The Lands and Resources Department of the Cheslatta Carrier Nation oversees and monitors activities within the Cheslatta Territory

The portfolio includes parks, protected areas, tenures, infrastructure, industrial development, fires, and related impacts, resource management, and environmental rehabilitation on the land and waters, all while acknowledging and protecting the significant cultural and heritage integrity throughout the Territory.

The Nation has developed several businesses that oversee and manage the Cheslatta Community Forest, Cheslatta tourism enterprises, mineral exploration and mining projects, and other land and resource projects within the Cheslatta Territory. 

Through collaborative management with the Province of British Columbia and Rio Tinto, Cheslatta Carrier Nation is involved in the planning and implementation of numerous aquatic and terrestrial projects throughout the territory. These projects include restoration of caribou habitat and data collection of mountain goat populations.

The nation is actively involved in the Nechako Watershed Engagement Initiative and has a presence on both the main and technical tables. Along with these active initiatives, Cheslatta Carrier Nation is actively pursuing relationships with wildland wildfire specialists and researchers looking at current and historic fire activities on the land as well as pursuing archeological research and cultural heritage resource inventory and data collection.

In 2022 the nation is proud to initiate its Guardian Program with a full-time field guardian focused on monitoring natural resource activities and ensuring the culture of Cheslatta ‘Footprints on the Land’ continues.

The Natural Resource team brings years of operational, technical, and strategic experience to projects. The safe operation of equipment and vessels is a key principle in the nation’s daily natural resource operations along with the ability and willingness to have candor during conversations with proponents, partners, and co-managers.

How the Archives supports Cheslatta’s Land Management and Archaeology Projects

Cheslatta Archives catalogs and digitizes any historical material relevant to Cheslatta peoples including documents, maps, photographs, videos, and cassette tapes. Cheslatta Archives also provides storage and preservation for artifacts and lithics, including those recovered from recent archaeology projects.

Cheslatta Archives provides support for the land management and archaeology teams by identifying and sourcing historical material relevant to their ongoing projects. For example, in relation to the current archaeology project at Tatichek Lake, Cheslatta’s archivist has found and digitized maps, photographs, field notes, and other material from pre-flood archaeology work done in 1951 and 1952 at nearby locations including Chelaslie, Euchu, and Natalkuz Lakes. Any historical material related to the early-1950s archaeology work is of great value to Cheslatta Nation, especially given that those sites can no longer be accessed due to flooding.