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CHAPTER 1760 - EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
1761 - SPECIAL EMPHASIS PROGRAMS
1761.3 - Native American Programs
1. Authority - Pertinent laws, orders, rules, regulations, and procedural instructions
concerning Civil Rights are listed in FSM 1701. Other pertinent legal requirements are:
a. National Forest Management Act (36CFR 219).
b. American Indian Religious Freedom Act.
2. Objective - To provide special emphasis and direction for the Native American
Program.
3. Policy - American Indians comprise the largest minority group in Region One. Native
Americans, through treaties and agreements, have a special relationship with the United States
Government. The Regional policy shall be to:
a. take affirmative action to provide equal employment opportunity for Native Americans;
b. coordinate land management planning activities with Native Americans;
c. assist Native Americans with the practice of their traditional religions; and,
d. afford equal opportunity to participate in or derive benefits from Forest Service
programs.
4. Responsibilities
a. Staff Assistant to Regional Forester for Civil Rights. Provides overall leadership and
coordination for the Region's Civil Rights Program, which includes the American Indian
Program.
b. Staff Director, Personnel Management. Is responsible for the planning, coordination,
development and implementation of the Region's American Indian Program, and provides
assistance and guidance to the field as needed. These activities are carried out primarily through
a Regional American Indian Program Manager position (FSH 1709.11, 61.5).
c. Staff Directors. Within their area of responsibility shall propose needed policy and
assist in the accomplishment of the Region's American Indian Program objectives and policies.
d. Forest Supervisors. Responsible for establishing, directing, and evaluating an
American Indian Program that supports the accomplishment of Regional objectives and policies.
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In addition, Forest Supervisors are responsible for maintaining key contact/liaison relationships
with the following Indian groups:
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Designated Forest
Contact/Liaison Group
Custer NF:
Three Affilliated Tribes of North Dakota
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Crow Tribe
Northern Cheyene Tribe
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa
Devils Lake Sioux Tribe
Deerlodge NF:
North American Indian Alliance
(Butte)
Anaconda Indian Alliance
Flathead NF:
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
Gallatin NF:
Fort Belknap Tribe
Fort Peck Tribe
Helena NF:
Helena Indian Alliance
Montana United Indian Alliance
Idaho Panhandle NF's:
Spokane Tribe
Colville Confederated Tribes
Kootenai Tribe of Idaho
Coeur d'Alene Tribe
Lewis & Clark NF:
Blackfeet Tribe
Landless Indian Organizations
Rocky Boy Tribe
Lolo NF:
Native American Service Agency
Nez Perce NF:
Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho
Forests will coordinate all activities with key contacts. Each Forest is encouraged to seek out
and work with other Indian groups within their area of influence; however, all such contacts
should first be coordinated with the "designated" Forest (above).
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Each Forest will have an American Indian Program Manager who is responsible for the
following:
(1) Maintaining communication with tribal officials within area of responsibility to foster
recruitment of American Indian employees, to provide information on Forest Service land
management planning activities. Procurement opportunities, benefits available, etc.
(2) Prepare an annual program plan and program of work which includes a focus on
increasing the number of American Indians in the Forest organization.
(3) Participating in the preparation of the Forest Affirmative Action Plan.
(4) Maintaining a relationship with other Region One units to assure proper
understanding, involvement, and support of the program.
(5) Review Forest unit direction and guidelines to ensure that there are no adverse effects
on American Indians.
(6) Visit community groups, schools, colleges, universities, etc., to provide information
about employment and services.
(7) Coordinate, establish, and develop educational programs with Indian Community
Colleges and high schools that will enhance higher education opportunities throughout Region
One.
5. Programs - Ongoing Native American Programs shall be developed, implemented, and
maintained in Region One on a Regional basis and on each of the Region's National Forests.
Two programs of current emphasis are employment and education:
a. Employment - To expand the number of American Indians in both the temporary and
permanent work force of the Region to achieve parity with the numbers of the community. In
addition, because Region One enjoys a large population of American Indians, we will make a
special employment effort here to contribute to the overall National diversity of the Forest
Service as to relates to American Indians.
b. Education - The Region recognizes that due to past discrimination, there is not a
representative population of American Indians in academic institutions to meet the occupational
needs of the Forest Service. In an effort to support programs that focus on local 4-year
universities, local tribal community colleges, and Haskell Indian Junior College, to bring more
Indians into a competitive situation to compete for Forest Service positions.
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As such, the Region will pursue the following policies:
(1) Policy. Encourages Native Americans to pursue careers and become employable in
natural resources and related occupations by:
(a) Using temporary employment programs to provide a basic exposure to land management
activities and to encourage attainment of 2- to 4-year post high school education in natural
resources and related occupations.
(b) Encouraging and assisting the States of Montana, Idaho, and North Dakota with: (1)
identification of educational deficiencies that prevent Native American youth from equally
competing with non-Indians for jobs; and, (2) establishment of remedial education programs
directed toward elimination of deficiencies identified.
(c) Promoting and supporting the establishment/development of Indian community colleges
offering courses that are compatible with occupational needs and requirements of natural
resource management organizations of the Forest Service and tribes.
(d) Giving special emphasis to the American Indian Community in the accomplishment
of the Region's Affirmative Action program.
(e) Support activities being carried out at Haskell Indian Junior College relating to the
development and implementation of their Natural Resources program.
(f) Work with tribally controlled colleges to support programs of compatible occupational
interest.