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Buff Jebsen-Ross and Richard Schwab
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Abstract.-For centuries Indians throughout the Southwest have traditionally utilized and managed their Pinon-Juniper woodland resources for economic, social, cultural, and religious purposes. Basically, up to this point these uses have satisfied personal and family needs, and except for a few circumstances have not entailed intensive formal planning initiatives.
However, within the past few years tribes have become increasingly aware of the development potential of their woodland resources to supplement tribal revenue, personal incomes, and employment opportunities.
Accordingly, the expanded management intensity and scale has made it necessary for Indian tribes to recognize the importance of implementing comprehensive woodland management planning.
There are several unique characteristics to this planning process uncommon to other land management agency practices. Differences in tribal governmental structures, social and cultural uses of the resource, land ownerships within tribal reservations, and traditional uses and perceptions to management all make planning a challenging experience.
The intent of this paper is to discuss several planning initiatives coordinated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs on behalf of Indian tribes that have incorporated comprehensive project planning processes. These planning efforts have transcended into successful woodland resource development endeavors devoting special concern to sustaining the woodland resources, while supporting the traditional cultural integrity of the Indian people.
INTRODUCTION
The Bureau of Indian Affairs', Southern Pueblos
Agency (SPA) is located in Albuquerque, New
Mexico. SPA serves ten separate and distinct sovereign Indian Nations with an overall land base of 1,063,761 acres. Of these lands, 200,000 acres are considered to be commercial woodlands and an additional 150,000 woodland acres are considered to be non-commercial. The remaining reservation acreage consists of range and timberlands. All of these lands are deeded to the tribes but are placed in Federal Trust status. The scattered locations of the tribes and the large amount of forested acres complicates the management of this unique trust responsibility. Furthermore, the "multi-tribal" agency situation at SPA produces challenges and situations not found at single tribal agencies.
Until recently this situation has largely ignored.
Then in 1989, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) received money to initiate economic development of the woodlands resource through grant monies to the tribes. The Branch of Forestry at SPA has supported four Pueblos in applying for and receiving the grant monies from the BIA
Woodlands Management Program. The purpose of these grant monies are as follows:
1. Explore the feasibility of tribal economic development through management and utilization of woodland resources, and
2. Study the potential for resource enhancement through woodland management (Schwab, 1993).
This paper will discuss the planning process of these projects and grants and their application on
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Bureau of Indian Affairs, Albuquerque, NM.
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the ground. The planning process consists of four steps:
1. Inventorying the resource.
2. Consultation with the tribal leadership.
3. Tribal approval.
4. Project implementation.
INVENTORYING THE RESOURCE
The BIA provides forest inventory services to the tribes as part of its trust responsibilities. One of the elements of these inventories is determining the amount and location of commercial acreages.
This in turn helps the tribes to determine the overall feasibility of economic development projects. The BIA uses a land classification scheme to determine commercial and noncommercial acreages.
Land Classification Scheme
For management purposes, the Albuquerque
Area Office (MO), Branch of Forestry has developed a forest classification system which divides the total forest into elements according to species composition, productive potential, accessibility, and other factors. This classification system is illustrated in Figure 1 and in the following discussion.
(DBH) for timber species, and considered a high woodland site. Commercial woodland is a term coined to describe that portion of the woodlands producing marketable woody products which is currently or prospectively accessible, is not withdrawn from such use, and not already accounted for within commercial or non-commercial timberland (BIA 1988). The commercial forests are then divided into regulated and unregulated lands.
Regulated
This class includes commercial woodland which produces or has the potential to produce at least five cubic feet per acre per year of commercial volume. These areas must be accessible, not reserved, and located on slopes less that twenty percent.
Non-Commercial Forest
This class includes:
1. Areas administratively withdrawn from woodland use.
2. Areas that are so steep, unstable, or rocky that they cannot be used for woodland production without causing serious environmental impacts.
3. Productive areas where there is low probability during the next ten years to use the woodland beca use of excessive development costs.
4. Non-productive areas that lack the capacity to grow at least fifteen cubic feet of woodland per acre per year.
WOODLAND
Commercial woodland as defined by the BIA is land qualifying as forest, and containing less than
5% commercial timber crown cover and, diameters of at least 3.0" at diameter root crown (DRC) of woodland species or 5.0" at diameter breast height
-TIMBERLAND
TOTAL FOREST-
-WOODLAN
{ NON-COMMERCIAL
COMMERCIAL- REGULATED
Figure 1.-Forest Type Classifications. ,
The acreage of the Pueblo woodlands is provided in the following table (Albuquerque Area
Office, Branch of Forestry, 1991):
PUEBLO
Acoma
Cochiti
Isleta
Jeme
San Felipe
Sandia
Santa Ana
Santo Domingo
Zia
SPA TOTAL
WOODLANDS
COMMERCIAL NON-COMMERCIAL
108,027 o
22,817
29,646
2,000 o o
5,000
50,238
217,728
66,000
16,069
2,600
17,982
15,552
2,525
2,772
25,015
7,317
155,832
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TRIBAL USE AND NEEDS OF THEIR
WOODLAND FORESTS
From these woodland areas, the tribal uses and needs has to be considered by the manager when planning development projects. monosperma) is the favored fuel source of the Jemez tribe due to its burning characteristics.
With the introduction of domestic livestock and the fencing of open ranges, the need for a handy and inexpensive building material has come into play. The Rocky Mountain Juniper Uuniperous scopulorum) is favored for fence post material which is followed by the One Seed Juniper.
Historically pinon was used for vigas and uprights but have been replaced with the
Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa).
Cultural Significance
The woodland forests are a very significant part of the culture and ceremonies that are part of the
Pueblo way of life. For example the fresh pitch of the Pinon pine (Pinus edulis) is used by "Medicine
Men" for ceremonial purposes. Many of the feathers used in ceremonial dances come from birds directly associated with the Pinon-Juniper woodlands.
It is a belief of the Acoma people that the spirits of deceased relatives reside in living trees within the woodland forest. This greatly complicates the management of the forest (Stanley 1992).
Many of the historic sites of the early Anazazi people are found in the PIJ woodlands and are held sacred. For example there are the Kow-ina ruins in Cebollita Canyon and the Sand Canyon ruins near Acoma.
B~unty of Natural Harvest
The nut of the Pinon pine has been a staple of the Pueblos and many of the other Native
Americans of the Southwest for many centuries.
The woodlands are also an important habitat for a wide range of wildlife that has provided a historic nutritional substance for the people of the Pueblos.
Hafner (1991) listed the following species that are found within the woodland forest: mule and whitetail deer, antelope, elk, and rabbit. Dr.
Schemnitz 'in his presentation in 1991 stated that quail and turkey are game birds also known to utilize the woodland habitat.
Today the woodlands also provide habitat for domestic livestock
A Fuel Source and Building Materials
Tribal members have historically favored the juniper species of the woodland component over the pinon pine. This sterns from the other more important uses of the pinon, nutrients and ceremonial. The One Seed Juniper Uuniperous
Future Demands of the Woodland Forest
The Pueblos recognize the need to better manage their natural resources and thereby control their own destiny. They see a need to provide jobs and income on the reservations and see their woodland forest as a source of revenue.
The tribal elders can remember open woodland forests with plenty of forage. Now these stands have closed canopies with little or no undergrowth of grasses and forbs. This is a hinderance to domestic livestock and an empty kitchen for wildlife.
Through the implementation of Tribal woodland enterprises the attempt to . properly manage their . woodland resources
IS being undertaken. Sound silvicultural practices are turning overgrown stands into a productive ecosystem where man and beast can prosper. These cuts also provide employment opportunities for tribal members and a new source of revenue.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE WOODLAND
PROJECTS
the Basis For Each Project
As with every other ,federal agency that conducts projects on the ground, the BIA must conform to NEPA standards and regulations. It is also open to outside criticism and citizen lawsuits.
Unlike other federal agencies however, the BIA has a more finite and unique constituency, which is the
Tribe who has sovereign rights to the land.
Consequently it is the Tribe that has the final say concerning a project. Therefore, the BIA's, Branch of Forestry acts as a consultant and trustee to each of the Pueblos.
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At SPA, the planning for each project must be fully explained to the Tribal Council. The presentation must take into account the biology of the management alternatives as well as cultural and traditional values. To facilitate this process, the
Forestry Management Plan consolidates the proposed projects into one document.
Some benefits of planning are as follows:
GOALS
1. The Tribe takes charge of its future.
2. Gives direction to the BIA's work
3. Increases accomplishments.
4. Makes it easier to raise money.
5. Involves and educates people.
6. The plan is a basis for monitoring management activities.
7. Allows Tribe to enter in cooperative management agreements.
8. Protects precious or sensitive resources.
MISSION STATEMENT
Figure 2.-Planning Triangle.
This triangle consists of four components. Each component must be followed in order. Too often, organizations decided what they want to accomplish before deciding which direction they want to follow. Hard y' s process helps organizations develop that direction. A description of each component is as follows:
The Southern Pueblos Agency Forest Operating
Plan provides detailed descriptions about how to manage the forest resources in order to accomplish the goals of the individual Tribes. This is in accordance with the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Manual (53 BIAM Supplement 2, Section 2.4) which states the following:
"Forest Management Plans are required for all
Indian Reservations having forest resources. The harvest of timber from any Indian forest lands will not be authorized until there have been prescribed methods of cutting based on sound silvicultural principles. The plan is a guide to ongoing forest activities and reflects the extent of the management knowledge available on the forest. Preparation of reservation forest management plans and their revisions are a responsibility of the Agency
Superintendents. Tribal consultation and legally required consent will be an integral part of forest management planning. Management plans will be approved by the Area Director."
Planning is simply the process of envisioning a desired future and developing the methods to achieve it. The process used for planning at SPA is adapted by a method developed by Dr. James
Hardy (1981) for nonprofit organizations. That process uses a planning triangle seen in Figure 2.
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1. The Mission Statement - This is an abstract statement of the values and purpose of the
Tribe and their philosophy for the use of their natural resources. It is the focal point of the plan.
2. Long Range Goals - These are defined as a description of a desired future for the use and management of resources within a specific time frame.
3. Objectives - Every goal has one or more objectives which describes what has to happen one year from now to ensure that the goals are being achieved.
4. Action Steps These are specific, accountable procedures which state who is responsible for accomplishing the objective and how it is going to be done. This is the only component that specifies how something is going to be accomplished rather than what is to be achieved.
The successful development and implementation of a reservation resource plan involves teamwork between the Pueblo and the
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). In order to facilitate this, two working groups are usually formed.
These are the Pueblo's Natural Resource Planning
Committee and the Bureau's Interdisciplinary (ID)
Team. The ID Team meets with each Pueblos' committee at the onset of the management

planning projects. A summary of the planning meetings are as follows:
1. Objectives of the meetings were explained to all Committee and Team members. The objectives were two fold, to learn about planning and to develop the components of the plan.
2. The benefits of planning were explained as were the planning process and planning definitions.
3. A Mission Statement was developed. This statement was usually written before the meetings by the Pueblo Governor and the facilitator and then reviewed by the committee.
4. Outside factors and the current status of all resources were reviewed.
5. Long range goals for the management of the reservation were developed by the
Pueblo committee. These goals are a pproved by the Tribal Council.
6. Measurable and attainable objectives were developed for each goal.
7. Once the Pueblo had determined what kind of future they wanted for the use and management of their resources, action steps were written for the achievement of each goals and its objectives.
8. The Implementation Plan was written and presented at the meetings. The plan included the Mission Statement, goals and objectives, action steps, and resource summaries. The resource summaries included maps and resource descriptions.
9. The Plan was made available for review and comment and then approved by the Tribal council.
10. The plan was implemented.
11. One year from the implementation of the plan, it will again be reviewed by the ID team and the Council. The purpose of the review is to evaluate the plan's implementation, update the one year action steps, and make any necessary revisions.
1. Forest Inventory Analysis - This report (one for each pueblo) is designed to document forest inventory field procedures, determine the current forest condition, and to calculate an Allowable Annual Cut (Me) for the forest. This report is a basic step in the forest management planning process.
2. Policies and Procedures - This document contains the general course of action that will be followed by the Branch of Forestry in order to run its program. It includes guidelines on forest management activities such as reforestation, fire management, timber sales, etc. It is divided into five sections: a. Introduction b. Goals and Objectives c. Timber Management Program d. Forest Protection e. Branch Organization
Because forest policies and procedures are generally the same for each pueblo, one
1/ generic" document was prepared which applies to all four pueblos.
3. Executive Summary and Action Plan - This document consists of a brief summary of the status of the resource and the specific projects and Action Steps which are planned for each Pueblo. The Action Steps are updated annually at the end of each fiscal year and the implementation of each
Action Step implementation is tied to individual performance elements. In planning for each Pueblo, the manager must remember that each Pueblo is unique unto itself and that no two Pueblos will see things in the same light. Therefore nothing can be taken for granted.
Once the tribe has settled on what it desires to accomplish, it can seek available funding to achieve its goals. For woodlands projects, they can apply for funds from the BIA's Woodlands Management program.
Funding For Projects
Organization of the Plan
The Forest Operating Plan consiSts of three documents, as follows:
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The BIA at the Agency level does not have annual budgeting set aside for woodland management. Instead monies are allocated from the Area office to fund projects as proposed by the

individual tribes. Four Pueblos within the jurisdiction of SPA have been awarded six grants from this source. Those tribes and their projects are as follows:
1990 ISLETA PUEBLO COMMERCIAL
FUELWOOD PROJECT
1991 ACOMA PUEBLO COMMERCIAL
WOODLAND ENTERPRISE
1992 ACOMA PUEBLO SPECIALTY PRODUCT
GRANT
1993 SANTA ANA PUEBLO LIVE NURSERY
PROJECT
1994 SANTA ANA PUEBLO NURSERY RETAIL
CENTER
1994 JEMEZ PUEBLO COMMERCIAL
FUELWOOD AND MULTI-PRODUCT
ENTERPRISE
Project Layout and Harvest
An interdisciplinary team from the BIA and
Tribe then meets at the proposed site to discuss concerns and any issues need to be mitigated before harvesting occurs. The SPA Branch of Forestry prefers a leave tree mark on all but their Forest Pest
Management treatments. With a leave tree mark you are managing the residual and the rest of the trees are excess to the crop tree needs of the stand.
Thus promoting better silviculture.
Once all the comments have been noted and mitigated the treatment area is turned over to the enterprise for implementation.
The method of harvesting is the Tribes decision.
This can be accomplished through different schemes and hiring tactics.
Problems Encountered
.
These grants are intended to begin an ongoing enterprise that will hopefully reach self sufficiency.
This is merely pilot project front money to carry the enterprise through the first year and to pay for the accumulation of inventory that is marketable revenue. This program income can then sustain the enterprise.
The entity that controls the funding can either be the Tribal Administration with the support of the Tribal Council or a separate entity defined by a charter such as is found in the Pacific North West or, for example, the Mescal~ro Apache Timber
Company.
The BIA through the Agency Branch of Forestry has control of approving projects based on Tribal proposals and then holding the Tribes to the agreements of that contract. The BIA is available to advise the best means of utilizing this money to achieve the best results. Accountability of deliverabIes as stated in the grant contract is the responsibility of the tribal enterprise.
It is the responsibility of the BIA to make recommendations of areas to be treated. The Tribe being the land owner must designate which area they want treated and then get the approval of the
Tribal Council through a resolution. Once a Tribal resolution is in hand, the Agency Forester begins work with the Tribal Administration to ascertain that preliminary work and layout meets the needs of the Tribe.
1. Pay individual tribal members to harvest, split, and haul materials on a load basis.
2. Hire a tribal crew to do all the work.
3. Pay individual to harvest and haul and a small crew to split sell.
4. Utilize individuals being funded through other programs to do all or part of the work.
5. Subcontract the operation to tribal concerns or individuals.
6. Subcontract to outside businesses for stumpage.
7. Use a combination of any of the above. As the old saying goes, "there's more than one way to skin a cat".
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The number one problem encountered in all but two of the Pueblos is continuity in the program.
Yearly changes in the many tribal governments bring shifts in priorities. In many instances a manager is hired for only part of the year with no one to carry the "ball" into the next season or year.
Some of the Pueblos have tried to run the entire program from a branch already overloaded with work and problems. This a sure way to failure as experienced at Isleta Pueblo.
Another major problem is the trespass of the very resources designated for the project. This trespass has been conducted by tribal members and from non-members from outside the Pueblo. Once some activity is observed in the forest you can assured that someone is going to help themselves to the "easy pickings".
In many cases available funding has run out before an area can be completely treated. Many

acres that have been prepared for harvesting are still waiting for some sort of treatment.
In one instance money obtained through the sale of fuelwood products was misplaced, closing down the entire enterprise.
Accomplishments and Success Stories
The development of the woodland grants at
SPA has enabled its staff to successfully prepare over 270 acres of commercial woodlands. An additional 210 acres have been prepared for Pest management treatment to suppress and deter the spread of two species of Dwarf mistletoe:
Arceuthbium divaricatum in the Pinyon (Pinus edulis)
For fiscal year 1993, the Branch of Forestry helped to obtain 30% of woodland grant monies from the Albuquerque Area Office. This was over
8% of the entire national Woodland Management budget (BIA 1994).
ACOMA
Accomplishments by Pueblo
1. Applied for and awarded a $ 30,000
Woodland Management grant.
2. Opened contracts with tribal members to harvest and haul 145 loads of pinon-juniper.
3. Constructed a 69,000 square foot woodyard.
4. Purchased a Supersplit log splitter from
GFX Manufacturing corporation.
5. Purchased a work shed to shelter the enterprise's equipment.
6. Hired three additional tribal members to split and stack the firewood.
7. Produced 100 commercial fuelwood cords.
8. Ninety five cords sold commercially with the rest going to tribal members in need.
9. Produced $6,509 in clear profit.
10. Distributed over $26,000 in payroll to tribal members.
11. Split and stacked over 60 cords from this year's Timber Stand Improvement projects.
12. Applied for and awarded a $20,000
Specialty Woodland Product grant.
13. Purchased a Vermeer Brush ~hipper, model
1220.
14. Produced 450 cubic yards of chipped material.
ISLETA
1. Applied for and awarded a $54,000
Woodland Grant.
2. Contracted 12 Tribal members to haul over
400 truck loads of green pinon-juniper.
3. Purchased a Duerr 20 ton and 25 ton woodsplitter.
4. Purchased a four wheeled drive pick up truck and radio equipment.
5. Provided additional salary for staff at the
Tribal Cinder and Gravel Enterprise yard for scaling and book keeping services.
6. Produced over 300 cords of commercial fuelwood and sold them at $100/cord.
SANTA ANA
1. Applied for and awarded a $26,400
Woodland Grant.
2. Provided $10,870 in salaries to extend the employment of the existing work force of 3 laborers.
3. Purchased one chainsaw and a hydraulic truck hois t.
4. Transplanted 294 wildlings to nursery.
5. Containerized trees were sold for a $2,000 profit.
The best example of woodland management is found at Santa Ana Pueblo where they have expanded their Tribal Nursery and Greenhouse enterprise to fuclude the harvest of wildlings in their Bosque woodlands or natural tree nursery.
This harvesting is being conducted to help open dense stands of Russian olive (eleagnus angustifolia) and to reduce competition. One hundred and thirty trees have been retrieved and containerized for public sale. They plan to double that number this coming fall. Not only are they succeeding in managing their own lands, they are doing it at a profit. That profit goes to keep their employees working year round instead of seasonal.
JEMEZ
The project has just begun this spring and has been held up due to extreme fire danger. Even though hindered by fire restrictions the enterprise has been able to haul over 30 cords of firewood.
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The Enterprise is proposing to cut and haul over 400 cords this year.
At this time the Pueblo of Jemez is developing their Forest Enterprise that will employ 6 to 10 people year round while producing a variety of products from their forests. These will include vigas, latillas, fuelwood, fence posts, and Christmas trees. They are also planning to contract thinning and other services from other land owners.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND
OBSERVATIONS
Another commodity of the woodland grants is the knowledge and experience gained from ad minis tering them. Some of the lessons learned are as follows:
1. The history of the area is better understood.
We learn past uses as well as the environmental history.
2. The Tribe's needs and expectations are better solicited for the area. It is their land and the projects are more successful when it is something they want done.
3. The tribal constituency is educated on the biology of the prescribed management and its alternatives, either silviculturally or otherwise. Knowledge is a very powerful thing when used right.
4. Its preferred to have the Tribes plan in hand. Don't let available funding run the program.
5. The most important element is to have a positive, enthusiastic Tribal member running the operation. This person must not have other duties within the Tribal
Administration. The person in this position must be dedicated to the Tribe and the resources. They must also have a great deal of initiative, be creative, and have the ability to anticipate the unexpected.
1.
BASIC SUPPORT NEEDS FOR A
SUCCESSFUL OPERATION
WOODYARD
A. FENCED AND SECURED.
B. CENTRALLY LOCATED.
C. EASILY ACCESSIBLE - LOADING &
UNLOADING.
D. LARGE ENOUGH TO HOLD STOCK
WITH EXTRA ROOM TO MANEUVER
EQUIPMENT AND TRUCKS.
2. WOODYARD FOREMAN
3. COMMERCIAL SPLITTER
LARGE ENOUGH TO HANDLE 20"
DIAMETER LOGS.
4. DELIVERY VEHICLE
A. 1 TON DUALLY.
B. TRAILER.
OPERATIONS
1. HARVESTING
A. FELLING
B. LIMB AND SCATTER
C. BUCKING INTO LENGTH
D. LOADING
In summary, given a large enough resource and a cooperative Tribal Council, there is no limits on how far an enterprise can go within the southwest.
The only limits are those produced or recognized by the people within it.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hafner, David J. 1991. Non-Game Mammals of SW
Pinyon-Juniper and Grassland Ecosystems. Presented at the Integrated Management of PJ and Grassland
Habitats In the SW symposium.
Hardy, James, 1981. Managing for Impact in Nonprofit
Organizations.
Schemnitz, S. D., 1991. Patterns Used by Game Birds.
Presented at Integrated Management of PJ and
Grassland Habitats In the SW symposium.
Schwab, Beverly A., 1993. Bureau of Indian Affairs Pilot
Woodlands Management Program. Managing
Pinyon-Juniper Ecosystems for Sustainability and
Social Needs Symposium: 146-148.
USDI, BIA, 1988. Native American Woodland Resources,
A National Overview.
USDI BIA, 1994. FY 1993 Woodland Management
Accomplishment Report.
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