The U.S. Forest Service attended the second day of the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Consultation and Listening Session and heard numerous concerns about the sacred Black Hills.

Some tribal members pointed out that the entire Black Hills is sacred, not just particular locations. They worried that the agency's policies could affect how they practice their beliefs and open the Black Hills up to non-Indians.

"I don't want to see a Bureau of Sacredness," said Dewey Tsonetokoy Sr. of the Kiowa Ethnographic Endeavor for Preservation, The Rapid City Journal reported.

The Forest Service said it wants ideas on how to improve management and protection of sacred sites.

Get the Story:
Sacred sites spur emotional debate (The Rapid City Journal 2/18)
Tribal Leaders and National Forest Service meet to discuss future of the Black Hills (KOTA News 2/17)

Relevant Links:
Forest Service, Office of Tribal Relations - http://www.fs.fed.us/spf/tribalrelations

Related Stories:
Forest Service seeks better relations with tribes (2/17)
Herseth, Diedrich won't back return of Black Hills (10/26)
Respect urged at Bear Butte during high season (08/13)
Non-Indians press for access at sacred Bear Butte (07/16)
Plans for shooting range near sacred site scrapped (01/12)
Developers: Shooting range near Bear Butte still on (12/16)
Plans for shooting range near Bear Butte on hold (12/02)
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S.D. commission bans hunting at sacred site (11/07)
Janklow thought of shooting range by sacred site (10/17)
Janklow defends use of grant for shooting range (10/16)
S.D. governor says shooting range grant was OK (10/13)
Lakota group seeks protection of Black Hills (09/19)
S.D. to return grant for Bear Butte shooting range (09/19)
Protections for sacred sites called inadequate (06/19)
Federal funds used for shooting range near sacred site (03/25)
Judge to hear tribal suit against shooting range (3/19)
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