When Jacqueline Martin, a citizen of the Aaniiih Tribe, retired after a 32-year career in natural resource and fire management around the Mountain West, she wanted to move back to the reservation where she grew up.

Located in north-central Montana, the Fort Belknap Reservation is home to more than 3,000 members of the Aaniiih and Nakoda tribes. Martin had ambitions of bringing her professional skills and experience back to the community. She hoped to help the tribes find funding for natural resource management projects and mentor young people in her field.

But when Martin looked for homes on the reservation, she couldn’t find any. She’s not alone.

Though Martin lives hundreds of miles away in Boise, Idaho, she stays in touch with her former high school classmates who left Fort Belknap t

See Full Page