Natural Resources

Mission Statement

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s Natural Resource department is committed to the preservation, protection, enhancement, and managment of the Tribe’s natural resources, as well as being dedicated to restoring the environment within traditional cultural and historical boundaries of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe to improve the quality of life and provide direct social and economic benefit for the Tribe and it’s people.

Programs

The Natural Resource Department’s Administrative office consists of two staff people, a Director and the Administrative Assistant. The Administrative office provides program review, oversight, and coordination.

NR Administration was created in 1992 when the Coeur d’Alene Tribe contracted former BIA program under P.L. 93-638, this action allowed the Tribe to consolidate all of the Natural Resource programs into a single department and provided program coordination to ensure that information and program recommendations being provided to the Tribal Council were comprehensive and accurate prior to Council action and that jurisdictional interests of the Tribe are preserved and protected.

The NR Administration coordinates the activities of ten major programs and related program budgets within the department and provides for the budget reviews, coordination and development of funding proposals for submission to five federal agencies, as well as reviews the accuracy and completeness of all technical reports and policy documents prepared by tribal staff for submission to the tribe and the funding agencies. The NR Administration also facilitates and develops cooperative relationships between federal, state, and local governments and communities on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation.

The NR Director is responsible for all personnel issues that may arise within the programs and works to develop the capabilities and skills of staff working in the department. The Director serves as a representative for the Tribe with federal agencies, and develops educational training programs that assist the staff members to learn and understand the importance of Tribal resource and environmental management.

The NR Administrative office also reviews letters and documents from outside agencies to assess and determine the impacts on the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, and develops as necessary appropriate responses.