Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act

The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (LLBO) Reservation Restoration Act StoryMap is an interactive web application designed to help convey information about the Act and its implementation to the public. The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act StoryMap includes information organized into the above headings.

This updated version of the LLBO Restoration Act StoryMap provides historical information, implementation process, the decision memo, and the map of restored lands.

“This isn’t just another Forest, it is our Homeland.” Ben Benoit, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe member and Chippewa National Forest, Deer River District Ranger

The first Leech Lake Reservation boundary was established in 1855 after Congress ratified the Treaty of Washington, signed between the Ojibwe and the U.S. Government. This treaty reserved lands from the millions of acres that were ceded by the Ojibwe, to preserve a homeland for their people in what would later become the State of Minnesota. Today the Leech Lake Reservation is comprised of land retained from the 1855, 1863, 1864 and 1867 Treaties along with land identified in three presidential orders in 1873 and 1874 under President Ulysses S. Grant. 

By the mid 1920’s the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe had lost over 650,000 acres of Reservation land due to Federal Indian land allotment policy, subsequent laws and the Federal agencies acting as Indian land trustees failure to uphold its legal obligation to protect the welfare of the Ojibwe people.

The Leech Lake Reservation lands were initially held communally by its’ respective Tribal members in a similar manner that Federal lands are held for US citizens. Congressional policy began changing in 1887 with ‘allotment era’ policy passed in the Dawes Act and this policy was brought to the affected Tribes in the State of Minnesota with the passage of the Nelson Act in 1889.  Allotment policy changed land tenure as Indian Reservation lands across the United States were divided into smaller tracts of land and individual Tribal members were allotted a parcel at the discretion of the Federal Indian Agency. A common allotment size on the Leech Lake Reservation was 80 acres.

 Reservation lands that were not allotted were opened to non-Indian settlement and sold out of Tribal ownership. Allotment era policies resulted in significant loss of Tribal lands and the 1889 Nelson Act severely impacted Ojibwe land ownership in Minnesota.  However, the full implementation of the Nelson Act was never realized on the Leech Lake Reservation as many Tribal members refused to accept allotments and in 1902 this piece of Federal Legislation was amended through the Morris Act, establishing a forest reserve from unsold lands that would become the Chippewa National Forest.

Allotted Indian lands are held in trust by the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs for Indian individuals or families. Actions on these lands requires consent by at least 50% of the owners.  Between 1948 and 1959, the Secretary of Interior approved sales of 26,000 acres of allotted lands within the Leech Lake Reservation. Under the authority of the Secretary of Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs administratively transferred approximately 16,000 acres of Leech Lake allotted land located within the administrative boundaries of the Chippewa National Forest and Cass County to the Department of Agriculture to be administered by the Forest Service. These land sales, known as "Secretarial Transfers", were found to be illegal as transfer was made without consent by the owners.

The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act (the Act), signed into law (Public Law No. 116-255) on December 23, 2020, provides for the transfer of approximately 11,760 acres of public land currently managed by the Chippewa National Forest to the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs to be held in trust for the benefit of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. This Act includes only Chippewa National Forest land in Cass County, Minnesota. 

The Act, Public Law 116-255, addresses the issue that prior to 1959, the BIA sold individual Tribal allotments equaling approximately 11,760 acres on the Leech Lake Reservation within Cass County, MN. to the U.S. Forest Service for inclusion in the Chippewa National Forest.

Over the past three years, Forest Service and LLBO officials identified and agreed to a proposed parcel list that includes larger contiguous blocks of land, fewer miles of boundary lines, access to Tribally significant areas, and inclusion of culturally sensitive areas that may not have been included in the original list of illegally transferred parcels. In choosing the proposed parcels, the Forest Service and LLBO considered legislative language that honors existing private property rights such as easements, permits, or other encumbrances.

During a public engagement period in September 2023, the Forest received 70 comments. Prior to, during and after the comment period, the Forest's interaction with stakeholders and the public includes numerous virtual and in-person conversations, phone conversations, and email responses. The Forest has completed written responses to official comments that were received via written letters, phone calls, and emails.

Transfer land parcels are located within the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation and within Cass County, MN. The interactive map provided below details parcel locations. Use the display tools on the map to zoom and pan. The home icon will return you to the original view of the map.

The USDA Forest Service makes no warranty, expressed or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, nor assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, reliability, completeness or utility of these geospatial data, or for the improper or incorrect use of these geospatial data. These geospatial data and related maps or graphics are not legal documents and are not intended to be used as such. The data and maps may not be used to determine title, ownership, legal descriptions or boundaries, legal jurisdiction, or restrictions that may be in place on either public or private land. Natural hazards may or may not be depicted on the data and maps, and land users should exercise due caution. The data are dynamic and may change over time. The user is responsible to verify the limitations of the geospatial data and to use the data accordingly.

Working collectively to implement the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and the Chippewa National Forest have announced that a  Decision Memo   meeting the legislative target of approximately 11,760 acres of federal land, currently managed by  the Chippewa National Forest (CPF), to be held in trust for the benefit of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (LLBO), has been signed by USDA Forest Service Regional Forester Antoine Dixon.

This action is a significant step in implementing the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act. With the signing of the Decision Memo, the Forest Service is poised to transfer 345 Restoration Parcels totaling 11,778.13 acres through publication of the legal descriptions in the  Federal Register . The legal descriptions and maps are being delivered to Congress.