Parks Group Lauds Historic Tribal Costewardship Agreement At Everglades National Park

MIAMI – This week, The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida signed a historic agreement with the National Park Service regarding Tribal costewardship at Everglades National Park. The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) supports this partnership, which establishes cooperative administration of fire and water resources and visitor services at the park.

“We are proud to support this agreement, which is a meaningful new opportunity for collaboration between the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida and the National Park Service. The Miccosukee are among the earliest stewards of the Everglades, and this agreement honors their profound relationship with this landscape. As national park advocates, we recognize and deeply appreciate efforts by the Miccosukee and Seminole Tribes of Florida to protect their sacred lands and waters.” Said Melissa Abdo, PhD, National Parks Conservation Association Sun Coast Regional Director.

“Under the leadership of Secretary Deb Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna, the Department of the Interior has made tremendous strides on Indigenous engagement in our national parks in recent years. This new costewardship agreement is one of the first of its kind established under the authority of the National Park Service. The partnership outlined in this agreement marks significant progress in the Park Service’s efforts to manage our public lands in a way that meaningfully reflects nation-to-nation relationships with Tribes.” Abdo continued.

“All national parks are on Native land, and the Everglades is no exception. Together, Tribes, the federal government, conservationists, and all who treasure this place can work to honor and protect the majestic River of Grass in perpetuity.” Abdo concluded.

In 2021, Secretary Haaland and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack signed a joint Secretarial order seeking to ensure that their departments “are managing Federal lands and waters in a manner that seeks to protect the treaty, religious, subsistence, and cultural interests of federally recognized Indian Tribes including the Native Hawaiian Community; that such management is consistent with the nation-to-nation relationship between the United States and federally recognized Indian Tribes; and, that such management fulfills the United States’ unique trust obligation to federally recognized Indian Tribes and their citizens.”

The Miccosukee Tribe celebrated the signature of the costewardship agreements with the National Park Service on August 27th, 2024. For more information on the agreement, please see the Tribe’s and the Park Service press release here.

About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.6 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org