For more than ten years, Líl̓wat Forestry Ventures (LFV), Líl̓wat Nation’s forestry company, has been managing Woodlots 49 and 1666 near Mount Currie Indian Reserve 6. Together, these woodlots encompass a combined area of more than 1,000 hectares – Woodlot 49 covering 522 hectares, and Woodlot 1666, 496 hectares.

“A Woodlot Licence is a unique long-term forest tenure, or agreement, managed by local people who take a personal, small-scale approach,” explained Gord Chipman, Registered Professional Forester and Executive Director of Woodlots BC. “Woodlots are sustainably managed for all forest resources, and many have been recognized for excellence and innovation in woodlot management.”

Over the last couple of years, LFV’s work has evolved from a timber focus to one that reflects a deeper and generational commitment to forest stewardship, emphasizing ecological health, cultural values, and community benefit. Today, LFV’s management of these woodlots in particular stands as a model of how Indigenous knowledge can guide sustainable forestry practices.

As Hayden Leo, Forestry Technician with LFV, explained, recent work has been focused on several active cut blocks, which are areas where timber harvesting is authorized. This includes blocks 24X, 29, and 8, with block 32 scheduled for work in the near future. Each area is managed with a specific approach suited to the local conditions, with a growing emphasis on retention harvesting, a method that ensures trees are left to provide ongoing habitat and emulate natural forests, plus cultural burning, a First Nations approach to utilize fire to keep the forest clear of excess forest fuels.

“Block 24X, for example, was harvested using a clearcut with retention approach. This means we left about 10 to 20 trees per hectare behind, leaving roughly 350 trees in the opened, or treated, area,” said Leo. “This was done here because the area is really prone to drought, so our goal was to leave more trees standing to provide shading and improve the survival of newly planted trees.”

In Blocks 8 and 29, LFV is using a similar approach, leaving more trees per hectare, particularly cedar trees, to maintain forest structure and wildlife habitat.

“Partial cutting and cultural burning help keep the land healthy and resilient,” added Klay Tindall, General Manager of LFV. “This type of forest management supports the growth of Douglas-fir at lower elevations, providing shade and a good seed source for the future. As these trees grow older and larger, they will continue to play an important role in keeping the forest strong and balanced.”

Given the proximity of these woodlots to the community, LFV is undertaking these treatments guided by a long-term vision to better safeguard their land, people, and resources.

“By bringing back cultural burning to the land, we hope to see more of these mushrooms and berries growing closer to home. By leaving more trees behind, we can ensure the survivability of smaller trees. Other cut blocks, for example, are being harvested not for immediate economic gain but to address root rot and forest health issues, which has consequent impacts to other resources and wildlife,” explained Leo.

By thinning out smaller trees through selective harvesting and reducing debris with controlled burning, LFV can also help lower the risk of wildfires near the Líl̓wat and Owl Ridge communities.

“We ask that community members respect these standing trees and avoid cutting them for firewood,” noted Tindall, adding that many other areas have dead or downed wood that are easy to access and better suited for firewood gathering.

Much of this work is being done in collaboration with local contractors, with additional support from Woodlots BC.

“Woodlots BC represents 836 woodlot licences around the province. Communities like the Líl̓wat Nation, which has various forest agreements and levels of capacity to be caretakers of the land, might have unique challenges with legal obligations through policy or legislation,” noted Chipman. “We have a unique role to unite and create a community of practice for all Woodlotters to share solutions and ideas to maintain our ecosystems for future generations. We are looking forward to finding new opportunities to collaborate with Líl̓wat Forestry Ventures and assist with projects around their woodlots.”

As LFV continues work within these woodlots, future plans include expanding community-oriented projects such as studies on berry and mushroom growth, building capacity for cultural burns, and increasing training opportunities for Líl̓wat community members to participate directly in similar projects on the land base.

“We want the land to be in better condition by the end of this specific work. It’s not just about profit, it’s about stewardship – better protecting resources, supporting wildlife, and keeping the forest strong for our people and the generations to come,” said Leo.