Cite as: 537 U. S. 488 (2003)
Opinion of the Court
duties upon the United States in its management of forested allotted lands. "In contrast to the bare trust created by the [GAA]," we observed, "the statutes and regulations now before us clearly give the Federal Government full responsibility to manage Indian resources and land for the benefit of the Indians." 463 U. S., at 224.
As to managing the forests and selling timber, we noted, Congress instructed the Secretary to be mindful of "the needs and best interests of the Indian owner and his heirs," 25 U. S. C. § 406(a), and specifically to take into account:
"(1) the state of growth of the timber and the need for maintaining the productive capacity of the land for the benefit of the owner and his heirs, (2) the highest and best use of the land, including the advisability and practicality of devoting it to other uses for the benefit of the owner and his heirs, and (3) the present and future financial needs of the owner and his heirs." Ibid.
Proceeds from timber sales were to be paid to landowners "or disposed of for their benefit." Ibid. Congress' prescriptions, Interior Department regulations, and "daily supervision over the harvesting and management of tribal timber" by the Department's Bureau of Indian Affairs, we emphasized, combined to place under federal control "[v]irtu-ally every stage of the process." Mitchell II, 463 U. S., at 222 (internal quotation marks omitted); see id., at 222-224 (describing comprehensive timber management statutes and regulations promulgated thereunder).
Having determined that the statutes and regulations "establish[ed] fiduciary obligations of the Government in the management and operation of Indian lands and resources," we concluded that the relevant legislative and executive prescriptions could "fairly be interpreted as mandating compensation by the Federal Government for damages sustained." Id., at 226. A damages remedy, we explained, would "furthe[r] the purposes of the statutes and regulations, which
505
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