“Sustainable Forestry Initiative certification addresses much that is important to First Nation communities — from recognising Indigenous peoples’ rights and traditional knowledge to environmental values, such as wildlife habitat, to social and economic values, such as stable jobs and markets,” says David Walkem, Chief of Cook’s Ferry Indian Band in British Columbia.
Photo: National Geographic / Raymond Gehman Indigenous peoples in North America and around the world have long relied on forests for cultural, spiritual and material needs.
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) works closely with Indigenous peoples in the United States and Canada to recognise their interests and values in multiple ways.
“Certifying a forest to SFI is an important way for landowners and managers to assure their markets and the public that they are practising sustainable forestry and respecting indigenous rights. Certification also helps indigenous communities ensure their values are reflected in the management of those forests,” says Andrew de Vries, SFI’s Vice President of Conservation and Indigenous Affairs.
Today, 31 indigenous groups across North America manage more than two million hectares of forestland certified to SFI standards. SFI Inc. is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management. It works with conservation groups, local communities, resource professionals, landowners and countless other organisations and individuals who support responsible forest management.
“SFI certification addresses much that is important to First Nation communities — from recognising Indigenous peoples’ rights and traditional knowledge to environmental values, such as wildlife habitat, to social and economic values, such as stable jobs and markets,” says David Walkem, Chief of Cook’s Ferry Indian Band in the central interior of British Columbia. He is also President of Stuwix Resources Joint Venture and an SFI Board Member.
SFI supports Indigenous peoples’ interests in ways that go beyond the rules and recognition prescribed in SFI standards. SFI also partners with leading organisations such as the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) and Habitat for Humanity Canada’s Indigenous Housing Program.
SFI and CCAB have a memorandum of understanding for the two groups to work together through the CCAB’s Progressive Aboriginal Relations Program (PAR). The programme is a certification system that confirms corporations are committed to good business practices and prosperity in indigenous communities. SFI and Habitat for Humanity Canada have a memorandum of mutual support that, among other initiatives, works to encourage collaborative solutions to support indigenous housing in Canada.
SFI also supports indigenous community-building initiatives through the SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant Program. SFI has awarded six grants to support indigenous communities from the pine forests of Arizona to the boreal forests of Canada and the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest. A major focus of some of these grants is youth education.
“The strong ties between indigenous cultures and their ancestral lands and values is a fundamental reality across North America. SFI is privileged to be able to support our indigenous partners as they pass on these values from elders to youth,” de Vries says.
In April, SFI was granted membership of IUCN. “We are excited to be part of IUCN. Its strong focus on integrating social issues into sustainable forestry and other conservation efforts dovetails with our approach. IUCN membership will enhance our ability to balance social, economic and environmental needs with cultural values in our work with Indigenous people across North America,” adds de Vries.
Learn more about SFI’s work with Indigenous peoples here.
