Tom Schultz

Next year, we will celebrate 250 years of our great nation. It’s an opportunity to reflect on our history and on the people and events that shaped America. The story of our country is intertwined with its land, a topic we in the Forest Service are familiar with. As such, we must recognize the people who stewarded this land since time immemorial, prior to European contact. Reflecting on the contributions of the first stewards of the land is one important way to commemorate Native American Heritage Month. The native peoples of North America developed land management expertise years before our nation was established. We are fortunate to learn from this expertise as we partner with tribal nations to do the critical work that’s needed to maintain the health and vitality of our nation’s forests. …We make a greater difference when we work with tribes and learn from their traditional knowledge.