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.

Our Team

Nolan Thiffault – Researcher and Archivist

Nolan has been working for Cheslatta Nation since the fall of 2021 as their archivist and on-site researcher. Some of Nolan’s responsibilities include digitizing Cheslatta’s vast archival collection, fulfilling any requests made by Cheslatta members for copies of archival material, working towards the acquisition of new material, facilitating repatriation work, and working with Cheslatta’s archaeology and land management teams.

Nolan has lived in B.C.’s northern interior his entire life. He acquired a BA in History from the University of Northern British Columbia in 2021 and is currently finishing up his thesis to receive an MA.

Cody Reid – Project Supervisor

Cody has been with Cheslatta for over 6 years now. He holds a class 1 license and can run any piece of equipment including vessels on and off the reservoir.  Cody started out helping with the east Ootsa barge and running excavator on the Rio Tinto rock quarries and has since filled in with most aspects of the logging operations and been involved with almost every project Cheslatta Carrier Nation has taken on in the last 6 years. He is now helping with the Natural Resources side of CCN. Cody went from an operator on the south Ootsa Caribou road rehab to running the project now and is a master of getting stuff done. 

 Jim D’Andrea – Natural Resources Manager

Jim began working directly with Cheslatta Carrier Nation in 2022 and has been indirectly working with the nation since 2018 in his role as a Wildfire Rehabilitation Specialist. He comes with over twenty years of environmental experience with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Ministry of Forests.  For all environmental projects, he provides operational experience as a Technical Agrologist and a Registered Biology Technologist with a love for aquatic and terrestrial rehabilitation and restoration.  With a passion for being in the field, Jim is devout to sharing his and others’ footprints on the land with the intent of creating lasting relationships.  As Cheslatta’s Natural Resources Manager, he provides leadership and implementation of environmental initiatives in accordance with Cheslatta Carrier Nations’ agreements with the Province of British Columbia and Rio Tinto.