About
Our Common Voice: Tribal Collaboration for Environmental Stewardship in the Northwest.
Our Common Voice
The Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUT) takes a proactive, collaborative, and science-based approach to protecting and promoting fish, water, wildlife, diverse habitats, and Indigenous culture throughout the Upper Columbia River Basin.
UCUT provides a unified voice for the region through the leadership of five sovereign Tribal nations: the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, the Kalispel Tribe of Indians, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, the Spokane Tribe of Indians, and—formally joining in 1999—the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, which expanded UCUT’s regional representation and collective strength.
Together, our member Tribes manage and influence nearly two million acres of reservation land and engage in the stewardship of over 14 million acres of ancestral territory, 500 miles of rivers and streams, 40 interior lakes, and 30 major dams and reservoirs. Since our founding in 1982, we have remained united in our mission: to ensure a healthy future for the traditional lands, waters, and ways of life of our people. As sovereign nations, we are deeply committed to the protection, restoration, and long-term sustainability of these vital resources.
Established
Tribes
Actively Managed Acres
Our Guiding Principles
for the Land and Our People
Our Mission
To unite Upper Columbia River Tribes for the protection, preservation, and enhancement of Treaty/Executive Order Rights, Sovereignty, culture, fish, water, wildlife, habitat and other interests and issues of common concern in our respective territories through a structured process of cooperation and coordination for the benefit of all.
Our Vision
A thriving, resilient ecosystem where Tribal cultures flourish, our First Foods are abundant, and harvests are sustainable for future generations. Working together in a spirit of unity and shared stewardship, our people are respected as leaders, we protect our heritage, fully exercise our reserved rights, and our air, water, landscapes, and communities are healing.
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.
The Story of UCUT: A Legacy in Motion
Meet the People Behind the Mission
Our dedicated team works every day to uphold the values of UCUT and carry out the vision set by our five Member Tribes. Get to know the individuals leading our efforts in environmental stewardship, policy, and cultural preservation.
Leadership Through Collaboration
UCUT’s Commission and Committees are made up of dedicated representatives from our five Member Tribes—working together to guide policy, oversee projects, and represent tribal interests at every level. Learn more about the people shaping our shared future.
See Our Work in Action
Our commitment to protecting fish, water, wildlife, habitat, and culture comes to life through the projects we lead across the Columbia Plateau. Explore how UCUT’s collaborative efforts are making a lasting impact on the land and its people.
Right Image Credit: Kalispel Tribe of Indians
