Five Tribes,
One Vision For The Future
United For The Benefit Of All.
Reconnecting Fish, Water and People a new video from UCUT and PNNL
Honoring Ancestral Lands Through Tribal Unity and Stewardship.
The Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUT) unite five sovereign Tribal nations in Washington and Idaho—the Coeur d’Alene, Colville, Kalispel, Kootenai, and Spokane Tribes—to protect the natural resources and cultural heritage of the Columbia Plateau. From restoring salmon in the Upper Columbia River and safeguarding clean water to conserving wildlife and strengthening Tribal traditions, UCUT leads science-based projects that sustain the environment and communities of the Inland Northwest for future generations.
Building the Future, One Project at a Time
Phase 2 Implementation Plan (P2IP): Testing Feasibility of Reintroduced Salmon in the Upper Columbia River Basin
Upper Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction (CRTRLE) Project
From Rivers to Roots: All Our Projects
Six Paths, One Purpose:
A Thriving Future for the Columbia Plateau
Fish
Resident and anadromous fish were once abundant throughout the region. They provided spiritual, nutritional and cultural needs and served as a critical component to a healthy ecosystem. We work to reintroduce these native species back into the Upper Columbia River Basin.
Wildlife
We aim to restore wildlife habitat on tribal lands through the rehabilitation, protection and maintenance of crucial wildlife corridors and ways of life.
Enviroment
UCUT protects the environmental health of the Upper Columbia Basin through science-based action and tribal collaboration—addressing climate change, forest health, and ecosystem resilience.
Habitat
Our territories feature unique and stunning landscape including forested mountains, grass-covered hills, and rivers and watersheds. We work to restore habitat on tribal lands.
Culture
We promote culture by sharing our knowledge, preserving our sacred practices and protecting the traditional lands of our ancestors.
Education & Outreach
UCUT fosters awareness and understanding through educational programs, public outreach, and community engagement—building strong connections to the land, culture, and science that guide our work.
Established
Tribes
Actively Managed Acres
Protecting Our Ancestral Lands
The territory that UCUT protects, preserves and works to enhance includes some of the most valuable and diverse natural resources in our region from Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and into Canada.
Our territories feature unique and stunning landscape including forested mountains, grass-covered hills, and river habitat like the great Columbia River, the Kootenai River, the Spokane River, Priest Lake, Lake Coeur d’Alene, and Lake Pend Oreille.
Reconnecting
Fish, Water, & People.
Since time immemorial, Indigenous peoples of the Columbia basin relied on a healthy and connected ecosystem that supported abundant salmon runs and resilient resident fish populations. That all changed with the development of dams along the Columbia River and its tributaries, which fragmented the ecosystem and limited fish movement. To right these historic wrongs, the five member Tribes of UCUT have taken the lead on reintroducing salmon, restoring resident fish habitats, and reconnecting fish, water, and people. See the video below for more information on the dedicated work of the Upper Columbia United Tribes.
Join Us in Protecting
the Future.
Together, we can restore balance to the land, honor our shared heritage, and ensure a thriving Columbia Plateau for generations to come.
