On be half of our Tribal Council, staff and community it is my pleasure to invite everyone to the 29th Annual National Indian Timber Symposium to be held in Visalia, California during the week of June 6-9 , 2005.

The Intertribal Timber Council (ITC) is a nonprofit nation-wide consortium of Indian Tribes, Aloska Native Corporations, and individuals dedicated to improving the management of natural resources of importance to Native American communities.  Over 70 tribes and Alaskan Native Corporations currently belong to the ITC.

The ITC convenes an Annual Indian Timber Symposium to discuss current issues in Indian natural resource management.  The Symposium site rotates from year to year throughout the United States.

We are honored to host the 2005 symposium.  The Intertribal Timber Council has been a strong voice for Indian Country for many years and the Tule River Tribe of Yokuts Indians has proudly supported ITC since its inception.

This year's Symposium theme is "Tribal Forest Resource Protection: Threats and Solutions"/  The program will include presentations on stewardship contracting, innovative techniques for fuels management, biomass and small wood utilization and current fire management issues.  The keynote speaker will be Congressman Richard Pombo, who also serves as Chairman of the House Resource Committee and was the principal author of the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004.

The Visalia Convention Center, site for the indoor program, is a first rate meeting facility.  Lodging at either the Radisson Hotel Visalia (559) 636-1111 or the Comfort Suites (559) 783-1700 is a stone's throw from the Convention Center.  Both the Convention Center and listed hotels are located in downtown Visalia, walking distance to restaurants, theaters, and other attractions.

The 2005 Symposium will be one you will not soon forget.  On the June 7th field tour of the Tule River forest we will climb from the San Joaquin Valley floor to over 6,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  You will visit the magnificent Black Mountain Giant Sequoia Grove, one of the largest groves in the area.  There will be plenty of time to walk among the giant sequoias, and learn about the unique ecosystem that they dominate.  Lunch will be along the South Fort of the Tule River, at Cholollo Campground.  The afternoon drive back to Visalia will follow the Tule River Canyon down through the Tribal Community.

If you are able to stay a few extra days, there are other well known attractions in the area such as Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, rafting on the Kings and Kern Rivers, and Yosemite National Park.

The Tule River Tribe looks forward to hosting this year's Symposium.  We will do everything we can to make your trip to central California a memorable one.  For more information on the Symposium agenda and to obtain registration forms, please contact ITC at (503) 282-4296 or visit their web site at www.itcnet.org.  If we can be of any assistance please feel free to contact Brian Rueger, Forest Manager or Christine Dabney-Keel, Tribal Council at (559) 781-4271.  The Visalia Convention Bureau, (800) 640-4888, cal also provide local and regional information.