 |
|
Recording location of
newly identified graves.
|
In August and September of 2002, Bison Historical Services
Ltd. and Inuvialuit Environmental and Geotechnical Inc. carried
out a survey of heritage sites in the Mackenzie Delta on behalf
of: Chevron Canada Resources, Conoco Canada Resources Limited,
Devon ARL Corporation, EnCana Corporation and Petro-Canada.
Previously known sites were re-visited to ensure that they
had not been damaged by last winter’s activities. We
also examined proposed well sites, access roads, and seismic
lines on behalf of Devon, EnCana and Petro-Canada to ensure
their upcoming winter projects would avoid known and newly
identified heritage sites. Fieldwork was based out of Tuktoyaktuk
and carried out by helicopter and on foot. Our work was located
inland, south of Tuktoyaktuk, on Richards Island and in the
vicinity of Parson’s Lake. We did not excavate any materials
at any sites and no artifacts or other materials were collected.
 |
| Seismic lines around
a site in the interior of Richards Island. |
Forty-two known sites, including ancient graves, villages
and camps, were re-visited to evaluate avoidance. The accuracy
of locations recorded in 2001 was found to be high. One site,
a recently abandoned komatik recorded in 2001, could not be
re-identified. No other sites had been damaged by last winter’s
exploration activities. However, natural erosion at several
sites is an on-going concern. New programs that we examined
included: the proposed Petro-Canada Nuna access roads and
well-sites, the Devon SDL62 access road and well-site, and
the EnCana 2D seismic program in the vicinity of Richards
Island and Parson’s Lake.
One new site was identified during our examination of the Petro-Canada
Nuna project. No sites were identified in connection with
the Devon SDL62 program. Twenty previously un-recorded sites
were identified and twenty-six previously identified sites
were re-visited during our examination of the EnCana seismic
program. Newly identified sites included: graves, ancient
campsites and traditional land-use locales. EnCana’s
planned development was re-designed to avoid all heritage
sites.
 |
| Riverbank erosion of
an ancient village site |
All previously known and newly identified heritage sites will
be avoided by the proposed Petro-Canada Nuna access roads
and well-sites, the Devon L47 access road and well-site, and
the Encana 2D seismic program in the vicinity of Richards
Island and Parson’s Lake.
|
