What is an Indigenous reservation?

Indigenous reservations are areas of land set aside for federally recognized tribes to live on, as per an agreement with the United States. The federal government holds the title to the land in trust for the tribe. 

The term "reservation" comes from the early days of contact between Native Americans and white people, when Native Americans gave up large portions of their land in exchange for the federal government's protection. The United States used reservations to: Clear land for western expansion and Americanize tribes into farming communities. 

Today, there are around 310 reservations in the United States, but there are over 550 federally recognized tribes. This is because some tribes have multiple reservations, some share reservations, and some have none. The total area of all reservations is about 87,800 square miles, which is about 2.3% of the total area of the United States.

What does THPO stand for?

THPO stands for Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, a federally-recognized Indian tribe official who manages a program to preserve and protect tribal historic properties and cultural traditions: 

• Responsibilities

  THPOs advise federal, state, and local agencies on managing tribal historic properties. They also survey and inventory historical resources, ensure historic properties are considered in planning and development, and offer historic preservation training and outreach. 

• How it works

  THPOs are designated by a tribe and assume some or all of the functions of State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPOs) on tribal lands. Before a tribe can assume these functions, they must submit a formal plan to the National Park Service. 

• Funding

  The Historic Preservation Fund's Tribal line item supports THPO grants, which provide assistance to Native American communities. 

• Section 106 review

  THPOs are primary consulting parties in the Section 106 review process, which is a detailed environmental review that's part of project planning
  

What is the management of cultural resources?

Cultural resource management ensures that important knowledge is gained, that damage to scarce cultural resources are avoided as much as possible, and that cultural resources are preserved, managed, and presented for the public's benefit.

What are the five types of cultural resources?

To focus attention on management requirements within these property types, the NPS Management Policies categorizes cultural resources as archeological resources, cultural landscapes, structures, museum objects, and ethnographic resources.