Robert Dennis Sr.

Port Alberni will be hosting Indigenous leaders, forestry professionals and policymakers from across the province for the first-ever Indigenous Forestry Conference. The inaugural event will take place Sept. 10 and 11, 2024. The event aims to optimize Indigenous participation in the forest economy by uniting leaders, forestry professionals and policymakers to discuss key issues and showcase successful Indigenous-led conservation initiatives. By highlighting both the successes and challenges faced by Indigenous communities, the conference aims to chart a course towards more inclusive and sustainable forestry management. Wahmeesh (Ken Watts), the elected Chief Councillor for Port Alberni’s Tseshaht First Nation… will be one of the event speakers, along with Dennis and Dallas Smith, the president of Nanwakolas Council in northern Vancouver Island. …There will also be some discussions on how traditional Indigenous knowledge can be merged with modern forestry practices.