Learn about Tidal Basin's work on the NCRP3 Program in Del Norte County, CA, and its initiatives to safeguard natural and cultural resources.
®
Preparedness
Response
Recovery
Mitigation
Natural and Cultural Resource Protection and Preservation Program (NCRP3) Del Norte County, CA
Prime Contractor: Tidal Basin
Project Dates: April 2022 – April 2023
Project Overview The NCRP3 Program, an initiative in Del Norte County, CA, is a collaborative effort led by the County Office of Emergency Services to protect and preserve natural and cultural resources in the face of disasters. The County, supported by Tidal Basin Government Consulting, engaged four federally recognized tribes headquartered with Del Norte, along with the City of Crescent City (the county seat) and other cultural stewards, to develop an NCRP3 Disaster Plan and a tabletop exercise to enhance learning for an NCRP3 response team. This project’s Planning Team was comprised of representatives from Del Norte County OES, Elk Valley Rancheria, Pulikla Tribe of Yurok People (formerly “Resighini Rancheria”), Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, Yurok Tribe, City of Crescent City, Del Norte Association for Cultural Awareness, and the Latinx community.
Be stronger than before
tidalbasingroup.com
Case Study Natural and Cultural Resource Protection and Preservation Program (NCRP3) Del Norte County, CA
Challenge
Del Norte County, CA, long the homeland of the Yurok and Tolowa people, is known for its impressive natural and cultural resources; yet significant gaps remain regarding planning or other initiatives to protect and preserve these important assets during and after a disaster. The region faces numerous hazards, including wildfire, drought, earthquake, tsunami, and severe storms; increasingly, climate change is intensifying the threat of several of these. Two Wild and Scenic Rivers, a United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site (Redwood National and State Parks), and multiple Indigenous traditional knowledge and heritage collections are among the values at risk. Our natural and cultural resources support our way of life and reflect our identity. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that communities are stronger and more resilient in the face of disaster when they prioritize these vital resources.
Solution
Tidal Basin supported the Natural and Cultural Resource Preservation and Protection Program (NCRP3) by creating a NCRP3 Disaster Plan and a tabletop exercise to promote future NCRP3 Response Team familiarity with the Disaster Plan. Over the course of a year, the project team met multiple times to determine and characterize plan elements within an inclusive environment that recognized multiple viewpoints and priorities. The resulting plan includes: • Identification of local natural and cultural resources, including intangible resources. • Documentation of stakeholders at the local, state, tribal, and federal levels.
• A risk analysis evaluating the threat of local hazards and key vulnerabilities. • Guidance on identifying and securing natural resource areas and cultural collections. • Protocols to share intelligence and information between stakeholders and law enforcement about potential acts of terrorism. • Proposed mitigation projects. • A comprehensive concept of operations (CONOPs) section detailing roles and responsibilities, including integration with the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). • A recovery section that includes a list of national and international organizations that specialize in heritage recovery. • Adherence to regulations and best practices concerning tribal sovereignty and intellectual and cultural property rights. The Plan can be activated in response to a situation associated with any hazard – natural or human-caused – that may affect Del Norte County requiring planned, coordinated responses by multiple agencies or jurisdictions. The planning team was comprised of local emergency managers, cultural stewards, and heritage custodians, including those from Del Norte County OES, Elk Valley Rancheria, Pulikla Tribe of Yurok People (formerly “Resighini Rancheria”), Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, Yurok Tribe, City of Crescent City, Del Norte Association for Cultural Awareness, and the Latinx community. Technical assistance was provided by Tidal Basin Government Consulting and the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative.
tidalbasingroup.com
®
Case Study Natural and Cultural Resource Protection and Preservation Program (NCRP3) Del Norte County, CA
Resillience Delivered
In addition to the NCRP3 Plan deliverables, the Tidal Basin team discovered the following during the analysis of existing literature and interviews with stakeholders and the beneficial outcomes obtained through the planning process.
Obstacle
Discovery
Regulations/guidance applicable to heritage protection and preservation are not widely known within the emergency management community. Similarly, emergency management practices are not widely known by cultural stewards and heritage owners. Local historical documents included timelines / historical references that did not reflect the perspectives of diverse populations. Many local government officials did not have a good understanding of tribal jurisdictions, including the differences between ancestral territory, trust land, and fee land.
The planning endeavor significantly strengthened relationships between these groups – groups that previously had little interaction.
The first comprehensive timeline and historical narrative were developed that included input from many subcultures within the jurisdiction. Officials became educated on tribal areas of responsibility and gained an understanding of tribal sovereignty and the need for collaboration during disaster response affecting tribal assets. “ While we have yet to implement all elements of the 2023 NCRP3 Plan, Del Norte County treasured the opportunity to work with and learn from our tribal partners on its development, and we are looking forward to continued shared efforts for the protection of natural and cultural resources in its implementation.”
Deborah Otenburg, Emergency Services Manager, Del Norte County Office of Emergency Services
Del Norte OES is currently recruiting for its NCRP3 Response Team. Recruits will receive training in response protocols and procedures, including the safe documentation, transport, and storage of heritage items, as well as actions that can be taken for site stabilization and mitigation of cascading damages.
To read the NCRP3 Disaster Plan, scan the code or visit www.preparedelnorte.com/ emergency-preparedness-4-the-arts-e
tidalbasingroup.com
®
©Tidal Basin. All Rights Reserved.
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3Powered by FlippingBook