---
kind: "section"
citation: "25 U.S.C. § 3101"
title: "25"
title_heading: "Indians"
number: "3101"
heading: "Findings"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/25/3101"
units:
  - "Chapter 33 — National Indian Forest Resources Management"
---

# §3101. Findings


The Congress finds and declares that—

- (1) the [forest](/usc/25/3103.md?p=2) lands of [Indians](/usc/25/3103.md?p=9) are among their most valuable resources and [Indian forest lands](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3)—
  - (A) encompass more than 15,990,000 acres, including more than 5,700,000 acres of commercial [forest](/usc/25/3103.md?p=2) land and 8,700,000 acres of woodland,
  - (B) are a perpetually renewable and manageable resource,
  - (C) provide economic benefits, including income, employment, and subsistence, and
  - (D) provide natural benefits, including ecological, cultural, and esthetic values;
- (2) the United States has a trust responsibility toward [Indian forest lands](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3);
- (3) existing Federal laws do not sufficiently assure the adequate and necessary trust management of [Indian forest lands](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3);
- (4) the Federal investment in, and the management of, [Indian forest land](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3) is significantly below the level of investment in, and management of, National [Forest](/usc/25/3103.md?p=2) Service [forest](/usc/25/3103.md?p=2) land, Bureau of Land Management [forest](/usc/25/3103.md?p=2) land, or private [forest](/usc/25/3103.md?p=2) land;
- (5) tribal governments make substantial contributions to the overall management of [Indian forest land](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3); and
- (6) there is a serious threat to [Indian forest lands](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3) arising from trespass and unauthorized harvesting of [Indian forest land](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3) resources.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–630, title III, § 302, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4532.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title of 2004 Amendment

Pub. L. 108–278, § 1, July 22, 2004, 118 Stat. 868, provided that: “This Act [enacting section 3115a of this title and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 3115b of this title] may be cited as the ‘Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004’.”

### Short Title

Pub. L. 101–630, title III, § 301, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4532, provided that: “This title [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘National Indian Forest Resources Management Act’.”