HOW WE SUPPORT
Tribal Nations
Since time immemorial, Tribal Nations have stewarded forests and ecosystems across this continent. American Forests understands that Indigenous knowledge systems and governance structures offer proven approaches to forest stewardship and ecological resilience. When Tribal Nations choose to work with American Forests, we follow their leadership in service of their lands.
American Forests acknowledges that Tribal Nations are sovereign governments with inherent authority over their lands, resources, and cultural practices.
- We approach partnerships by following Tribal leadership and supporting their defined priorities.
- Our role is to provide resources, capacity, and expertise in service of Tribal-led goals—not to shape agendas or design strategies.
- We listen, learn, and respond to direction from Tribal Nations, while respecting that their knowledge systems and governance structures guide all restoration work.
- We are here to support their vision for their landscapes.
TRIBAL-LEd DESIGN
We support planning and implementation grounded in Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Tribal governance structures.
CAPACITY BUILDING
We lend resources, capacity, and expertise to help Tribal experts bring about a Tribal-led vision for landscape restoration.
FUNDING SOLUTIONS
We work to unlock funding to ensure Tribal-led projects are financially supported.
WHAT WE DO
We are here to support your vision for your landscapes.
Native Forest Reforestation
Post-Fire Restoration
Capacity Building
Coalition Building
Contractors & Crews
Funding & Cost-Sharing
PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDE OUR TRIBAL RELATIONSHIPS
Today, many Tribal Nations work to restore degraded landscapes and strengthen their capacity for self-determined land management, often with limited resources and institutional support. When we work with Tribal Nations, American Forests’ role is to provide resources, planning support, and technical capacity in service of the goals that Tribal Nations set. Tribal Nations define the priorities, approaches, and outcomes.
American Forests commits to principles of sovereignty and reciprocity when working for Tribal Nations:
OWnershiP
All data belongs to the Tribe, including data generated through projects we support.
CONSENT
Nothing is shared, published, or used without explicit written Tribal approval.
STEWARDSHIP
Tribes decide how their data is collected, stored, managed, interpreted, and applied.
TranSparency
We provide full documentation of how data is handled and used.
RIGHT TO WITHDRAWAL
Tribes may withdraw data, access, or participation at any time, for any reason.
Partners
American Forests is honored to collaborate with organizations that share a commitment to Tribal sovereignty and long-term forest stewardship.
A program of Global Ocean Health operating nationwide, PTCS engages Tribes in assessing carbon removal opportunities and risks; supports Tribes to develop leadership in carbon removal development and governance; and assists Tribes in leveraging carbon removal to meet climate targets and advance community objectives for environmental health and stewardship.
TWP’s mission is to improve lives by helping communities to protect, conserve, and manage their natural resources. The nonprofit designs conservation projects on U.S. Tribal Lands and throughout Latin America to improve the environment while creating economic opportunity for local people.
NICC is a Native-led nonprofit program helping Tribes and individual Indian landowners enter environmental markets. Together, American Forests and NICC support Indigenous-led reforestation projects, providing feasibility assessments, upfront financing, and technical assistance.
Connect with our Tribal Partnerships Team
We work with Tribes and Indigenous communities across the U.S. to develop projects including nursery development, workforce training, and post-fire recovery planning.