Tribal Forest Protection Act Amendments Act of 2025

The Tribal Forest Protection Act Amendments Act of 2025 would expand and modernize the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004. The bill broadens who qualifies as “Indian forest land or rangeland” to include lands held in trust for tribes or tribal members (with a broader restoration criterion) and Alaska Native Corporation lands under ANCSA. It adds the ability to carry out restoration projects, not just protection, and extends the program to include Federal land restoration or protection projects with tribal involvement. The amendments revise criteria for Federal land projects to emphasize lands with special geographic, historical, or cultural significance to a tribe and to permit watershed considerations. The bill also establishes a dedicated funding authorization of $15 million per year from fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to carry out these activities. Overall, the act would enlarge eligibility, broaden purposes to restoration, and provide multi-year federal funding to support tribal-led forest protection and restoration efforts on both tribal and Federal lands.