Lennard Joe

Lennard (Suxʷsxʷwels) Joe speaks about forestry as someone shaped by it long before he led an organization. Joe, CEO of the B.C. First Nations Forestry Council, brings more than 30 years of natural resource and business experience to the role. A Registered Professional Forester [he] was among the first dozen Indigenous graduates of UBC’s forestry school. That background helps explain why he speaks of forestry not only as an industry, but as a responsibility. …Rural B.C. still depends on forests in ways many city residents no longer see, and Joe’s sharpest message for urban audiences was clear on that. …He talks about how forests anchor local economies and support the services many communities rely on… But he also pushed back against the idea that forestry is only about extraction. …As First Nations take on a greater ownership role in forestry, Joe believes the sector can move toward longer-term investment, stronger stewardship and broader community benefit.