CHINOOK INDIAN NATION
Guardians of the Waters
A NEW ERA OF CO-STEWARDSHIP AND INDIGENOUS LEADERSHIP IN CONSERVATION
The Necanicum Basin has been stewarded by the Clatsop peoples of the Chinook Nation since time immemorial. The Necanicum Watershed Council acknowledges that any continued stewardship plan for the Basin must include the perspective, knowledge and voices of the peoples who have watched over this land. We also acknowledge that our organization does not accurately reflect the presence or culture of the Chinook Nation and we strive to improve that everyday.
To assist in carrying out this vision of an indigenous-led future for conservation and community, we have developed and executed a formal partnership guided by a first-of-its-kind Memorandum of Agreement that explicitly acknowledges the Nation’s sovereignty, expertise and leadership.
The Necanicum Watershed Council is dedicated to growing this partnership in perpetuity, including shared capacity and action planning and more.
The Chinook Indian Nation
Clatsop| Cathlamet | Lower Chinook | Wahkiakum | Willapa
Tribal Watershed Internship Program
Through generous support from the Oregon Health Authority and Roundhouse Foundation, we have launched the Chinook Necanicum Tribal Watershed Internship program. This 8-10 week summer internship is focused on providing young professionals from within the Chinook Nation an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with conservation work in the Clatsop Territory. Interns are able to participate in a variety of field experiences with diverse partners and stakeholders, complete organizational projects like fundraisers, research and administrative work and take advantage of highly desirable skills training through grant writing courses and other nonprofit management training events.
2023 Tribal Watershed Intern: Katie McClure - Western Washington University
2024 Tribal Watershed Intern: Keyen Singer - University of Oregon
"Guardians of the Waters" is a short documentary about the Chinook Indian Nation’s enduring relationship to the lands and waters of their ancestral territory, while continuing to navigate the ongoing impacts of seeking the restoration of Chinook federal recognition. Through the story of the Chinook’s partnership with the Necanicum Watershed Council, the film explores what it means to care for the land through Indigenous knowledge and collaborative stewardship. At its heart, this is a story about history, sovereignty, and responsibility. It asks what becomes possible when Indigenous communities are recognized not as an afterthought in conservation, but as essential leaders in the work of protecting their homelands.
First Salmon Celebration, Tansy Point in Clatsop Territory, June 2022.