Archaeological Overview Assessment Completed in the Morice Timber Supply Area

June 30 , 2007

A local consultant has completed an Archaeological Overview Assessment of the Morice Timber Supply Area. The assessment will help local resource managers integrate archaeological information and traditional knowledge into their resource management planning to help conserve traditional use areas.

“This is our first archaeological project in the IFPA area,” said M&L IFPA manager Jim Burbee . “It helps identify traditional uses and areas and will be an important tool for resource managers in the Morice.”

Rick Budhwa of Crossroads Cultural Resource Management, a Smithers-based consulting firm, completed the project on March 31 of this year and presented his findings at a recent knowledge transfer event in Burns Lake .

Budhwa, who holds a Masters Degree in Archaeology from SFU, emphasized at the session that the assessment does not answer all questions concerning archaeology or traditional use in the TSA, but is a synthesis of existing and newly acquired information. “This assessment should be seen as a stage in the archaeological process,” said Budhwa, “not as a definitive archaeological potential model.”

The archaeological information was gathered through an exhaustive process including searching libraries and records, conducting interviews with First Nations families in the TSA area, and liaising with government agencies. “We used a variety of information sources in developing this assessment,” said Budhwa, “and critically, we sought and incorporated traditional use information from First Nations groups” ...

See newsletter #14 for the full story.