LAVAL UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF FORESTRY, GEOGRAPHY AND GEOMATICS

First Nations and Quebec Forest Sector Collaborate for the Future of Aboriginal Forestry

Project Overview

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Many aboriginal peoples manage vast areas of forests for cultural enrichment, economic benefit, and a variety of values and benefits, often despite resource and workforce constraints. To facilitate an increasingly robust aboriginal forestry community, Laval University Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics (FFGG) will receive $75,000 over three years to investigate the profile of forestry employment, and build understanding of barriers to employment in the Lac St. Jean and North Shore regions of Quebec. The project will examine how sustainable forest management, particularly in accordance with the SFI Forest Management Standards, can enhance aboriginal participation in the forest sector.

Forestry employment is a key opportunity for aboriginal youth but the obstacles to their engagement in the industry are poorly understood.  This knowledge is essential to identifying and implementing strategies to motivate young aboriginals in capitalizing on forest industry opportunities as well as helping them remain active in the workforce over time. The project lead, Dr. Beaudoin, Leadership Chair in Aboriginal Forestry Education, will promote this work throughout the region through various workshops, presentations, and reports.

Project Partners

For this project Laval University Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics will partner with SFI Program Participants, Resolute Forest Products, all members of the Quebec Forest Industry Council, including other SFI Program participants, and Mashteuiatsh Nation, Pessamit Nation.

About Université Laval – Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics

The University of Laval’s Faculty of Forestry and Geomatics is the largest in Canada, with research centres and networks covering many fields, from knowledge of the land and the social aspects of land use to the use of its resources (wood, non-wood, wildlife, etc.). The Faculty also boasts its own 6,600 hectare teaching and research forest: Montmorency Forest. A vast open-air lab for professors and students, it also serves as a meteorological station.