The U.S. Forest Service says they will invest nearly $70 million into co-management agreements with tribes. The announcement came out of a tribal summit at the White House last week.
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have already participated in projects to recruit more smokejumpers as well as to restore native plant species in the Bitterroot National Forest.
The Forest Service also announced that it will hire a liaison that will help the CSKT provide input on forest management in northwest Montana.
CSKT are the only tribes in Montana to enter into the new agreements with the federal government.
Other projects across the country include management of national monuments, fish habitat restoration and using traditional knowledge for vegetation management.
