Working with Tribes

The Casey's June Beetle is found on Agua Caliente Tribal reservation lands.

The federal government has a unique and distinctive political relationship with federally recognized Indian Tribes. It is defined by treaties, statutes, executive orders, judicial decisions and agreements and differs from relationships with state and local governments or other entities.

It has given rise to a special federal trust responsibility, involving the legal responsibilities and obligations of the United States toward Indian Tribes and the application of fiduciary standards of due care with respect to Indian lands, Tribal trust resources and the exercise of Tribal rights.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as a bureau of the Department of the Interior, has a mandated obligation to ensure that the federal Indian trust responsibility is fulfilled. Our office routinely coordinates with more than 35 federally recognized Tribes throughout Southern California.

You can learn more at our National Native American Programs page.

View our Tribal Partners' resources below.

View the 2023 Fall Tribal Coordination Meeting documents below. Contact Public Affairs to request documents from previous meetings.

map of California and Nevada with text which reads National and Regional Tribal Updates
photo of desert landscape with text which reads classifications and recovery actions
photos of condors and text which reads california condor recovery program
graphic logos and text which reads HEARTH Act
photo of brown turtle in a person's hand
photos of man with horse and pig