The State of BC’s Forests The Indicators First Nations involvement — PDF print version

Indicator 19 – First Nations involvement

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Why is this important?

Forests have been economically, culturally and spiritually significant to First Nations people for thousands of years.

Overview

• First Nations involvement includes consultation for planning and decision-making, gaining access to forest resources for timber and other uses, revenue sharing, and traditional use projects.
• First Nations people (not including Métis) now make up about 3% of British Columbia’s population. Most live in rural communities near the forest land base.
• Involvement by First Nations in the forest sector’s economic opportunities has increased over the past 20 years. Many First Nations in B.C. have unresolved aboriginal rights and title issues.

STATE

mixed

TREND

improving

INFORMATION

adequate

Questions about First Nations involvement

19-1	What timber harvesting opportunities do First Nations have?
19-2	In what ways do First Nations participate in the forest sector?
19-3	How are First Nations interests considered in forest management?
19-4	Are aboriginal rights and title issues being resolved?
	Ministry of Forests and Range’s assessment

Related indicators

• Timber harvesting puts pressure on First Nations’ traditional uses of the forests, including hunting of wildlife (see Species diversity).
• High rates of unemployment in many First Nations communities create difficult social problems (see Jobs and communities).
• Management responses include consultation, changes in policy and law, reallocation of forest resources (see Law, Ownership and management), and resolution of aboriginal rights and title issues.

Indicator 19-1

What timber harvesting opportunities do First Nations have?

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Why is this important?

Timber harvesting and milling provides an important source of income for First Nations.

State and Trend

• In 2005, companies owned by First Nations bands and band members held tenures with annual harvest volumes of 3.7 million m³ or 4.5% of the provincial allowable annual cut (AAC), double the 1.8 million m³ in 2003.
• In 2005, First Nations had a share³³, along with non-aboriginal companies, in joint ventures that held rights to 2.2 million m³ or 2.7% of the AAC. Joint ventures provide opportunities for First Nations to develop skills and entrepreneurial capacity.
• Rates of involvement vary around the province, depending on First Nations’ interest and capacity, and the availability of unallocated timber.
• Recent provincial initiatives enable increased allocations of timber to, and sharing of forestry revenues with, First Nations through interim measures agreements.
• Harvests on reserves are administered by the federal government.
• Maps: First Nations Bands (PDF)

Information

• Records of First Nations’ timber tenures are reliable for recent years. Some minor gaps are known to exist in the data before 1995.
• First Nations shares of joint ventures were not tracked for 2005.
• The volumes presented represent rights to harvest, not actual volumes harvested.
• References: MFR’s Aboriginal Affairs
• Related international and national indicators: MP (none); CCFM (none)

Indicator 19-2

In what ways do First Nations participate in the forest sector?

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Why is this important?

Participation throughout the forest sector provides First Nations with economic benefits and the opportunity to influence forest management.

State and Trend

• First Nations hold interim measures agreements, timber tenures, work in the forest sector (e.g., logging, milling, fire fighting, tree planting), pursue training in forestry, and consult on forest management. Employment provides direct economic benefits to individuals and communities.
• Census data show that aboriginal direct employment in the forest sector increased 60% between 1981 and 2001, from 3,930 to 6,300, or from 3.5% to 7.7% of total direct employment in the forest sector.
• Aboriginal employment in all sectors increased 248% over these two decades, while total B.C. employment increased 45%.
• With increasing education and training in forestry, more First Nations people are filling technical and professional positions.
• First Nations are increasingly participating in opportunities to have their interests considered, primarily through the sharing of information with government and the forest industry. Some First Nations lack the capacity to participate meaningfully in forums for land use planning.
• Harvesting of fish, wildlife and other non-timber forest products continues to play an important role in First Nations’ livelihoods and culture.
• Maps: First Nations Bands (PDF)

Information

• Employment statistics are from the Canada census. The high aboriginal growth rates are partly due to increasing self-identification as aboriginal.
• Information on the use of non-timber forest products is incomplete.
• References: 2001 Census
• Related international and national indicators: MP 6.5.a; CCFM 5.3.5

Indicator 19-3

How are First Nations interests considered in forest management?

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Why is this important?

Forest management directly affects the economic, social, cultural, spiritual and legal interests of First Nations.

State and Trend

• A variety of initiatives are in place to address First Nations’ interests in forest management.
• In May 2002, legislation was amended to allow forest tenures to be directly awarded to First Nations.
• Between September 2002 and March 2006, agreements that provide for timber and/or revenue have been signed with 110 First Nations, providing a total of 18.4 million m³ of timber and $131 million in revenue.
• Timber for these agreements is made available from beetle-killed and fire-damaged timber, from timber that was not harvested under other forest tenures, and through the timber reallocation process.
• First Nations and other governments are working together to effectively mitigate the impacts of the current mountain pine beetle infestation.
• Over the past decade, over 55 traditional use projects have documented traditional ecological knowledge and cultural use of land and resources. These projects involved at least 126 of 199 bands in the province.
• In March 2005, legislation was enacted to ensure consideration of First Nations’ cultural heritage resources located in public forests.
• Maps: Bands with Traditional Use Projects (PDF)

Information

• Detailed information about agreements is publicly available.
• Information from the traditional use projects and consultations is restricted to participating First Nations and within government.
• References: MFR’s Agreements with First Nations; MAL’s ILMB
• Related international and national indicators: MP 7.1.a; CCFM 6.1.1, 6.2.1

Indicator 19-4

Are aboriginal rights and title issues being resolved?

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Why is this important?

Resolution of aboriginal rights and title issues is expected to increase certainty for land and resource development in B.C.

State and Trend

• Issues about aboriginal rights to use forest resources, and aboriginal land title remain unresolved. Government, industry and most First Nations prefer effective treaty negotiations for resolving these issues.
• In 1999, 7% of the total First Nations population had rights and title addressed under treaties signed in the 1800s.
• In 2000, the Nisga’a Treaty and an adhesion to Treaty 8 increased that coverage to 12% of the First Nations population.
• In 2003, over 40 First Nations groups, involving more than 60% of the First Nations population, were in tripartite negotiations with the provincial and federal governments. Most were in the fourth stage (negotiation of an agreement in principle) of the six-stage process.
• These negotiations are overseen and facilitated by the BC Treaty Commission, an independent body established in 1992 by the governments of Canada and British Columbia, and the First Nations Summit.
• Interim measures agreements are used to address aboriginal rights and title issues while treaty negotiations are under way. They provide interim solutions and economic opportunities such as forest tenures and revenue sharing.
• Maps: First Nations Bands (PDF)

Information

• Treaty process information is well documented and readily available.
• References: BC Treaty Commission, Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
• Related international and national indicators: MP 7.1.a; CCFM 6.1.1

 

Indicator 19 – First Nations involvement Ministry of Forests and Range’s assessment State mixed Forests are economically, culturally and spiritually significant to B.C.’s First Nations, who have depended on them for thousands of years. In 2005, First Nations had ownership involvement in timber harvest opportunities amounting to about 7% of the province’s allowable annual cut. Proportionally, this is double the First Nations population (about 3% of the province’s population). The percentage of First Nations people employed in the forest sector is similar to that of other British Columbians working in the sector. Interim measures agreements with 110 First Nations are providing timber and revenue. While the economic situation of many First Nations is well below the average for all British Columbians, this is expected to improve with the interim measures agreements and, ultimately, treaty settlements that resolve aboriginal rights and title issues. Trend improving Over the past two decades, First Nations’ access to economic opportunities based on timber has increased substantially. These opportunities are expected to increase through new interim measures agreements. Between 1981 and 2001 First Nations employment in the forest sector increased 60%. Consultation on forest management decisions also increased, including direct involvement in addressing the mountain pine beetle infestation. Documentation of traditional uses improved. These trends are expected to continue. Ongoing efforts to reach new treaty settlements are expected to resolve many aboriginal rights and title issues. These changes are expected to provide greater certainty around forestry and other issues for First Nations, the provincial government, the forest industry and other British Columbians. Information adequate Large amounts of information have been collected and documented to inform forest management decisions, interim measures agreements and treaty negotiations.