Haudenosaunee Development Institute

Created with complete direction from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC) in 2007, Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) oversees land development across all Haudenosaunee territory, including areas outlined in historic treaties like the Haldimand Proclamation and the Nanfan Treaty of 1701.

With its central base of operations located in Six Nations of the Grand River, HDI takes its dual roles of guardian and guide very seriously. HDI’s purpose is to ensure all land development respects the values and laws of the larger Haudenosaunee Nation, which includes the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora Nations. By means of accomplishing this, it reviews land project proposals and makes careful evaluations about whether or not they protect the sacred places and cultural traditions of the Haudenosaunee, as well as respect the environment.

In carrying out its operations, HDI employs two key tools: the Haudenosaunee Green Plan and the Haudenosaunee Development Protocol. These policies contain rules that set out clear expectations for developers, including important elements like obtaining full community consent, respecting the natural habitats of local animal species, and avoiding harm to wetlands and watersheds. Projects approved by the Haudenosaunee Development Institute must also avoid damaging traditional Haudenosaunee hunting grounds, fishing waters, gathering areas, and ancestral sites, and mandate the preservation of any artifacts found during the course of surveying and construction.

On a fundamental level, HDI is an organization dedicated to defending Haudenosaunee sovereignty and upholding a deep commitment to protect the land, water, air, and wildlife for future generations.