“Timbisha Shoshone Tribal Homeland – A draft Secretarial Report

Fact Sheet
on
Traditional Uses and
Cooperative Management

"Timbisha Shoshone Tribal Homeland – A draft Secretarial Report
to Establish a Permanent Tribal
Land Base and Cooperative Activities"

The cooperative management opportunities recommended in the Draft Report carry out the mandate of Section 705(a) of the California Desert Protection Act which provides "[I]n recognition of the past use of the National Park System units and wilderness areas designated under this Act by Indian people for traditional cultural and religious purposes, the Secretary shall ensure access to such park system, units and wilderness areas by Indian people for such traditional cultural and religious purposes."

The Timbisha Shoshone are integrally tied to the landscape of the Mojave Desert and they possess a great deal of traditional knowledge about these lands. The Timbisha Shoshone have a long history of interaction and long-standing relationships with this area that is important to their cultural identity.

The proposed plan creates a unique partnership with the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe and federal land managers to permit collaborative efforts to learn from the Tribe’s traditional knowledge of the area, to provide for tribal land management, and to expand the interpretation of the area to include the history and culture of the Timbisha.

The proposed plan identifies a number of partnerships that will provide an appropriate level of tribal participation in planning, use and management of areas significant to the Timbisha Shoshone while maintaining a high level of federal management. The proposed plan is compatible with the mission and laws of the federal agencies and does not affect existing resource protection laws. These partnerships could result in increased protection and interpretation of cultural and natural resource and draw upon the traditional knowledge of the Timbisha Shoshone.

The proposed plan identifies a number of potential cooperative activities that could be developed as pilot projects and which could clarify the role and participation of the Timbisha Shoshone in management of natural and cultural resource. The proposed plan does not recommend a new process or system for developing cooperative agreements. The proposed plan creates a framework for developing new relationships with the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe and for providing for a more productive co-existence which enhances the interaction between the Timbisha Shoshone and federal agencies.

The proposed plan recommends legislative designation of a "Mesquite Use Area" within Death Valley National Park at Furnace Creek. Mesquite is central to preserving tribal traditional knowledge of the land, plants, and medicines. This area would remain in park ownership but would permit the Timbisha Shoshone to traditionally manage this area pursuant to a cooperative agreement. Traditional plant management techniques such as thinning, pruning, harvesting and removing excess sand would be utilized. Such natural resource restoration activities are consistent with park purposes and values. This area will be a non-exclusive use area and may provide additional interpretive opportunities to park visitors.

The proposed plan also recommends the designation of the "Timbisha Shoshone natural and Cultural Preservation Area" located within the western portion of Death Valley National Park and a small area of land administered by the Bureau of Land Management. As much of this proposed area is within a wilderness area, the Park and the Timbisha Shoshone have taken great care to ensure that all laws pertaining to the wilderness will be complied with. This area will remain in park ownership but would recognize the importance of the area to the Timbisha Shoshone and acknowledge their historical and cultural ties to these lands. This would be a non-exclusive use area and will not affect park visitor access to the area for recreational activities. Traditional uses in this area may include seasonal camping, sustainable harvesting of pinon nuts and plants. These activities would be governed by a joint management plan, which would authorize low impact, ecologically sustainable traditional practices, uses, and activities. Section 705(a) of the California Desert Protection Act provides that such traditional uses should be consistent with the requirements of the Wilderness Act.

The proposed plan acknowledges that certain tribal traditional uses, gathering of plant material and protection of cultural and natural resources can be compatible with the protection of natural resource and each agencies mission and stewardship requirements. It presents a unique opportunity to learn more about the role of human interaction with the natural environment and the protection of ecological integrity of ecosystems.

These proposed recommendations are consistent with other park units that have similar provisions which incorporate traditional knowledge, establish traditional use areas, and provide for cooperative arrangements with local and native communities in their enabling legislation

The proposed recommendation to amend the purposes section of the Death Valley National Park to recognize the contributions of the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe to the history, ecology, and culture of the Death Valley National Park will add to the more than forty park units that currently feature Native American culture as a primary theme in its interpretation.