If there is one group that embodies the challenges and opportunities in the forest sector, it is First Nations.
Aboriginal people have been calling for access to timber resources and a stake in land-based decisions for years.
Terry Teegee, the vice-chief of the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, sees some improvement, saying First Nations have been getting more access to timber and involving in joint partnerships with recently-proposed bioenergy projects.
The province has been telling industry to involve First Nations, which Teegee views a positive development.
However, First Nations can also still find themselves on the sidelines in decisions, which is a concern, said Teegee.
The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, which represents eight bands west of Prince George, were unhappy because they were not involved in the making of a three-year renewable agreement, in which environmental groups like Green Peace and the David Suzuki Foundation agreed to suspend do-not-buy campaigns targeted at companies logging in the boreal forest.
In return, the companies agreed to suspend logging within 29 million hectares of boreal forest, representing virtually all mountain and woodland caribou habitat, to allow time to come up with an intensive caribou protection plan.
"Leaving us out of that agreement was just mind boggling," said Teegee.
First Nations also want more rights to the land base to continue traditional practices like plant gathering, hunting and fishing.
Although they have been given short-term logging rights, First Nations have been seeking longer-term rights to specific areas of land that would include not only the right to harvest timber, but manage for the non-traditional uses.
Of increasing concern to First Nations, is protecting water, said Teegee, pointing to a recent report by the Pew Environment Group.
The report, released this week, revealed that Canada's boreal forest contains more unfrozen fresh water than any other ecosystem in the world. The report concludes that governments should protect entire river, lake and wetland ecosystems by preserving intact 50 percent of Canada's boreal forest.
First Nations often view themselves as the guardians of the forests. Many of their communities are in remote forested communities, including Teegee's home community of Takla Lake north of Fort St. James.
"We're the last one's in the forest," he said.
Teegee observed that society has grown to view itself and nature as apart; people see themselves outside of it, but in control of it.
But that is a false view, he argued.
"This big disaster in Japan shows that people are not in control."
