More Aboriginal foresters needed

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Peggy Smith is excited about seeing more Aboriginal people involved in forestry practices in Canada, she said. Their voices will have a tremendous impact on the way the industry conducts itself in the future.

Smith is with the faculty of forestry and the forest environment at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. There she examines the roles and responsibilities of Aboriginal groups, the forest industry, the provincial government and environmental non-governmental organizations in northwestern Ontario.

"[The forest] is the lifeblood of the country," said Smith. "Forestry has moved away from an industrial model (timber harvesting) to one that encompasses integrated forest management that looks at social issues. We need more qualified Aboriginal foresters making a difference."

Currently, there are only 30 registered professional foresters of Aboriginal descent in Canada. By 2010, Smith said as many as 500 will be needed. That's why Smith is developing a unique program in Aboriginal forestry for the university, the first of its kind in Canada.

Smith also serves as an advisor to the National Aboriginal Forestry Association (NAFA), the goal of which is to increase Aboriginal participation in the forestry sector. She has co-authored many NAFA publications regarding a variety of issues concerning Aboriginal people and forestry.

"I try to raise questions in the Aboriginal population regarding balancing their need for jobs and money, as well as protecting their lifestyle and the forest," she said. "I don't always try to find a middle ground. I challenge people to decide what they want to do with the forest.

"People do need to know that industrial forestry should not be a quick fix for money. There needs to be a strategic plan."

As well as NAFA, Smith is also involved as an Indigenous representative with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) of Canada. The FSC has recognized Indigenous peoples' unique role in forestry. It has established a decision-making process in which four houses are represented for establishing good forest management standards-Aboriginal, economic, social, and environmental.

Smith has been a leader for First Nations involvement in forest management since becoming the first Aboriginal person to graduate from Lakehead University's forestry program. That was in 1991.

Upon completion of her PhD. from the University of Toronto she will transfer to a tenure-track position in Aboriginal forestry at Lakehead. One of Smith's goals is to encourage links with other university forestry departments to create a national network of Aboriginal forestry research and teaching specialists.