BC Community Forests Association Conference

At the recent BCCFA Annual Conference held in Nanaimo at the end of May 2025, Khowutzun Forest Services (KFS) hosted participants on a field tour through traditional Quw’utsun territory. Attendees learned about a successful thinning initiative and were guided by community members in exploring traditional plants and their cultural and medicinal uses.

KFS continues to demonstrate leadership in advancing forest health and timber productivity, while also conserving important wildlife habitats across the region.

The day following the KFS-led field tour, Forestry Council CEO Lenny Joe participated on a panel titled “BC Forest Policy: Shaping the Future.” The session focused on how evolving forest policy in British Columbia is empowering First Nations participation in the sector. Lenny highlighted the growing number of First Nations-held forest tenures and the increasing partnerships between industry and First Nations communities, and in particular in the Community Forest agreements.

First Nations involvement in Community Forest Agreements (CFAs) continues to rise. Of the 62 CFAs currently operating in the province, 13 are held solely by First Nations, with another 20 held in partnership, bringing the total to 33 First Nations-involved CFAs—more than half of all agreements in B.C.

To learn more about the BC Community Forests Association, please visit their website: https://bccfa.ca/