Preserving and Protecting
our Natural Resources
NI-GV-WA-S-TI TSU-GV-WA-LO-TI
ᏂᎬᏩᏍᏗ ᏧᎬᏩᎶᏗ
Preserving and Protecting
our Natural Resources
NI-GV-WA-S-TI TSU-GV-WA-LO-TI
ᏂᎬᏩᏍᏗ ᏧᎬᏩᎶᏗ
A Tradition of Stewardship
The Cherokee people possess a long history of natural resource stewardship dating back thousands of years. The continued preservation is increasingly challenging as human populations grow. The EBCI Natural Resources program is committed to maintaining, monitoring and regulating actions that effect the purity and integrity of Tribal lands for generations to come.
Working Together to Provide a Sustainable Environment
FORESTRY
We strive to protect and conserve the Tribe’s forest interests and utilization of all timber and non-timber products by individual forest type management.
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AIR QUALITY
We are the only tribe with a continuous air monitoring program in EPA Region 4. We maintain three monitoring sites on the Qualla Boundary. Learn More
WATER QUALITY LAB
Our lab is a state certified laboratory responsible for the water quality monitoring of various stream sites that are Tribally owned, or waters that affect Tribally owned land.
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FISH AND WILDLIFE
We focus on maintaining and improving our culture, economy, and ecosystems as we protect and enhance aquatic animal and wildlife populations.
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HORTICULTURE
We are responsible for the propagation of native and cultural significant plants for aquatic restoration and wildlife improvement projects.
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REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
We are responsible for many environmental regulatory issues on the lands of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Some of these include site reviews, underground storage tanks, permits and inspections.
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WATERSHED MANAGEMENT
We’re responsible for stream assessments for stream health, aquatic sampling, surveying, design, modeling and construction. Learn More
Our Commitment
The EBCI Natural Resources program was created in 2015 with a mission to manage, enhance, and protect natural resources for the present-day Cherokee community and future generations.
Our program includes offices responsible for land, water, air, fish, wildlife, and plant conservation activities. The continued maintenance of ecosystem integrity and the associated economic, social, and cultural benefits a healthy environment provides is increasingly challenging as our community grows. Today, EBCI Natural Resources works to integrate cultural values with adaptive scientific initiatives in order to effectively sustain Cherokee natural resources.
For more information on what we do, download the Integrated Resource Management Plan (“Legacy Plan”) or contact us if you have any questions.
