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Land issues in Indian Country are not merely important. They are so central and linked to the people as to be not only a natural resource but a cultural and spiritual resource as well: Land is sacred.
Although Indian lands are extensions of neighboring ecological landscapes and watersheds, they are strikingly different politically. Many reservations have several different classes of land title within them that are not managed by a single political entity: Indian title, allotted, federal, and fee simple are but a few examples. Each class of land gives rise to unique responsibilities and authorities. This can make land-based natural resources issues and resulting decisions quite complex.
There are several land-related issues of key interest to tribes today: (1) Sovereignty (2) Undivided heirship and fractionated lands; and (3) The conversion of in held fee simple lands to trust lands ("fee to trust").
