Innovative Forest Management at Siya Forestry

A commercial thinning project to balance timber use and cultural values.

Oliver, B.C. – Siya Forestry, an Osoyoos Indian Band-owned company, is beginning its first
commercial thinning project, a silviculture treatment where selected trees will be harvested
and utilized, leaving the strongest trees behind to continue to grow. The work will take place
about 28 kilometres northeast of Oliver within the Osoyoos Indian Band’s (OIB) First Nations
Woodland Licence area and reflect the Nation’s values of stewardship, balance, and
responsibility to the land.

For Siya Forestry, the focus of their work is about more than only timber. It is about caring
for the land in a way that honours cultural traditions, creates job opportunities for
community members, and seeks to ensure future generations inherit healthier, more
resilient forests through projects rooted in Indigenous values and guided by a deep respect
for the land.

With this new commercial thinning project, unlike clearcutting, crews will selectively
remove about 40 per cent of trees from dense forests which are usually around 30 to 40
years old. Using a harvester and forwarder (smaller, low-impact equipment), Siya Forestry
plans to thin out smaller, lower-value trees while leaving the strongest to grow. This work
will reduce competition among trees in the forest, allowing the remaining trees to grow
larger, healthier and more resilient.

“This is a great pilot project and hopefully it will lead to a bigger program within the Osoyoos
Indian Band’s traditional territory,” said Luke Robertson, Operations Supervisor of Siya
Forestry. “We are excited to be on the leading edge of this innovative forestry practice that
benefits both the community and the land in the long term.”

Other than the benefit from harvesting timber, opening up the forest will also create
opportunities for enhanced biodiversity of wildlife and for the reintroduction of culturally
important plants. Shrubs such as huckleberries and soopalallie often thrive in these treated
areas and provide the food for not only community members but for wildlife as well.

“This project is an important step in how we care for the land today while preparing it for
future generations. At Siya Forestry, we are focused on blending traditional knowledge with
innovative forestry practices to create healthier, more resilient forests,” shared Dan
Macmaster, RPF, Forestry Manager, Osoyoos Indian Band. “Commercial thinning gives us
the opportunity to improve forest health, support biodiversity, and strengthen cultural
values while also creating economic opportunities for the Osoyoos Indian Band. It’s about
ensuring the land continues to provide for our community for generations to come.”

“For us, it’s about doing the right treatment at the right time,” shared Vincent Dufour,
Silviculture Lead, Registered Professional Forester, Siya Forestry. “Commercial thinning in
this area will help create opportunities to rehabilitate berry patches and other native species
plans to allow us to better manage the forest in a more holistic way.”

OIB community members have voiced their support for the project, noting that the forest
management work will help create space for traditional foods and strengthen cultural
connections to the land.

Preparations for the project have been underway for months, with planning and permitting
completed. Crews are expected to finish by early 2026 and hope to treat approximately 100
hectares of pine plantation.

As part of its holistic approach, Siya Forestry will also inventory non-timber forest products
– such as huckleberry and soopalallie before and after thinning to better understand
potential ecological and cultural benefits. These inventories will help guide decisions about
which forest management treatments create the best opportunities for biodiversity, cultural
use, and forest health.

In the new year, Siya Forestry plans to plant the treated site with native species. This will
prepare the next generation of forest growth while continuing to reflect OIB’s cultural values
and long-term stewardship goals.

“We are helping to build a model of forest management that benefits both people and the
environment,” added Dufour. “This project represents a new chapter in the Osoyoos Indian
Band’s commitment to responsible forest management today to help ensure the culture and
land remains strong for generations to come.”

About Siya Forestry
Established in February 2024, Siya Forestry is a joint venture between Nk’Mip Forestry LLP of the
Osoyoos Indian Band and Infinity-Pacific Stewardship Group Ltd., dedicated to advancing forestry
practices and supporting community development in the Okanagan, Kootenay, and Boundary
regions. Learn More: www.siyaforestry.ca

Follow Siya Forestry on social media: LinkedIn | Facebook

For more information or an interview with Siya Forestry, contact:
Foram Joshi, Communications Liaison, 604.728.3723 | foram@amplifyinc.ca