A joint venture of NK'Mip Forestry and Infinity-Pacific Stewardship Group
Oliver, B.C. – Siya Forestry, the professional forestry branch of the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB), continues to build its working relationship with Interfor through a collaborative approach to forest management across OIB’s traditional territory. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to long-term stewardship and responsible planning, ensuring forestry activities align with community values.
Forestry on OIB territory is managed with a broad understanding of what the land represents. It supports wildlife habitat, water systems, traditional harvesting, cultural practices, and local livelihoods. That perspective shapes how field work is carried out, harvest plans are developed, and how logging is conducted across the territory.
“We take care of the forest. For our Band members, that is their backyard,” shared Vern Louie, Forest Operations Lead for the Osoyoos Indian Band. “Forestry is a living thing; it needs to be treated that way.”
Siya Forestry staff work alongside Interfor’s Planning and Operations teams to review potential harvest areas, assess wildlife and riparian features, and identify culturally important areas before work plans are developed. This approach goes well beyond meeting minimum legal requirements and instead focuses on managing the forest as a whole system. Planning considers timber values alongside non-timber values such as wildlife habitat, visual quality, traditional use areas, and long-term forest health.
“What we really want to be involved with is decision-making on all forest activity in the OIB’s territory,” shared Dan Macmaster, Forestry Manager for the Osoyoos Indian Band. “We are not a contractor, we are co-managers.”
Through this collaboration, OIB has a direct voice in how forestry activities are planned and implemented on its traditional territory. Interfor, in turn, benefits from plans that are developed with community input from the outset, creating greater certainty and alignment.
“There’s been a lot of changes over the years,” shared Ron Palmer, Indigenous Engagement with Interfor. “So, it’s important that we are in alignment with their values and manage the forest appropriately.”
The partnership also delivers practical benefits within the community. It supports employment and training opportunities and strengthens technical capacity within Siya Forestry and Skemxist Solutions, OIB’s operations joint venture. Community members are involved in planning, cruising, oversight of harvesting, road development, rehabilitation, and silviculture decisions, helping build experience across the full forestry cycle.
By integrating professional forestry expertise with Indigenous knowledge and community priorities, Siya Forestry and Interfor are demonstrating how collaborative forest management can support ecological health, economic opportunity, and long-term stewardship on OIB territory.
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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 here: https://siyaforestry.ca/
Follow Siya Forestry on social media: LinkedIn | Facebook
For more information or an interview with Siya Forestry, contact:
Aleece Laird, Communications Liaison, (250) 574 0221 | aleece@amplifyinc.ca
