Forest Governance
Forest Governance is one of the core program areas at the BC First Nations Forestry Council. It supports First Nations in strengthening their role in the stewardship and decision-making of forest lands. This includes improving access to tenure, advancing shared governance with the Province, and ensuring forest policies reflect Indigenous values and knowledge. Through this work, the Council helps build long-term capacity for Nation-led forest management across BC.
Forest Governance
Forest Governance is one of the core program areas at the BC First Nations Forestry Council. It supports First Nations in strengthening their role in the stewardship and decision-making of forest lands. This includes improving access to tenure, advancing shared governance with the Province, and ensuring forest policies reflect Indigenous values and knowledge. Through this work, the Council helps build long-term capacity for Nation-led forest management across BC.
POLICYCONNECT
PolicyConnect is an initiative under the Forest Governance Program that supports First Nations in engaging with forest policy and decision-making processes. Whether you’re navigating changes to forest legislation, participating in consultations, involved in referrals, or working to advance your Nation’s governance priorities, PolicyConnect is here to help. By completing the form below, you can connect with our policy team to share your interests, ask questions, and get support tailored to your community’s goals.
For First Nations
PolicyConnect helps First Nations build capacity, increase influence, and take an active role in forest governance and land stewardship.
We support Nations in navigating forest legislation, accessing tenure, and engaging in land use planning. Whether you’re strengthening Guardian programs, implementing cultural burning, or modernizing silviculture, we’re here to support your goals with resources, workshops, and peer-to-peer learning.
Your values, priorities, and rights are foundational to shaping how forests are governed in BC. We help ensure they’re reflected in policies, strategies, and decision-making processes across the province.
Examples of Support:
- Guardian programs & Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas
- Wildfire resilience & cultural burning
- Forest tenure acquisition guidance
- Forest Landscape Planning (FLP)
- Updates to FRPA and the Forest Act
- Silviculture innovation and Free Growing modernization
You lead the way — we help you move forward with confidence
SUCCESS STORIES
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BCTS Review
In February 2025, the B.C. government launched a review of BC Timber Sales (BCTS) to ensure British Columbia’s forestry sector is continually evolving to overcome challenges and create a guideline for a stronger, more resilient future. An expert task force was assigned to support the review and included First Nation RPF, Lenny Joe, member of…
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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…
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Fire Rehabilitation
In November 2023, the Pressy Lake Pilot Project was launched near 70 Mile House in B.C.’s Cariboo region, aimed at rehabilitating forests damaged by wildfire. The project’s dual focus was to recover dead fibre from older burn sites and improve the landscape’s resilience to future wildfires. The Elephant Hill wildfire of 2017 scorched over 191,000…
FOR GOVERNMENT
PolicyConnect supports government partners in aligning legislation, policy, and planning processes with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA).
We provide insight, context, and coordination to ensure that forest-related initiatives reflect First Nations’ values, uphold commitments to reconciliation, and enable shared decision-making in practice, not just principle. From modernizing legislation to piloting new tenure models, we help build the pathways to a more inclusive and accountable forest sector.
Examples of Collaboration:
- Bill 21, Bill 23, and Section 108 implementation
- Forest Revenue Sharing and Fiscal Frameworks
- Forest Landscape Planning engagement
- Partnerships in wildfire recovery and prevention
- Silviculture strategies and policy updates
We create space for respectful, informed collaboration—where First Nations are full partners in shaping the future of BC’s forests.
STRATEGIC ADVISORS
The Strategic Advisors are an expert group of forest professionals who represent distinct First Nations across the province. They support the Council’s work by contributing regionally grounded expertise and insights on a wide range of forestry-related initiatives and policy topics.
POLICY LIBRARY
FORESTRY 101 TOOLKITS
MEET THE FOREST GOVERnANCE TeAM
The Forestry Council’s policy team is a strong, diverse group of individuals with a wide range of knowledge, experience and skills that can offer forestry-related advice, guidance and support to First Nations. The team is made up of a Policy Programs Manager, Policy Coordinators and an expert group of First Nation forestry Strategic Advisors.
Policy Program Manager
Policy Coordinator