Alumni from the U of L documenting archaeology sites in Waterton
WATERTON – Following last summer’s Kenow Wildfire that destroyed more than 19,000 hectares in Waterton Lakes National Park, the resulting loss of vegetation has revealed archaeological sites that were previously hidden in the underbrush.
University of Lethbridge alum Rachel Lindemann, Alanna Shockley, and Kevin Black Plume have been working alongside Parks Canada archaeologist Bill Perry and Tatyanna Ewald, a graduate student from the University of Calgary, to conduct post-fire assessments in Waterton as Parks Canada employees since May.
Black Plume, who’s from the Kainai First Nation, helps ensure elders are called in to help interpret sites when necessary.
“Archaeology doesn’t happen in a vacuum,” Perry said. “Through the support of Parks Canada, Waterton Lakes National Park staff and researchers, surrounding communities and Indigenous bands, an ambitious post-fire archaeological survey project is underway in the burn zone of the Kenow Wildfire within the bounds of the park.”