Skip to main content

Sinixt Confederacy, Colville Confederated Tribes and Nakusp and Area Community Forest Sign Memorandum of Agreement

[June 19, 2024, Nakusp]; The Sinixt Confederacy and the Colville Confederated Tribes has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Nakusp and Area Community Forest (“NACFOR”). This MOA was signed by NACFOR Board of Directors, and Colville Tribal Council members at a signing ceremony in Nakusp on June 19th on the Nakusp Waterfront Walkway.

The overall goals of the MOA are to facilitate collaboration, strengthen community based and sustainable land management, share information on management techniques, and grow relationships.

This step forward in creating partnerships and partaking in reconciliation aligns with NACFOR’s aim to incorporate Indigenous perspectives and values in a shared respect for the diverse land base.

The initiation of this MOA will facilitate wide community benefit in the Nakusp and Arrow Lakes region and will act to maintain cooperation and coordination to accomplish shared goals.

The Chairman of the Colville Confederated Tribes, Jarred-Michael Erickson, said, “This is a historic event. The Sinixt people were once declared extinct in Canada, but now we return home to assist with shaping the future of our traditional lands. The Colville Tribes has a long history of successful forest and land management south of the Canadian border, and we are thrilled to bring our resources and expertise to care for the land occupied by our ancestors since time immemorial.”

A statement from the Nakusp and Area Community Forest Board of Directors, says “We are looking forward to a new era for the Community Forest through this collaboration with the Colville Confederated Tribes and Sinixt Confederacy. As stewards of the lands within our Community Forest Agreement since time immemorial, the Sinixt people bring a wealth of knowledge and resources in land management. We are excited to share in this knowledge and together ensure our forests are set up for resilience and sustainability well into the future.”

The Sinixt Confederacy is a transboundary Indigenous Tribe in the United States and an Aboriginal People of Canada. They have rights in both countries. The traditional Sinixt territory extends from the “Big Bend” north of Revelstoke along the Columbia River and over the border south to Kettle Falls. For more information about the Sinixt traditional territory and place names, visit their website: www.sinixt.com.

For more information about the Nakusp and Area Community Forest, visit our website: www.nakuspcommunityforest.com. For inquiries, email info@nakuspcommunityforest.com.