Sovereign-to-Sovereign Cooperative Agreements

This repository is a work in progress based on a collaboration between The Native American Rights Fund, the Gallagher Law Library and the Native American Law Center at the University of Washington School of Law, the Bolle Center for People and Forests at the University of Montana, the Wilderness Society, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Henry Luce Foundation, the Wilburforce Foundation, and the First Nations Development Institute. 

This project is completed in partnership with the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), the University of Washington School of Law, the Henry Luce Foundation, the Wilderness Society, the Bolle Center for People and Forests at the University of Montana, the Native American Law Center at the University of Washington School of Law, the Wilburforce Foundation, and First Nations Development Institute.

The idea for the repository began with funding from the Luce Foundation that sought to compile information on the topic of co-management/co-stewardship through the Native American Rights Fund. The idea was broadened by the scholarship of Professor Monte Mills (University of Washington) and Professor Martin Nie (University of Montana), whose article “Bridges to a New Era” specifically called for a resource like this website. The University of Washington School of Law Library kindly offered to host this site. The formidable task of compiling, organizing, and uploading was made possible through a fellowship generously funded by the Wilderness Society. The Wilderness Society fellow, as well as research assistants from the University of Washington School of Law, worked tirelessly to balance ease of access with the level of detail offered on this site. The First Nations Development Institute provided outreach assistance and convened a group of tribal and federal agency stakeholders to review a test version of the site and gather input. Based on the feedback provided, the information on this site is shared with the free, prior, and informed consent of the tribal nations mentioned by name. Where permission was not granted or not possible, identifying information was redacted. 

The hope is that what you find here will effectively consolidate the large variety of information on the area of cooperative agreements to address common goals in land, water, and other environmental conservation between tribal nations and other sovereigns.