#Repost @bearsearscoalition ・・・ Today is National Public Lands Day! The fourth Saturday of September is observed to inspire environmental stewardship and encourage the use of open spaces for education, recreation, and health. On this occasion, we would like to bring attention to the new federal guidance recognizing the importance of Tribal co-stewardship for the management of public lands. Earlier this month the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a “Joint Secretarial Order on Fulfilling the Trust Responsibility to Indian Tribes in the Stewardship of Federal Lands and Waters.” The Joint Secretarial Order explicitly recognizes Tribal connections to public lands and reaffirms the agencies’ commitments to treaty and trust responsibilities. The order also recognizes that federal departments are responsible for the management of millions of acres of Federal lands and waters that were previously owned and managed by Tribes. The new guidance is a step toward greater inclusivity for Tribal nations when it comes to decision making on ancestral homelands. By providing the space for Tribes to share their cultural and traditional knowledge and expertise, federal land managers have the opportunity to create more inclusive institutions.” Follow @bearsearscoalition and click the link in our bio to find the Joint Secretarial Order. *Image IDs in comments* 📸: @timmydp #NationalPublicLandsDay #PublicLandsAreNativeLands #IndigenousStewardship #ProtectBearsEars #HonorTribes #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge