DeCoteau

WASHINGTON — The director of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission will become the first Native American to serve on the National Park System Advisory Board.

Aja DeCoteau is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and has directed CRITFC since November 2021. The commission coordinates management policy and provides fisheries technical services for the Yakama, Warm Springs, Umatilla and Nez Perce tribes.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland added DeCoteau and 14 other new members to the National Park System Advisory Board. DeCoteau is the first Native American to serve on this board in its 88-year history. She has tribal lineage with the Cayuse, Nez Perce and Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, according to an announcement from CRITFC.

The board advises department leaders, including Director Chuck Sams, a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and has a regulatory role in designating new historic and natural landmarks. DeCoteau has more than 20 years of experience working on natural resource management and policy issues in the Columbia River basin. She earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Dartmouth College, and her master’s degree in environmental management from Yale University.

“Growing up in Indian Country on the lands of the Yakama Nation, I have always held a deep appreciation and sense of stewardship for our sacred waters and lands that provide our people with our first foods” DeCoteau said. “I am honored to accept this appointment to help advise Secretary Haaland, Director Sams and the National Park System as we work to continue to provide all visitors of current and future generations the opportunity to take in and enjoy the natural beauty and wildlife of this country. “

Haaland has required the 15-member parks board include at least one person of Native American ancestry. Haaland is the first Indigenous person to hold a federal cabinet post.

“National parks are some of the most visible and important forums for visitors to explore the outdoors and learn the complicated yet vital story of America,” Haaland said. “These new National Park System Advisory Board members represent experienced practitioners in cultural and natural resources management, as well as experts in relevant academic fields including environmental law, geography, and history. I look forward to their insights as we work to make our public lands accessible and inviting to all.”

“The challenges faced by the National Park Service reflect the challenges faced by our nation,” according to Sams. “Whether it’s an increasing demand for dwindling resources, the impacts of a changing climate, or the struggle to understand how our past influences today’s injustices, recommendations developed by the National Park System Advisory Board will help us strengthen our connection to the land and to our history.”

The terms of the appointed members are not to exceed four years.