NPS issues ‘first-ever’ Director’s Order for nation-to-nation consultations

JACKSON, Wyo. — The National Park Service (NPS) announced today, Nov. 5, that it has issued a first-ever Director's Order for agency decision-makers engaging in nation-to-nation consultations with Indian and Alaska Native Tribes.

According to a Facebook post from the NPS, the Director's Order was developed with input from Tribes and expands existing NPS policies and procedures to affirm consultations with Tribes as a NPS policy priority. The NPS writes that this initiative underscores the agency's "commitment to developing, implementing and maintaining positive working relationships with Tribes based on transparency, accountability, mutual trust and responsibility."

Park managers will be able to use this policy directive to help facilitate discussions and ensure Tribal input is included early in the park decision-making process on issues that could directly or indirectly affect Tribe's and their ancestral lands, interests, practices or traditional use areas.

The Director's Order outlines the consultation process and includes:

More than 570 federally recognized Indian and Alaska Native Tribes have a unique political status that is recognized by NPS managers. There are 27 listed tribes who have historic connections to the lands and resources now found within Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway are the homelands of 24 tribes with ancestral and cultural connections.