Tribal Forest Protection Act Amendments Act of 2025

The Tribal Forest Protection Act Amendments Act of 2025 would reauthorize and significantly expand a federal program that helps tribes manage forests and prevent wildfires. Currently, the program allows the Departments of Interior and Agriculture to contract with Indian tribes to conduct forest management projects, but only on federal lands that border or are directly adjacent to tribal lands. This bill would remove that adjacency requirement, instead allowing projects on any federal land that has special geographic, historical, or cultural significance to the tribe.

The bill would also expand who can participate in the program by including Alaska Native corporations, which currently cannot access these forest management contracts. Additionally, it would allow tribes to conduct forest management work directly on their own tribal lands, not just on federal lands. These changes would give tribes and Alaska Native corporations more flexibility and resources to protect their forests from wildfires, disease, and other threats.

The bill would extend the program's authorization through fiscal year 2031 and update reporting requirements to Congress on how the program is being used. Having passed the Senate, the bill is now being debated in the House of Representatives. If enacted, these changes would provide tribes and Alaska Native communities with expanded tools and funding to manage their forest resources and address wildfire risks in their regions.