Natural Resources

Active Land Management, Environmental Protection, and Indigenous Research

For thousands of years, the Gwich’in Athabascan people have been stewards of the Yukon Flats. The CATG Natural Resources Department continues this tradition by protecting traditional tribal lands and resources while integrating indigenous knowledge with contemporary resource management practices.

Who We Are

The department honors the deep knowledge that our elders possess of traditions, animal behavior, and land characteristics. Leadership comes from experienced chiefs who guide the community toward self-sufficiency through cooperation and hard work.

What We Do

The department’s core functions include:

• Participating in active management of traditional land use areas
• Documenting traditional land use for preservation and conservation
• Engaging in regulatory processes to protect customary practices
• Creating economic opportunities through land use participation
• Producing original research and providing education for building local capacity

Our Programs and Services

Wildland Firefighting

CATG provides a Type 2 wildland firefighting crew in the Upper Yukon Zone, protecting communities and forests throughout the region.

Assembly Points:

• Fort Yukon
• Venetie
• Arctic Village

Our fire crews are trained to national standards and provide both fire suppression and fire management services. This program not only protects our communities and traditional lands but also provides meaningful employment opportunities for tribal members.

• Learn more about Fire Services

Subsistence Protection

We advocate for and protect traditional subsistence rights, ensuring that tribal members can continue to hunt, fish, and gather as their ancestors have done for millennia. Our work includes:

• Monitoring subsistence resources
• Participating in federal and state subsistence management processes
• Documenting traditional use areas
• Protecting access to traditional subsistence areas

Tribal Self-Governance

CATG’s Natural Resources programs operate under tribal self-governance compacts, allowing tribes to manage their own resources according to their values and priorities.

• Learn more about Self-Governance

Traditional Knowledge Integration

All natural resource management activities integrate traditional Gwich’in knowledge with scientific methods. Elders and knowledge holders work alongside resource managers to ensure that decisions respect both traditional wisdom and contemporary conservation principles.

Environmental Monitoring

We monitor environmental conditions throughout the Yukon Flats, including:

• Climate change impacts
• Water quality
• Wildlife populations
• Forest health
• Contaminant levels

This monitoring helps protect community health and informs resource management decisions.

Reports and Documentation

• View Natural Resources Reports

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