A new forestry partnership is looking to bring traditional and ancestral Mi`kmaq knowledge to
the province`s forestry sector while also providing opportunities and prosperity to Mi`kmaq communities through forestry.
The Mi`kmaq Forestry Initiative was launched jointly by the Kwilmu`kw maw-klusuqu (KMK), the Confederacy of Mainland Mi`kmaq, and Unima`ki Institute of Natural Resources under the direction of the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi`kmaw Chiefs.
Following a pilot project with federal and provincial governments the Mi’kmaq Forestry Initiative was granted 30,000 hectares of crown land to govern. With the pilot project almost completed, there are negotiations for a long-term forestry agreement. The MFI stated a long-term agreement will let them operate with the mandate of managing and overseeing forested lands while creating opportunities for a wide range of uses—from crafting, to ecotourism, to cultural teaching and learning.
Lisa Young, executive director with the Unima`ki Institute of Natural Resources, said the partnership is currently stewarding the 30,000 hectares and they are exploring possible economic opportunities, noting discussions with communities and potential partners are underway.
The MFI will promote biodiversity and the long-term health and wellbeing of the forests it governs across the province, which includes including lands in Antigonish, Guysborough, Cape Breton, Richmond, and Inverness counties, as well as other parts of the province.