Returning the Commons to Indigenous Hands | Atmos

Within the first few months of the second Trump administration, as the outcome of a widely criticized Republican proposal to sell off up to 3.3 million acres of federal public lands remained undecided, a pressing question began to echo: Could Tribes or Indigenous communities purchase these public lands if they were truly put up for sale?

The question, while grounded in hope, revealed a deeper anxiety about the future of land stewardship in the United States. Since early 2025, when the Trump administration began dismantling proper management of public and federal lands by laying off or forcing out thousands of National Park Service employees, proposing $1.2 billion in cuts (a staggering 35–40% of the agency’s funding), and proposing the logging of 59% of U.S. Forest Service lands, the public discourse has reflected mounting unease. What happens when the federal government walks away from the very lands it is entrusted to protect?

The idea that Indigenous communities might take over that role is, on the surface, a promising one, borne of the belief that Tribes exercising sovereignty over more land would benefit people and planet alike. But to realize that vision in any meaningful way, Tribes need to be properly resourced—in terms of capital, infrastructure, training, and legal authority.