First Nations Engagement
Lincoln Environmental Consulting maintains that there is no value to First Nations archaeology without the support and participation of Indigenous communities. No amount of study, research, or fieldwork can contribute to our understanding and appreciation of past cultures as can our engagement and collaboration with present cultures.
LEC has a long tradition of engagement and consultation and has worked closely with dozens of First Nations communities throughout Ontario. LEC has provided policy reviews of Archaeological Management Plans for First Nations, ensuring the plans adequately address the concerns of the community and archaeological procedure and protocol meet provincial standards.
In addition to notifying Indigenous communities about proposed archaeological work within their traditional and treaty lands, and having Indigenous liaisons represent their communities on site, LEC also hires and trains First Nation community members as archaeological field technicians for employment with LEC or any other consultant frim.
LEC provides a 1000$ annual bursary to an Indigenous student pursuing academic studies in Archaeology or a related field.
LEC hosts an annual community archaeology day at the Namarind Friendship Center in London, where our archaeologists and Indigenous employees present research and findings about local archaeological sites and ongoing work to community members in an effort to promote awareness and interest in archaeology to First Nations communities.