Cherokee Nation, park service reach deal on plant gathering
The Associated Press - April 23, 2022 7:47 am
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) — The Cherokee Nation has signed an agreement with the National Park Service to allow citizens to gather plants within Arkansas’ Buffalo National River to use for purposes including food, crafts, and medicine.
The river, located in Arkansas’ Ozark Mountains, was established as the country’s first national river in 1972.
The agreement, announced on Wednesday, will establish a process for Cherokee citizens to gather plants in parts of the national park including the Lost Valley, Tyler Bend, Buffalo Point, and Rush areas.
Also on Wednesday, the tribe announced a plan to dedicate nearly 1,000 acres of land in Adair County, Oklahoma, to protect culturally significant plants.
