The golden-cheeked warbler has been considered endangered since 1990. Scientific research and conservation work on Ft. Hood has improved its lot. USFWS photo.
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November is Manatee Awareness Month; but no matter what time of year it is, manatees deserve to be celebrated. These amazing creatures fulfill a unique niche by serving as indicator species for ecosystems across the United States. Because of their reliance on the health of their habitat, manatees often act as a signal of their environment’s well-being. NOAA photo by Michael Buchanan.
Spring is coming early in 3/4 of national parks, according to a new study. Awesome? Not so much. As flowers bloom earlier every year, it’s disrupting the link between the wildflowers and the arrival of birds, bees, and butterflies that feed on and pollinate the flowers. In Shenandoah, an earlier spring is giving invasive plants a head start, and they’re displacing native wildflowers, leading to costly management issues.
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, the first national monument to preserve the landscape and honor the history and culture of Maine’s North Woods. Photo courtesy of Scot Miller.
Before the 1960s almost everything about living openly as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) person was illegal. New York City laws against homosexual activities were particularly harsh. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for LGBT civil rights and provided momentum for a movement.
The Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations implements the land consolidation component of the Cobell Settlement, which provided $1.9 billion to purchase fractional interests in trust or restricted land from willing sellers at fair market value. Consolidated interests are immediately restored to tribal trust ownership for uses benefiting the reservation community and tribal members.
There are approximately 243,000 owners of nearly three million fractional interests across Indian Country who are eligible to participate in the Buy-Back Program. The Program has identified 105 locations where implementation will occur through mid-2021. This schedule includes more than 96 percent of all landowners with fractionated interests and more than 98 percent of both purchasable fractional interests and equivalent acres in Program-eligible areas.
The Program released its 2016 Status Report in November 2016, which summarizes its implementation to date and significant economic impact in Indian Country.
**Detailed frequently asked questions reflect the most up-to-date information about the Program**
Offer Deadlines Approaching -- Owners Must Respond Soon!
Offers are currently outstanding for landowners with fractional land interests at:
- Colville -- January 26, 2017
Landowners can contact the Trust Beneficiary Call Center at 888-678-6836 or visit their local Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) to update their contact information, ask questions about their land or purchase offers, and learn about financial planning resources. More information can be found on the Landowners page to help individuals make informed decisions about their land.
The Buy-Back Program has purchased land to place into trust for tribes at the following reservations:
