Storytelling

Wellness | Adams Lake Indian Band

What This Room Is All About

Responsibility

What responsibilities are you taking on right now? What are your opportunities? The BC First Nations Forestry Council is here to make it real. Connect with us.

Managing Forests for Cultural Cedar and Bringing a Canoe to Life

Managing forests for cultural cedar is critical for many coastal First Nations in BC. Na̱max̱sa̱la is the first xwax’wa̱na (canoe) carved in a forest using traditional methods and protocols in over 100 years. Three carvers from Wei Wai Kum, We Wai Kai, and K’ómoks First Nations came together in 2024 to camp and carve a large western red cedar windfall, high up in the H'kusam Forest, near Sayward on Vancouver Island. This is the story of a canoe coming to life and Nations restoring pathways to wellness.

Graphic Design with Eliot White-Hill | ForestryConnect.ca

Dive into the design process of ForestryConnect.ca with emerging Coast Salish artist Eliot White-Hill Kwulasultun. Eliot’s approach to art is grounded in traditional teachings and experiences. Through our website you can create your own profile and take a values test. Thanks to Eliot, the animals and patterns you will experience along the way carry connections and meaning to reflect on.

Adams Lake Indian Band Joint Venture

At Adams Lake Indian Band, a unique joint venture with Gilbert Smith Forest Products and Woodtone Specialty Products is showcasing what’s possible when Nation-led values meet industry collaboration. Logs harvested from Adams Lake territory are processed at the Gilbert Smith mill in Barriere. Trim ends are returned to the reserve for finger jointing before final production in Spallumcheen—creating a circular, community-driven model. The result? Sustainable practices, local economic returns, and up to 10 on-reserve jobs per shift. This partnership is more than business—it’s capacity building in action.  

A Safe Place To Grow | BC First Nations Forestry Conference

Our Ancestors had a dream and we are that dream. The BC First Nations Forestry Conference is a safe space created for First Nations people around the province to do the work required to build readiness and engage in the management of our forests.

BC Timber Sales Review: First Nations

BC Timber Sales (BCTS) has not undergone any legislative changes since it was formed in 2003. The Province has assembled an expert task force to lead a review process of BCTS and create recommendations to optimize its relevance and performance in 2025. Notably, our CEO, Lennard Joe, was offered a seat on the task force separate from his duties with the Council. He's joined by former Minister George Abbott and Vanderhoof council member Brian Frenkel. In this video the task force discusses considerations for the evolution of BCTS as it relates to First Nations and allude to creating recommendations that move away from a "Timber First" mentality.

2025 First Nations Forestry Conference Highlights

Education & Training

Jobs

What This Room Is All About

The Future Belongs To The Youth

The BC First Nations Forestry Youth Conference.

What Are Your Values?

What is a FLP? | Values in Forest Landscape Planning

A FLP or Forest Landscape Plan is a comprehensive plan that considers how the landscape will be utilized over a long period of time and what values will be part of those decisions.

We Are Only As Strong As The Room | Lennard Joe

Forestry is a key driver of economic growth for First Nations. At this year's conference, connect with other Nations, share your insights and explore new opportunities in forestry. Visit our website.

Will You Ensure The Future Of Our Forests?

Who will ensure the future of our forests?   Forests are a reflection of our connection to the land, each other, and future generations.  Rooted in First Nations culture and Indigenous ways of knowing, stewardship is not just about managing resources—it’s about respect, relationships, and responsibility.   In this video, Nadi' Denezā, Garry Merkel, a registered professional forester from the Tahltan Nation, challenges us to reflect: Are we nurturing the connections that will sustain the future of our forests?   At the BC First Nations Forestry Council, we believe everything is connected—people, forests, and our shared future. We strive to support and create opportunities for First Nations communities, businesses, and youth to lead in sustainably managing the forests of tomorrow.   Join the conversation.

First Nations Forestry Forum 2025

The BC First Nations Forestry Forum is an annual engagement opportunity for First Nations within the province of British Columbia. The sessions provide space to engage in policy development projects, amendments, and new provincial initiatives identified on the Forestry Council-FOR Workplan. It also provides a platform that informs the development of the Forestry Council-FOR’s future workplan. Share your story. We connect you.

Garry Merkel's FLP Development Tips

Forest Landscape Plan (FLP) development is a process that requires collaboration. Garry Merkel is a mentor, coach, facilitator and advisor on the FLP process who shares some tips to get you started on your own land planning process.

Forestry Conference | Meaningful Collaboration For Sustainable Change | 2024

Come and tell your story! In Spring 2024, BC First Nations Forestry Council proudly hosted the Meaningful Collaboration For Sustainable Change Conference in Penticton, British Columbia. This unique conference creates space for meaningful dialogue, warm recognitions and collaborative relationships between First Nations, government and industry. We hope to see you at the next one in April 2025!

I Am Forestry | Shane

Cultural Exchange In Uganda

Confidence building and discovery through skill building are core outcomes of our ForestryConnect initiatives at BC First Nations Forestry Council. In partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute Canada, the Federal Government of Canada and FNFC, five First Nations students from across Canada were selected to go on a three-month cultural exchange in Uganda. Our storyteller Zac Whyte filmed the students the day before they left and then again immediately after they returned to Canada.

I Am Forestry | Sandy

Sandy is a professional forester that has progressed and evolved her career in the industry. Working in the forestry sector has provided her a way to stay connected with the land and her traditional First Nations values.

I Am Forestry | Kennedy

Kennedy loves insects and biology! She is in her third year of University at VIU. As a First Nations student entering the workforce, Kennedy loves all of the opportunity forestry offers from the ground up.

I Am Forestry | James

After a career ending sports injury, James found his future in the mill. He loves working with a team, staying engaged by learning new skills and being physically active every day. There’s so much opportunity in manufacturing wood products.

I Am Forestry | Isaac

Isaac is a father, band councilor, and lathe operator at a veneer mill on the coast of British Columbia. He worked his way up through all of the different mill jobs and has built a good living and rewarding career that keeps him connected to his community and home between shifts with his family.

I Am Forestry | Dakota

Dakota is an aspiring heavy equipment operator from Vancouver Island. After enrolling in the North Island College Coastal Forestry Technician Diploma, he began a work placement opportunity in the forest industry to explore some different roles and gain some experience.

What is ForestryConnect?

ForestryConnect.ca connects Indigenous talent with forest sector opportunities in British Columbia. Help us reach our goal of filling 2200 new jobs in the Indigenous forestry workforce. Get started today by creating your personal profile as a student, job seeker, mentor or forestry employer.