Osoyoos Indian Band Plants Seeds for Seven Generations: Huckleberry Planting Project Revitalizes Land, Culture, and Community
- Osoyoos Indian Band
- Jul 10
- 3 min read
Oliver, B.C.: The Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) is taking important steps to increase traditional harvesting practices, build wildfire resilience, and reimagine forestry for future generations through a community-driven huckleberry planting initiative, supported by the federal government’s 2 Billion Trees program.
Led by OIB Forestry and Siya Forestry, the project is part of a broader vision to reintroduce culturally significant native species, such as huckleberries, aspen, birch, willow, and cottonwood, to OIB-managed lands. These efforts are about restoring traditional relationships with the land and building long-term forest resilience in a time of increasing climate uncertainty.
“This project is about more than carbon and trees,” said Vincent Dufour, Registered Professional Forester with Siya Forestry and supervisor of the initiative. “It’s about listening to what the Nation wants, restoring culturally significant species, creating accessible harvesting areas, and bringing people back to the land in meaningful ways.”
The huckleberry planting project also honours the wisdom of Elders and the importance of making restoration accessible to all generations. Elders played a key role in guiding, among them was Jane Stelkia, a 95-year-old OIB elder on site who witnessed this project and shared where the planting should take place, ensuring it was in an area suitable for the plants and easy for older community members to return to in the future to forage and connect with the land.
Over the past two years, seeds have been collected and propagated to match the region’s ecology and cultural needs. In spring 2025, OIB community members, including Elders, youth, language keepers, and forestry staff, came together in the field to plant huckleberries and other native species, building connections between land, language, and livelihood.
“Our huckleberry planting day was a fantastic opportunity for the OIB Language House, OIB Forestry, OIB Band members, and the Siya Forestry team to all get together in the field and collaborate on the common goal of revitalizing some traditional harvesting practices,” said Dylan Savoie, FTech, Siya Forestry.
“This work is a reminder of the responsibility we carry to care for our forests, not just for today, but for generations to come,” said Dan Macmaster, Head of Forestry at Nk’Mip Forestry LLP and Siya Forestry LP. “By planting with intention, we’re shaping a more resilient future for our people and the land.”
The planting was supported by Forest for Dinner, a sustainable enterprise that turns wild forest products into food, helping bridge traditional knowledge with modern applications and food sovereignty.
The initiative reflects a growing shift within OIB’s approach to forestry, one that considers not just timber value but the holistic health of the forest and the people who depend on it. As part of a “seven generation” mindset, OIB Forestry is planning for the long term, ensuring that the decisions made today will benefit many generations to come.
“We’re not just planting shrubs; we’re planting connection, knowledge, and vision for what this forest can become,” added Dufour.
The project was made possible through the leadership of Peter Flett, Operations Manager of Nk’Mip Forestry, on-the-ground coordination by Dylan Savoie, FTech, Siya Forestry, and the support of community advisors Vern Louie and other OIB team members.
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.
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For more information or an interview with Siya Forestry, contact:
Foram Joshi, Communications Liaison, foram@amplifyinc.ca
