By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
The Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) and American forestry company Weyerhaeuser have struck what they describe as a “landmark partnership” to manage a tree farm licence (TFL) east of OIB reserve land near Oliver.
The OIB said stewardship of their traditional territory “is both a responsibility and an opportunity”. Through this partnership, OIB says it has taken a co-leadership role in managing TFL 59, an area of “profound cultural, ecological, and economic significance”.
The two aim to raise the benchmark for sustainable forestry by balancing modern forestry practices with traditional knowledge.
TFL 59 is home to valuable wildlife habitat, as well as being an essential gathering area for berries and plants, and sites of cultural significance.
By thinning the forest, the OIB is able to address multiple objectives across the landscape, protect water supplies and improve the resiliency of its forests.
Contributed photo
The tenure has a broad and ambitious set of management objectives, including reducing wildfire risk, protecting water resources, enhancing wildlife habitat, increasing forest resiliency and rehabilitating areas impacted by the devastating 2021 wildfires.
OIB says that every decision within the tenure is guided by its vision of long-term sustainability and stewardship for future generations.
“Tree Farm Licence 59 is an important area for the OIB community,” explains Dan Macmaster, Head of Forestry at Nk’Mip Forestry LLP, the OIB’s fully owned forest management company that was formed in 2014.
“Our goal is to properly manage this tenure to address multiple objectives across the landscape, whether it’s fuel mitigation, habitat improvements, or protecting culturally significant areas. Through our partnership with Weyerhaeuser, we’ve ensured that the values and priorities of our community are at the forefront of every decision,” Macmaster said.
Salvage logging from the 2021 Nk’Mip Creek wildfire provided the resources and revenue to replant the trees and important shrubs that were lost in the fire.
Contributed photo
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is weaved into all aspects of forest management with layout and development of harvesting permits carried out by Siya Forestry, a joint venture between the OIB’s Nk’Mip Forestry and the Infinity-Pacific Stewardship Group. These processes are carried out under the guidance of the Lands and Referral Department and Traditional Knowledge Keepers.
“Because OIB develops the cut blocks and land management activities, we can ensure that the Band’s values and priorities are reflected in every plan,” Macmaster says. “This is about protecting the OIB’s land and passing that knowledge on to future generations.”
Weyerhaeuser’s commitment to collaborate has been central to the partnership’s success, the OIB said.
Norm Druck and Brian Drobe from Weyerhaeuser said the partnership “reflects the company’s broader values of sustainability and reciprocity.”
“Partnering with the Osoyoos Indian Band is a positive step forward in developing a collaborative, trusting, and respectful approach to sustainable forestry,” says Druck.
“The sharing of traditional knowledge from Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community members has been instrumental” in shaping the forest management approach for TFL 59 Drobe adds. “It allows us to integrate Indigenous stewardship into our plans, ensuring forests continue to support subsistence, economic, and ceremonial practices.”
Both parties expressed optimism about the partnership going forward. “This collaboration will lead to a strong, vibrant, and healthy forest that supports the social, cultural, and economic needs of the OIB and the local forest sector,” says Druck.
Concuring Macmaster adds, “We hope this association continues to grow, providing opportunities for OIB members as decision-makers, contractors, and stewards of TFL 59.”
