Department of Cultural Preservation

Our Vision

Our vision is to preserve and protect the Tribe’s heritage from destruction through a process of government-to-government consultation involving various local, state, and federal agencies and stakeholders within the Tribe’s Territory. We aim to safeguard the interests of the Tribe, enhance the sovereignty of the Tribe, and exercise stewardship over our resources.

Protect & Preserve

We develop plans that integrate the Tribe’s efforts to manage and protect its scenic beauty, culture, history, recreational activities, and other significant traditions into a comprehensive approach. Our program includes creating, maintaining, and operating a system where Tribal Cultural Monitors regularly oversee and safeguard the Tribe’s resources.

Advocate

We represent the Tribe’s concerns and perspectives at public hearings and project scope meetings. We consult with agencies whose activities impact cultural resources within the Tribe’s territory. We also review and provide feedback on environmental documents from Federal, State, County, and City agencies concerning proposed projects affecting Tribal resources within the Tribe’s ancestral homelands.

Educate

We share information on cultural preservation with Tribal members and present on cultural heritage and history in public and private forums. In collaboration with the Department of Education, we provide resources for language, culture, and other classes offered to the community.

NAGPRA

Under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Wilton Rancheria’s Department of Cultural Preservation consults with museums, state agencies, and federal agencies to facilitate the return of cultural items, human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony to the Tribe. These items are currently held in federal, state, private, and international collections across the nation and the world.

Report Archaeological Findings

To report an archaeological site, site vandalism or looting, or for more information about Miwok history and traditional lifeways, please email us.

To reach the Department of Cultural Preservation email: cpd@wiltonrancheria-nsn.gov

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Michelle St. Clair

Executive Director of Cultural Preservation

Steven Hutchason

Tribal Historic Perservation Officer

Cassie Dowdle

NAGPRA Manager

Vincent Lepena

Traditional Ecological Knowledge Manager

Anthony Wilson

NAGPRA Repatriation Specialist

Venesa Kremer

Cultural Resource Assistant

Larissa Feuerstein

Front Office Administrative Assistant