INFORMATION RELEASE                                
CONTACT: Ben Sherman
(303) 620-9292
bsherman@indiancountry.org 

White Mountain Apache to Receive NTA Trust Award

Denver, Colorado – The White Mountain Apache Tribe’s Wildlife and Outdoor Recreation Division will be a recipient of the 2002 NTA Trust Award from the Native Tourism Alliance.  The award will be presented to the White Mountain Apache September 27, 2002 at Indian Country Tourism USA, a conference and trade show in Denver, Colorado on September 25-28.

The Apache Tribe’s accomplishments by their Wildlife and Outdoor Recreation Division feature an exemplary recreation and tourism enterprise that is a model for sustainable resource management in the global tourism industry.

The White Mountain Apache Tribe inhabits over 1.6 million acres of their ancestral homelands in east central Arizona.  Their reservation offers a diverse array of natural bounty, rich with forests, lakes, wildlife and recreational opportunities.  The indigenous Apache people cherish a traditional culture that is alive and strong.

The values and mission of the White Mountain Apache find a sustainable focus in three major areas, as follows:

• Culture.  To celebrate and perpetuate White Mountain Apache heritage.
• Natural Resources.  To implement stewardship programs that restore and preserve the integrity of their natural landscapes.
• Tribal Economy.  To create enterprises from recreation and tourism that provide high-quality jobs and business opportunities for tribal members.

Some of the recreation and tourism activities supported on tribal lands are cultural events, camping, hiking, fishing, picnicking, boating, hunting, river running and canyoneering.  The reservation is home to historic Fort Apache, which houses the Apache Culture Center.  A unique rent-a-lake program offers two of the Tribe’s most scenic and secluded lakes for exclusive camping and fishing.

Income from recreation and tourism enterprises has enabled the White Mountain Apache Tribe to achieve a successful level of economic sustainability in their Wildlife and Outdoor Recreation Division.  The complete staff of managers, biologists, rangers and guides is fully supported by fees from trophy hunts, fishing, camping, boating and other recreational activities.

The Tribe has additional recreation and tourism amenities, including the Hon-dah Resort, Casino and Conference Center, Hon-Dah Ski and Outdoor Sport Shop, Sunrise Park Ski Resort and the White Mountain Apache Fair and Rodeo.

Mr. Raymond Endfield, Jr., Executive Director of the White Mountain Apache Tribe can be contacted at (928)338-1230.

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