Empowering Self-Determination:
A 20-Year History in Coastal Forestry with Huu-ay-aht First Nations
Scroll Down
Hišuk ma c’awak – Everything is One
In 2005, Blackwell was entrusted by the Huu-ay-aht First Nations to support the Nation in treaty negotiations over their lands and resources. Huu-ay-aht faced historical and ongoing challenges with forestry in their area, and feared that their forests were being harvested for the benefit of distant shareholders who have never set foot on their territory.
Redefining Indigenous Forestry
It was clear that Huu-ay-aht wanted to change the way forestry was being practiced on their territory. They wanted to move from just being token stakeholders to becoming completely self-sufficient in forestry; they sought to funnel the economic value generated from their forests back into stewardship efforts and their local community.
Work That Matters
Blackwell supported Huu-ay-aht in transforming its working relationships with other stakeholders in their territory, including resource companies and government. We also helped the Nation strategize and optimize partnerships to benefit its citizens and community, resulting in a network that is collaborative and innovative, but also forthright and firm on their vision for a sustainable future for current and future generations.
Below are some services we have provided Huu-ay-aht:
Acquiring Allowable Cut and Community Forestry License
Your Subtitle Goes Here
Blackwell successfully supported Huu-ay-aht’s treaty negotiations, and helped acquire 300,000 m3 of allowable cut that was written into its treaty.
Huu-ay-aht was the first Indigenous government to sign a woodland license with the Province of British Columbia. The license provided Huu-ay-aht with 70,000 m3 of timber per year with a 9,500 hectare area next to their treaty settlement land.
Business Development
Your Subtitle Goes Here
- Blackwell continues to provide expertise and guidance for Huu-ay-aht to establish its own forest business entity despite historical challenges they’ve faced as a remote First Nation community – low capacity, high turnover, and limiting government restrictions.
- This was the start of Huu-ay-aht First Nations’ Forestry LP; which manages four forest tenures, the Spencer Dryland Sort, Huu-ay-aht First Nations’ First Nations Woodland license, Community Forest Agreement and Treaty Settlement lands.
- Blackwell assisted in the negotiation of the limited partnership with Western Forest Products to obtain a 28% share of the woodlands operation – providing valuation services, a bio economy analysis, timber supply, assessment of liabilities associated with roads, shops, dumps and silviculture.
Legal/Expert Opinion
Your Subtitle Goes Here
- Treaty Negotiations
- Blackwell provided Huu-ay-aht with the legal and forestry expertise needed to finalize the Maa-nulth Treaty in 2011. This is a joint treaty involving five member nations, in addition to the provincial and federal governments, which include:
- Huu-ay-aht First Nations,
- Ka:’yu:‘k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nations,
- Toquaht Nation,
- Uchucklesaht Tribe Government, and
- Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government (Ucluelet First Nation).
- Blackwell provided Huu-ay-aht with the legal and forestry expertise needed to finalize the Maa-nulth Treaty in 2011. This is a joint treaty involving five member nations, in addition to the provincial and federal governments, which include:
- BC Supreme Court
- In 2005, the Supreme Court of British Columbia ruled in favour of Huu-ay-aht after they challenged a Ministry of Forests program that failed to meet the province’s constitutional duty to consult and accommodate First Nations.
- Specific Claims Tribunal
- Blackwell has helped Huu-ay-aht acquire reparations for historical injustices they’ve faced in the Specific Claims Tribunal in the Federal Government.
- In 2020, Huu-ay-aht successfully sued the B.C. government for a mainline logging road that was illegally built on Numukamis Indian Reserve No. 1. Blackwell acted as an expert witness to determine the breach of government fiduciary responsibilities related to road use and a long-term lease agreement. Blackwell’s reports were the centre piece of the litigation, which awarded the community a settlement agreement in 2021.
Valuation of Forest Resources
Your Subtitle Goes Here
Blackwell provided scientific expertise on the economic value of Huu-ay-aht’s forests, so the Nation could negotiate for ownership of their forests with profit oriented stakeholders. This valuation was also used for legal cases involving the specific claims tribunal, cases against the Province of BC, and treaty negotiations.
Conservancy Networks
Your Subtitle Goes Here
Blackwell is providing continuing support to bridge recent conservation science with Huu-ay-aht’s traditional wisdom, helping Huu-ay-aht connect with expertise who can continually assess and evaluate the health of its forests.
C’awak ʔqin
We are One
Integrating First Nations into forestry through negotiations, licenses, and conservation fosters economic independence and cultural preservation.
Two-eyed Seeing
for Future Generations
“I have worked with and alongside Blackwell for more than 25 years. Our work together with Huu-ay-aht for the last two decades enabled the Nation to not only become stewards of their own territory again, but be able to manage the lands, forests and resources in a sustainable way that protects it for current and future generations, while enabling the Nation to have a sustainable forest economy while doing so. Blackwell’s expertise, guidance, proactive problem-solving and innovative solutions have provided Huu-ay-aht with invaluable strategies to achieve their vision. I would wholeheartedly recommend their services to anyone seeking top-tier forestry expertise.”
– Rob Botterell, former Lawyer and Negotiator, current MLA for Saanich North and the Islands
Leading by example
Blackwell’s work with Huu-ay-aht over the years has become a model for several other Indigenous governments in BC. By working with Huu-ay-aht’s visionary and strong leadership, the successful work together exemplifies how strategic support and expertise can empower Indigenous communities to take control of their natural resources.