Lílwat Forestry Technician, Jordon Gabriel (left) got into forestry straight out of high school.  (Simon Bedford photo)

Líl̓wat Forestry Ventures Ltd. (LFV) is a leading forestry management corporation within the Líl̓wat Nation in Mount Currie, British Columbia. As we continue to grow, we are excited to introduce our dedicated team members who help us manage one of the Nation’s most precious resources while upholding our commitment to community safety.

Jordon Gabriel, from the Líl̓wat Nation, is one of the Forestry Technicians helping to ensure sustainable management of the Nation’s forests and the preservation of all cultural values for generations to come.

Interesting Facts

• Jordon used to do a lot of volunteering and coaching for various sports, including soccer and ice hockey.
• Before working with LFV, Jordon worked with the BC Wildfire Services for 20 years.
• Jordon was part of the only First Nations Lions Club International for about 10 years, where they would fundraise and support local kids’ teams.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started in forestry?

I grew up here, in the Líl̓wat Nation, and I am a Residential School survivor. I got into forestry right out of high school. While I did try construction, I soon realized it wasn’t for me. I went into forestry and started out with tree planting, brushing, and spacing. And that’s when our unit crews started. I worked for 20 years with the BC Wildfire Services, starting off with a 21-unit crew.

At one point, British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) came to the community to show us their forest technician course. I applied for it, passed all the tests, and completed a 2-year program with BCIT. Once we finished our course, we were put out into the field to work with the big companies around here.

How was that experience for you and what type of work did you do?

We helped do block layouts and the road layout for forestry companies. These areas were highly used for gathering mushrooms, herbs and other cultural values. Back then, we were told where we were going to do our work without having a say about where they should be harvesting or how they could be doing the work. However, during these last 14 years working for the Nation, things seem to be improving, we are taking a leadership role, and everything is coming back to us in a more positive way.

That’s great to hear! Could you expand on what this means for the Nation?

Here in our territory, we are now able to manage the resources, which is a good thing because we get to pick and choose where we want to go and harvest and how we are going to manage it. We get to manage our forests for all resources, not just for the timber. When speaking with the Elders, we soon realized that resources like berries and mushrooms were missing on the land, which meant we were not managing it the right way. Even as a kid, I remember picking huckleberries and xusum in the forest, which I believe disappeared after the loss of cultural fire on the land. This is what I have been researching, to find out and understand how we can protect all these resources so that our community can benefit from them in the future.

What is your current role at LFV and how long have you been working here for?

I’m going into my 14th year working here and I am one of the forestry technicians. I also help General Manager, Klay Tindall, with all the cultural activity. I do all the research on cultural activity for the Nation and LFV to determine what the best method for us is to be able to manage the forest for all resources.

Would you say doing this cultural activity is what you enjoy the most about your job?

Yes, because we get to manage a forest for what it should be. We keep everything in mind, from the environment and the wildlife, to the people who rely on the resources.

Can you tell us about any upcoming projects you are proud to be involved in?

I am proud of our Old Growth Research Study. We are working with the Lil’wat lands and resources department, with four of our members and four of their members in a three-week forestry stewardship training course put on by Stillwater. Our staff can then go out with our professional forestry engineers to do old-growth, fire risk and forest health surveys. The project will study old growth and anything that is protected and collecting data to see what we should be aware of for future management so we can start managing these areas well. This includes protecting all plants, berries, trees, shrubs, and wildlife, as well as better protecting our community from wildfire.

Has the Old Growth Research Study already started and why is the work carried out so important?

The training has already started, and the study will most likely kick off during the Fall when its cooler, since some of our members are helping with fires in the area. In my opinion, it’s one of the best projects we can do as Lil’wat Nation. Nobody has done this work and with the knowledge our Nation and its people have, this is the first time it’s going to be done.

You are incredibly passionate about your job. Outside of work, what are some of your hobbies?

I used to do a lot of volunteering and coaching soccer. I have always been involved with sports in one way or another. I used to really like going fishing and picking pine mushrooms and huckleberries earlier in my life.

What would you want people to know about forestry and the work you are doing?

In general, we still need to educate our members about forestry. We as people lost a lot of this knowledge when we were not able to practice our cultures. Yes, we realize that we are going to make mistakes, but we are trying to learn and rectify all these learnings to help bring back the knowledge we had before. This learning will help us ensure we can always have important foods and cultural plants in the forest for people to be able to go out and gather them. We are leading the way as Lil’wat Nation. It is also important that we get our own people out on the land and working. We have around 40 employees who do so much work from tree planting, firefighting, and brushing to helping with cultural burns.

*** Thank you, Jordon! Your work not only reflects a passion for maintaining the land’s resources but also your commitment to the long-term benefit of the Líl̓wat Nation. Your dedication to managing the Nation’s forests sustainably, preserving cultural values, and elevating community safety will ensure a more sustainable future for the Líl̓wat Nation to thrive.

Photo credit: Simon Bedford Photography