Alternative Silviculture on Nisga’a Lands

About this seminar

K’Alii Aks Timber Corporation (KATC) is a wholly owned Nisga’a Nation company that holds a Nisga’a Public Land License to conduct forestry activities on Nisga’a Lands. The Nisga’a Nation received the first modern-day treaty in 2000, the Nisga’a Final Agreement. As such, the Forest and Range Practices Act does not apply; instead, forestry is governed by the Nisga’a Forest Act and Nisga’a Land Use Plan. In this seminar, we discuss a unique approach to logging a block to fulfill multiple objectives on Nisga’a Lands. Given that KATC is a relatively new company, forest harvesting is required to provide revenue to support the company and staff. When presented with the opportunity to harvest a high-value block, KATC determined that the area was important for wildlife. A prescription was determined to preserve stand integrity while also supporting the company in its objectives to remain financially viable. Therefore, a unique harvesting system was designed and implemented. This talk discusses the planning, implementation, and future vision for alternative harvesting systems on Indigenous-owned lands.

ABOUT NATASHA AND SAM

NATASHA LEBIADOWSKI – TFT

Natasha is KATC’s forester. She started working in the industry in 2016 in timber development with Silvicon Services inc. and has her technical degree for College of New Caledonia. She has worked for KATC since August 2021 and assists with all phases of forestry. She lives in Smithers but you’ll typically find her on Nisga’a Lands inspecting block layout, and supervising harvesting.

SAM COGGINS – PhD, RPF

Sam has been working with KATC since 2020. He served as the General Manager of KATC from June 2020 until December 2022. Sam’s first thinning was in the UK in 1992, he moved to Canada in 2002. He has an undergrad and PhD from the Faculty of Forestry. Sam lives in Smithers and is the owner of Red Acres Resources Management Ltd, an adjunct professor in the Department of Forest Resources Management, and president of the Bulkley Valley Research Centre.