By Times Chronicle Staff
The Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) Forestry department recently hosted its annual partnership day bringing together diverse community and business voices.
The Forestry Business Partnerships Day on June 24 brought community members, students, forestry businesses, contractors, and partner organizations together to learn more about the work taking place across OIB territory.
Opening Ceremony song by Senpaq’cin Elementary School students.
OIB photo
Jane Stelkia, OIB Elder and Leona Baptiste, OIB Council Member and Brenda Gould, OIB Referrals.
OIB photo
A key aim was to explore how partnerships can support employment, training, youth engagement, and business development for OIB members.
“Forestry is about much more than managing forests,” said Dan Macmaster, Forestry Manager with Osoyoos Indian Band Forestry. “It is about good stewardship, building relationships, creating opportunities for OIB members, and making sure the community has a strong voice in how the land is cared for now and for future generations.”
Students from Senpaq’cin Elementary School opened the event with a song, and all those gathered enjoyed a BBQ lunch sponsored by the Sutherland Group. Forestry companies and organizations also shared information about their work and discussed future collaboration with the community.
“Our Forestry Business Partnerships Day continues to grow and provides an excellent opportunity for face-to-face conversations between the OIB community, our forestry team, and the many partners we work with,” said Peter Flett, Head of Operations at Nk’Mip Forestry.
“The relationships we build with organizations working across OIB’s traditional territory are important and form the foundation of trust moving forward. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the day a success.”
Skemxist Solutions Booth.
OIB photo
Drone shot of Osoyoos Indian Band office
OIB photo
OIB Forestry expressed its thanks to all of the business partners who joined the event, the OIB community members who came out to learn and ask questions, the students of Senpaq’cin Elementary School for helping open the day in a good way, and the Sutherland Group Food Truck for supporting the barbecue. “limləmt (thank you) to everyone who contributed to making the day a success.”
The OIB said the Annual Forestry Business Partnerships Day reflects its “ongoing commitment to collaboration, local economic development, and responsible stewardship across OIB territory.”
