Title 25 — IndiansRelease 119-73not60
§337 Allotments in National Forests
Title 25 › Chapter 9— ALLOTMENT OF INDIAN LANDS › § 337
Summary
The Secretary of the Interior can make land allotments inside national forests to an Indian who lives on or has improved land there, if that person cannot get an allotment on a reservation, their tribe has no reservation, or the reservation was too small to give an allotment to every member. All applications must be sent to the Secretary of Agriculture. The Secretary of Agriculture will decide if the land is better for farming or grazing than for cutting timber. If it is, the Secretary of the Interior must approve the allotment.
Full Legal Text
Title 25, §337
Indians — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
The Secretary of the Interior is authorized, in his discretion, to make allotments within the national forests in conformity with the general allotment laws, to any Indian occupying, living on, or having improvements on land included within any such national forest who is not entitled to an allotment on any existing Indian reservation, or for whose tribe no reservation has been provided, or whose reservation was not sufficient to afford an allotment to each member thereof. All applications for allotments under the provisions of this section shall be submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture who shall determine whether the lands applied for are more valuable for agricultural or grazing purposes than for the timber found thereon; and if it be found that the lands applied for are more valuable for agricultural or grazing purposes, then the Secretary of the Interior shall cause allotment to be made as herein provided.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
25 U.S.C. § 337
Title 25 — Indians
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60