Moderator:

• Dean Marshall, RPF, VP Operations, Spectrum Resource Group Inc.

Session Summary

In recent years, First Nations communities, groups, and tribal councils have taken a progressively more prominent role in the development and management of British Columbia's natural resources.

The BC government has created additional tenure ownership and management opportunities for First Nations through significant policy and regulation reforms. Once ongoing timber supply reviews and resulting tenure apportionment mechanisms are concluded, BC's First Nations will have gained a significant stake in BC's forest resources.

With increased control of the resource, comes additional responsibilities for the Nations. In addition to meeting their own internal stewardship objectives, as owners of the resource, Nations must also now meet the legal requirements associated with tenure ownership and management while managing for multiple values.

Forestry professionals have an increasingly important role to play in this shift in tenure ownership, either through management agreements between major licensees and the Nations or through direct involvement with the Nations on tenure development matters and activities.

Further, the professional's role must now take on additional dimensions to learn and encompass traditional knowledge and practices and weave these into their practice of professional forestry.

The speakers for this session will provide their perspective on the significance to their Nations of this increased tenure ownership, their vision for tenure and resource management, and the challenges and successes as stewards and managers of the resource.

CPD Hours: 1.25