Yavapai-Apache Nation Finalizes Land Exchange With U.S. Forest Service

A column of smoke from the Park Fire rises over Highway 32 near Forest Ranch, Calif., Saturday, July 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

After decades of negotiations, a significant land exchange has been finalized between the Yavapai-Apache Nation and the U.S. Forest Service, expanding the tribe's reservation in Arizona's Verde Valley. The exchange involves the transfer of six parcels of tribal land to the Forest Service in return for ownership of 5 square miles of national forest land that holds ancestral significance for the tribe.

The agreement, first proposed in 1996, marks a crucial milestone in the tribe's cultural and economic recovery. Yavapai-Apache Chairwoman Tanya Lewis emphasized the importance of this exchange for the nation's future prosperity.

Prescott National Forest Supervisor Sarah Clawson highlighted the collaborative effort between the tribe and the Forest Service to develop an agreement that benefits both public and tribal lands, despite numerous delays and changes over the years.

This exchange reflects broader efforts by the federal government to protect sacred lands of Native American tribes and incorporate Indigenous knowledge into land management practices. It also aims to streamline regulations for placing land into trust for tribes.

Agreement first proposed in 1996, crucial for tribe's cultural and economic recovery.

Land exchange involves transfer of tribal land for national forest land.

Collaborative effort between tribe and Forest Service for mutual benefit.

The Yavapai-Apache Nation comprises two distinct groups, the Wipuhk’a’bah and the Dil’zhe’e, whose ancestral homelands once spanned over 16,000 square miles in central Arizona. Following the gold discovery in the 1860s, only a fraction of the land was set aside for a reservation, leading to the displacement of the inhabitants.

Currently, the tribe's reservation in the Verde Valley is less than 3 square miles, limiting economic opportunities and housing options for its members. The land exchange will address these challenges and allow for the development of new homes to accommodate families on the waiting list.

In addition to expanding the reservation, the exchange will help protect the headwaters of the Verde River and preserve the historic Yavapai Ranch from potential development. It will also enhance recreational access to national forests in Arizona, benefiting both the tribe and the public.