In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the National Forests in Florida plans to return the remains of one Native American individual and 586 associated items found at Salt Springs in the Ocala National Forest to their descendants or affiliated tribes. These items include pottery, shell, and tool artifacts considered cultural and funerary objects. Priority is given to claims from the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, Seminole Tribe of Florida, The Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. Claims must be submitted by December 5, 2025, after which unclaimed remains and objects could be processed further.
Simple Explanation
The Forest Service wants to give back bones and things like pottery found in Florida forests to Native American groups. They are first asking certain tribes if these bones and items belong to them, but other groups can also ask for them by a set date.