New CD-ROM promotes forest management careers

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The National Aboriginal Forestry Association (NAFA) is working to get the message out to Aboriginal youth that a career in forestry involves much more than just planting trees.

The association, which works to promote Aboriginal control and sustainable development of forest resources for the benefit of Aboriginal communities, is targeting youth in an attempt to address the current shortage of Aboriginal people involved in management of forest resources.

"Based on the numbers that we have, there are 12,000 people who are professional forest workers in the country and out of this number we are counting anywhere from 60 to 80 workers who are Aboriginal, so we know that we are under-represented," said Lorraine Rekmans, executive director of NAFA. "We've got 600 First Nations communities across the country and 80 per cent of them are located in the forest, so that means we have to respond to what we see."

Part of that response has been development of Careers in Forestry, a 23-minute long CD-ROM presentation designed to show Aboriginal youth what the forestry industry has to offer at a local, national and international level.

The new CD-ROM is part of a campaign aimed at Aboriginal youth that began in 2003 with an education kit and role model poster.

The kit, handed out at career fairs and in high schools, included a booklet that listed careers in forestry, scholarship information and schools across the country that offered forestry-related programs. The role model poster featured Dean Assinewe, a registered professional Aboriginal forester, and a slogan indicating that professional forestry isn't just about trees, but also about building sustainable Aboriginal communities.

"We are calling on the Aboriginal youth to look at forestry as a viable career opportunity. We want them to know that a career in forestry is not just about logging, planting trees or harvesting trees. We are talking about professional careers where people can get involved in shaping forest policies, where they can bring Aboriginal values and an Aboriginal perspective to forestry at all levels. Basically the sky is the limit. Other opportunities can be at the community level, as in managing reserve lands, working for the province in managing Crown lands or work for the federal government or in harvesting. So there are a lot of different opportunities. The spectrum is very broad," she said.

The CD-ROM starts out by showcasing some of the people who attended the World Forestry Congress held in Quebec City in September 2003 so forestry careers at the international level could be showcased.

"There is definitely a whole focus on Indigenous people and their rights in sustainable developments at the international level, through UN efforts and in Indigenous peoples' forums. Forestry policy is all about how can we harvest in a sustainable way, how we can cut trees without damaging the environment and how we can protect traditional values. So that is why we are encouraging involvement at a professional level," she said.

Copies of the CD-ROM are available for $25. For more information call NAFA at (613) 233-5563 or e-mail the association at nafa@web.ca, or visit the NAFA Web site at www.nafaforestry.org.