Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. News Release
Williams Lake, B.C. – According to Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. (CCR), a joint venture of Tŝideldel First Nation and Tl’etinqox Government, forestry is a critical, yet somewhat misunderstood, sector in British Columbia. Part of the challenge is that much of the work that happens out in the forests is away from the public eye. A new five-part video series filmed and produced by CCR hopes to help change that.
“So often when people see smoke from a cultural or prescribed burn, they think it is a wildfire, pollution, or a waste with trees being burned in a slash pile,” shared Percy Guichon, Registered Forest Technician, Executive Director of CCR. “Additionally, when people see heavy machinery roll into the forest, they’re often not aware of the prescriptive and careful work that goes into thinning or harvesting a forested stand, nor what the harvested trees and residuals are used for. Our video series will showcase forestry work happening within the Cariboo Chilcotin on our traditional territories and help provide awareness of the benefits of this forestry work.”
The five videos will highlight various benefits of forestry, from economic and environmental benefits to social benefits for the two First Nations involved in CCR, as well as for other neighbouring communities.
“For us, creating these videos was important to help better educate the public as to the work we are doing in forestry to mitigate wildfire risk to communities, create forests that support the growth of important medicinal and food-providing plants, thoughtfully enrich habitat for wildlife, and utilize low value wood waste to support B.C.’s bioeconomy,” shared Percy. “We were also able to highlight the hardworking people in the forestry sector, the industries we support through our work, and the traditional and innovative forestry practices we are implementing every day out in the forest. We hope the videos will bring awareness to the public as well as inspire other First Nations communities to take a leadership role within forestry.”
The first video in the series is titled: The Social Focus of Forestry. The video brings viewers out on to the traditional territory of the First Nations to share how forestry has brought about social benefits to the Nations and communities.