Historic forestry deal inked
More work still to be done before harvesting begins next winter
Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, October 30, 2014
DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE
Harvesting won't begin for another winter, but the signing of an agreement has laid the ground work for a forest industry in Fort Providence.
Digaa Enterprises Ltd. director James Christie, left, Minister Michael Miltenberger, Premier Bob McLeod, Deh Gah Got'ie First Nation Chief Joachim Bonnetrouge, Deh Cho MLA Michael Nadli, Fort Providence Metis Council President Clifford McLeod and Digaa president Michael Vandell prepare for the start of the signing ceremony for a Forest Management Agreement in Fort Providence on Oct. 24.
photo courtesy of Pearl Leishman
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On Oct. 24, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Michael Miltenberger signed a Forest Management Agreement on behalf of the territorial government with Digaa Enterprises Ltd.'s president Michael Vandell and director James Christie during a public ceremony in the hamlet's community hall. Deh Gah Got'ie First Nation Chief Joachim Bonnetrouge, Fort Providence Metis Council President Clifford McLeod, Premier Bob McLeod and Deh Cho MLA Michael Nadli signed as witnesses.
The 25-year agreement gives Digaa Enterprises, a development corporation formed jointly by the First Nation and Metis Council in Fort Providence, non-exclusive access rights to harvest timber from Crown lands in a prescribed area for sustainable business development and growth.
"The potential for this is huge. The Forest Management Agreement spells the beginning of what we see as an industry for the region and maybe for the whole of the southern portion of the NWT," said Michael McLeod, a member of the working group that negotiated the agreement on behalf of the Dene and Metis.
Digaa Enterprises is already working on a number of ways to capitalize on the opportunity, including negotiating a wood fibre supply agreement and a benefits agreement with Aurora Wood Pellets, the company that is looking to construct a pellet mill outside of Enterprise.
Digaa will also need a land use permit and is developing a 25-year timber harvest plan.
"We have to do a lot of groundwork yet," said McLeod.
The corporation plans to have everything in place so harvesting can start next winter, including hiring a manager specifically for its woodlands division.
In addition to jobs at the pellet mill and harvesting logs, other spin-off benefits from the agreement are expected to include tree planting and new forestry-related positions with the territorial government, he said.
Digaa also has to co-ordinate a regional training committee to provide oversight for all of the training that will take place related to forestry.
Several public meetings were held in Fort Providence over the past two years as the agreement was negotiated.
"There are a lot of people who are very anxious to see this move forward," said McLeod.
Some of that eagerness was visible during the proceedings on Oct. 24. Despite cold temperatures there was a large turnout for the fire feeding ceremony.
People then moved inside of the hall for the introductions and speeches and the formal signing. A huge feast capped off the afternoon.
Digaa is looking to harvest approximately 100,000 cubic metres a year. That is enough material to be able to harvest every year so people can be trained and equipment can be accumulated while not being so big that people will be concerned, said McLeod. One cubic metre equals approximately four trees.
"It's still a fairly small area that we will harvest," he said.
On a regional level Digaa is also working with Kakisa because some of the harvesting will take place in areas that are used by both communities.
