Cultural Plant Harvests on Federal Lands

Native Americans who wish to harvest forest plants for traditional uses report difficulties gaining access to federal lands in the northwestern United States. To learn more about this issue, we reviewed the published literature on site access and resource harvests by tribal members and discussed it with Native American traditional users of plant resources. Specifically, 29 members of the Northwest Native American Basketweavers Association shared their experiences with gathering plants on federal land. The study found that barriers to harvest (e.g., gates, closed roads, and requirements for obtaining permits) were compounded by inconsistent co-management arrangements between tribes and federal land agencies. These barriers and complications combine to make gathering difficult. Our findings indicate that expanded efforts to understand the exercise of tribal reserved rights to gather on ceded lands are warranted. Includes photographs of native basketry and weaving techniques.