Nk’Mip Forestry Leads SFI-Supported Wildfire Recovery Project
- Nk'Mip Forestry
- 20 hours ago
- 3 min read
First Nations-Led Forestry Project Advances Wildfire Recovery on Osoyoos Indian Band Territory
Oliver, B.C.: Nk’Mip Forestry, the professional forestry branch of the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB), is leading a wildfire restoration project within the OIB traditional territory following the 2021 Nk’Mip Creek wildfire. The work, which will include forest recovery, wildfire risk mitigation, and community involvement, is supported by Environment and Climate Change Canada through the Climate-Smart Forestry grant, administered by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). This project reflects a long-term approach to caring for the land by bringing back diversity to the forest and supporting a healthier landscape over time.
The two areas selected for this work cover just under 40 hectares in total. Both areas were impacted by the wildfire, with a significant amount of fire-killed timber that remains on the landscape and can contribute to future wildfire risk. Each site represents a different type of forest, with one in an open, drier Douglas-fir stand and the other in a dense lodgepole pine-dominated stand. The work carried out will help the team understand how these areas recover and what approaches work best.
“This project targets wildfire-damaged areas that were not considered within the scope of adjacent salvage operations,” said operational lead Aaron Froc, Allied Science Forester In Training, Siya Forestry. “Restoring these areas will provide a valuable side-by-side comparison to inform future projects and showcase alternative ways to better manage our forests.”
This project focuses on removing non-merchantable trees burnt by the wildfire, and replanting with species suited to the land and local conditions. Led by the Nk’Mip team and with help from Siya Forestry, community members, and local contractors, more than 25,000 deciduous trees, native shrubs, and other culturally important plants will be planted. Osoyoos Indian Band members have been engaged with a number of seed-collection projects that support their developing Osoyoos Forest Nursery. Seeds collected from those initiatives will be used in projects like this in the future and help connect the work on the ground with knowledge held within the community.
“This project is about helping the land recover in a way that restores natural ecosystem resiliency,” said project supervisor, Eden Hardcastle, FIT, Nk’Mip Forestry. “By intervening and influencing a change in composition and timeline, we are hoping to encourage re-establishment of species and stand characteristics that can adapt to future stress and an ever-changing climate.”
While replanting is an important part of the work, the focus goes beyond replacing what was lost. The goal is to help the forest grow back in a balanced way, improving biodiversity, supporting wildlife, and creating stronger conditions to withstand wildfires.
The work also creates direct benefits within the community. Wood from the burned areas that cannot be used commercially will be sent to the Okanagan Falls chipper yard, a partnership with Skemxist Solutions, for fiber recovery. Material suitable for firewood will be utilized as part of the program for Elders and vulnerable members in the community. This helps make sure the work supports both the land and the people.
Preliminary planning and field work for this project has been completed. As the work moves forward, this project will be a useful model to identify practical ways to approach wildfire restoration in similarly altered landscapes.
Through this work, Nk’Mip Forestry continues to bring together community knowledge, hands-on forestry work, and long-term thinking to support healthy forests and resilient landscapes for future generations.
About Nk’Mip Forestry and Joint Ventures
Nk’Mip Forestry LLP is the professional forestry company of the Osoyoos Indian Band, which exists to manage the various forest tenures held by OIB. Nk’Mip supports syilx standards through focusing on sustainable development, environmental stewardship, and cultural preservation within the traditional territory. Osoyoos Forest Nursery LP is a joint venture between Osoyoos Indian Band and K&C Silviculture, working together for grow tree seedlings for the forest industry, First Nations, and governments. Siya Forestry is a joint venture between Nk’Mip Forestry LLP and Infinity-Pacific Stewardship Group Ltd., dedicated to advancing forestry practices and supporting community development in the Okanagan, Kootenay, and Boundary regions. Skemxist Solutions is an operations and logistics joint venture between Nk’Mip Forestry LLP and the Sutherland Group, which co-operates the Okanagan Falls sort yard with Mercer-Celgar.
Learn more about Nk’Mip Forestry here: https://www.nkmipforestry.ca/
Follow Nk’Mip Forestry on social media: LinkedIn
Learn more about Siya Forestry here: https://siyaforestry.ca/
Learn more about Skemxist Solutions here: https://skemxistsolutions.ca/
For more information or an interview with Nk’Mip Forestry, contact:
Aleece Laird, Communications Liaison, (250) 574 0221 | aleece@amplifyinc.ca
