{"id":19203,"date":"2014-10-22T23:58:35","date_gmt":"2014-10-23T03:58:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/162.217.168.59\/?p=19203"},"modified":"2023-03-23T14:13:35","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T18:13:35","slug":"montreal-lake-cree-nation-certified-to-sfi-standard-to-enhance-forestry-operations-and-community-sustainability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forests.org\/fr\/montreal-lake-cree-nation-certified-to-sfi-standard-to-enhance-forestry-operations-and-community-sustainability\/","title":{"rendered":"Montreal Lake Cree Nation Certified to SFI Standard to Enhance Forestry Operations and Community Sustainability"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ottawa, ON<\/strong> \u2014 A forested area in central Saskatchewan \u2014\u00a0more than half the size of Prince Edward\u00a0Island \u2014 is now certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative\u00ae (SFI) 2010\u20132014 Standard. The\u00a0Montreal Lake Cree Nation adopted the SFI Standard because of its ability to promote sustainable\u00a0forest management by protecting water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat and species at risk.\u00a0Enhancing the economic sustainability of the community was another key factor in the decision to\u00a0choose SFI.<\/p>\n

\u201cMeeting SFI objectives and other performance criteria improves our ability to cooperate with local\u00a0partners in harvesting our annual wood allocation. At the same time we can also participate more\u00a0fully in the local economy of our ancestral territory,\u201d said Bart Smith, General Manager of Kaskew\u00a0Forestry Products. Kaskew is licensed by Montreal Lake Cree Business Ventures to manage and\u00a0operate the wood allocation.<\/p>\n

Aboriginal and Tribal forestland certified to the SFI Standard covers an area greater than three million\u00a0hectares \u2014 more than any other certification standard in North America. Twenty seven Aboriginal and\u00a0Tribal communities and businesses in Canada and the U.S. work to maintain SFI certification on these\u00a0lands.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst Nations across Canada pride themselves on supporting their communities by practising\u00a0responsible and sustainable forest management that respects and incorporates their cultural values\u00a0and use of the land,\u201d said SFI Board member, David Walkem, Chief of the Cooks Ferry Band and\u00a0President of Stuwix Resources Joint Venture.<\/p>\n

SFI continues to develop its partnerships with First Nations. Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI\u00a0Inc., and J.P. Gladu, President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, signed a\u00a0memorandum of understanding to support the Progressive Aboriginal Relations certification program.\u00a0The program promotes corporate social responsibility and Aboriginal business and employment\u00a0opportunities, especially for youth, in forest communities.<\/p>\n

SFI is also involved with a variety of other projects involving First Nations partners. SFI recently\u00a0awarded two grants to help improve knowledge and management of cultural heritage resources. \u201cThe\u00a0Heiltsuk First Nation is recording, tracking and managing cultural resources such as culturally modified\u00a0trees on the British Columbia coast. The Tk\u2019emlups te Secwepemc First Nations people of southern\u00a0British Columbia worked with their elders and training youth to identify trees, lands and other\u00a0resources with historical and cultural significance,\u201d said Andrew de Vries, Vice President of\u00a0Conservation and Indigenous Relations at SFI.<\/p>\n

SFI also supports the State University of New York\u2019s Center for Native Peoples and the Environment.\u00a0The university explored forest sustainability with indigenous youth through an educational program\u00a0that focused on the sustainability of ecologically and culturally significant trees. The program was\u00a0incorporated into a Native Earth Environmental Youth Camp sponsored by the university in July 2014.<\/p>\n

Learn more: SFI Aboriginal and Tribal partners fact sheet<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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