January 12, 2011
Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation now has authority by the US Department of Interior to manage our own cultural resources. The Tribe has designated Cultural Resources Director Reno Franklin as Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. In this role, Franklin and Yocha Dehe assume many of the functions of the State Historic Preservation Officer, giving us more authority than ever before to manage our own historic and cultural resources.
As THPO, Franklin will work with government agencies to ensure compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act; assist building and development planners in protecting sites; help plan and implement language, cultural and historic preservation programs; and promote education about the protection of cultural and natural resources. Franklin is also Chairman of the National Association of THPOs.
Yocha Dehe is the 113th of the 560 federally registered tribes to earn THPO designation. THPO designation gives tribes signatory authority over their own cultural resources and can lead to much earlier notification of the discovery of possible cultural sites. The THPO program is managed by the National Park Service.