Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, the first national monument to preserve the landscape and honor the history and culture of Maine’s North Woods. Photo courtesy of Scot Miller.
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Before the 1960s almost everything about living openly as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) person was illegal. New York City laws against homosexual activities were particularly harsh. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for LGBT civil rights and provided momentum for a movement.
Vine Creek Ranch at Death Valley National Park. Steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Lush oases harbor tiny fish and refuge for wildlife and humans. Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life survives in Death Valley.
Located 2,600 miles southwest of Hawaii, the National Park of American Samoa is the most remote unit of the National Park System and the U.S. National Park south of the Equator. The Park spreads across three islands, 9,500 acres of tropical rainforest, and 4,000 acres of ocean, including coral reefs. While remote, the islands of American Samoa, true to the meaning of the word Samoa (Islands of Sacred Earth), are welcoming and offer beautiful landscapes and centuries of culture and history.
Seasoned backpacker and adventurer Yang Lu earned the grand prize in the 2015 Share the Experience photo contest with this image of a sunburst captured at sunrise in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah. Yang has made the outdoors part of his daily life and finds deep connection to the land through his lens.
“My photography is not just for recreation, it is to inspire people to explore these areas." -- Yang Lu
Photo by Yang Lu (www.sharetheexperience.org).
The Office of International Affairs (OIA) of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) supports and coordinates the international activities of the Department. As the primary natural resource conservation agency and a leading science agency of the United States, DOI conducts international activities that advance its mission and strengthen complementary U.S. foreign policy priorities.
OIA supports the work of DOI and its Bureaus in over 100 countries on conservation and management of wildlife and other natural resources, protection of cultural resources, cooperation on indigenous affairs, and scientific research and monitoring of natural hazards such as volcanoes and earthquakes. OIA is organized into three divisions – Policy, Technical Assistance, and Passports/Visas – which are described below.
OIA's Policy Division supports the Secretary and other senior Departmental officials on international policy issues affecting more than one bureau, and on bilateral, multilateral, and regional relations of strategic importance, including cooperation with Mexico and Canada, and in the Arctic region. At the request of the White House, the State Department, and other federal agencies, the Division coordinates DOI advice and representation on foreign policy decisions, international trade negotiations, and international initiatives relating to DOI responsibilities and areas of expertise. The Division supports OIA's role as the single point of contact for DOI on international issues for other Federal agencies and foreign governments. The Policy Division also assists with the Office's review of DOI employees' foreign travel and international agreements entered into by DOI and its bureaus.
OIA's Technical Assistance Division manages the International Technical Assistance Program to develop and implement projects on the ground for technical assistance to foreign countries in areas of Departmental expertise. These projects are carried out under voluntary agreements with other Federal agencies, international organizations or foreign governments, and pursuant to legal authorities including the Foreign Assistance Act, 22 United States Code Chapter 32, as amended.
OIA's Passport and Visa Division provides assistance to employees in processing passport and visa requests for official government travel.
Within the Office of the Secretary, OIA reports to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs, under the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management, and Budget.
Bureau International Affairs
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
U.S. Department of the Interior
Office of International Affairs
1849 C St., NW, MS-3530
Washington, DC 20240
Phone: +1 202-208-3048
Fax: +1 202-501-6381
