Jean Marie River (Mar 17/06) - In the world of forestry, Chief Stan Sanguez is a one-man promotional team.

"The North is an untapped resource when it comes to forestry," said the chief of Jean Marie River.

Despite the recent focus on mining and the oil and gas industry, particularly the Mackenzie Valley pipeline, Sanguez argues that forestry needs to be examined first.

"Everyone talks about the pipeline, but we aren't," said Sanguez.

Forestry is a sustainable resource which can be used to help the North move forward, he said.

"Diamonds are never forever, but trees are forever," Sanguez said.

In the centre of Sanguez's plans to promote forestry is the First Nations Forestry program. The national program founded in 1996 is jointly funded by the Canadian Forest Service and the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs.

Since 2000, approximately $200,000 in funding has been given to groups in the Deh Cho to assist with programs related to forestry, said Lorne West, the acting operational programs manager for Canadian Forest Service at the Northern Forestry Centre.

"Interest has been consistently strong," said West.

Recently, interest has been increasing, he said, noting some people see potential opportunities relating to pipeline development, said West.

This year, 14 submissions were received from across the Northwest Territories asking for more than $400,000, but the level of funding for the program unfortunately doesn't meet the demand, said West. Just over $90,000 is available for the fiscal year.

Sanguez hopes to change that. He plans to lobby the federal government to change the funding formula for the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. He is also pressing for the program to be extended beyond its March 2008 end date.

"During the first 10 years it was a learning curve and people in the regions were not informed," said Sanguez, who is the Dehcho First Nations' representative with the program.

With increased interest in the program, Sanguez wants to present a united front to the government. The Gwich'in and Akaitcho have representatives on the program and Sanguez hopes the Sahtu and Tlicho will clarify their membership.

"Trees are the only way to go," said Sanguez.