on village lands. Funding for this program
has been from Bureau of Indian Affairs and other agencies.
Services for ANCSA Corporations
Technical assistance for village and regional ANCSA corporations also range from on the ground projects such as forest inventory, timber sale layout and vegetation mapping, to assistance with business plans, land use and forest management plans. The program can identify funding sources and write project proposals to help underwrite some of these activities. These services are limited to available funding and staff time and may require a cost share commitment from the corporations that use the service.
Other Forestry Consulting Services
Forestry consulting services are available to private corporations, individuals, and Federal and State agencies. The services range from on the ground assistance, research, and database/GIS management to technical review of a variety of business documents. These services are available for their full cost and are limited to available staff time. Funds generated from this service are used to support the technical assistance program to tribal councils and corporations. Typical projects may include, timber sale layout and administration, regeneration surveys, riparian buffer research, and wood supply and inventory analysis.
Requests for forestry services may be made through the program director. |
