Category: Heritage Management
By Braedy Chapman
July 2, 2023
Top sites of 2022, BC edition
Field operations in British columbia 2022 marked Ember Archaeology’s first year of significant field operations in British Columbia. Our BC crews conducted a number of sizable wildfire-related projects for the BC Ministry of Forests over the course of the season, ultimately surveying hundreds of kilometers of constructed fireguards and fuel reduction developments. These were nearly
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By Megan Williams
June 1, 2023
The Quarry of the Ancestors
Alberta Oil sands The Alberta oil sands has seen it’s fair share of media attention over the last few decades! Unfortunately, most of it has not been positive… In this blog, we are going to discuss an amazing archaeological discovery from the Alberta oil sands, and how these findings have shaped our knowledge about prehistory
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By Brian Leslie
June 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE – CPDFN / Ember Joint Venture
Today, Ember Archaeology announces its joint venture partnership with Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation (CPDFN), as an important step to helping CPDFN regain stewardship of their ancestral cultural and material remains. This partnership is structured around an approach for Indigenous engagement that is proactive and long-term. The new joint venture business area includes the Regional
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By Madeline Coleman
December 8, 2021
Hazards of the Job – Deep Trenches
Archaeology may not be as dangerous as portrayed in popular shows like Indiana Jones but we often overlook a very common fatal hazard.
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By Kurtis Blaikie-Birkigt
April 28, 2020
What Projects Need HRA Approval, or “Clearance”?
As Consulting Archaeologists, most of our work supports “regulatory compliance”. We help developers get government approval by assessing and mitigating potential impacts to historic resource sites. I’m frequently asked by developers whether a specific project requires Historical Resource Act Approval (or “Clearance”, as it was known before 2012). This isn’t as easy a question as one
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By Corey Cookson
June 12, 2018
What Makes a Site Significant?
During our field seasons we find 100+ archaeological sites every year; however, not every site we find is flagged for avoidance. The decision of whether a site is avoided or approved for impact ultimately comes down to the Historic Resource Management Branch at Alberta Culture and Tourism’s approval of our recommendations. Our recommendations are based
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By Elenore
March 27, 2018
Publicly Reported Sites
In 2016 two members of the public contacted Tree Time Services to report archaeological sites that they had discovered. Our Archaeological Roadshow was being hosted by the Sundre Museum, during which we were approached by the first person who had found a side-notched projectile point while planting her garden. We arranged to meet her at
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By Teresa Tremblay
October 23, 2017
Why do HRIAs (Historic Resource Impact Assessments)?
“Archaeological heritage is an essential element in the affirmation of our Canadian identity and a source of inspiration and knowledge. It is the policy of the Government of Canada to protect and manage this heritage.1” This sentiment is echoed through all levels of government and most provinces2, territories, and municipalities have either a piece of
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By Elenore
October 9, 2017
What is Mitigative Excavation?
Mitigative excavation is the process of digging an archaeological site that is threatened either by development or natural erosion. Mitigative excavations have different goals than academic excavations. The goal of mitigative excavations is is to save as much information about the site before it is destroyed, whereas in academic digs the goal is to answer
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By Elenore
September 25, 2017
HRV 4C – What Happens Now?
You have made a plan for a development and reviewed your plan against the Listing of Historic Resources. You’ve found that you have a conflict on your land parcel, it is listed with an HRV of 4C. What does that mean? An HRV of 4C indicates that an historic resource site is located on that
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