While commemorating this year’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Frontera team discussed our personal and corporate commitment to speaking truthfully and actively participating in reconciliation for Indigenous Peoples. After the discussion, I took some time to reflect on and improve Frontera’s business plan as it pertains to working with Indigenous Peoples. This is what we came up with.
Our Approach to Reconciliation for Indigenous Peoples
At Frontera, we value Indigenous People, their communities, cultures, and traditions. As a company, we support and actively pursue actions towards meaningful engagement and ultimately, reconciliation for Indigenous Peoples. We monitor and wherever possible, actively support BC’s legally binding commitment to UNDRIPA[1].
The approach Frontera takes when working with Indigenous Peoples involves a respectful, informed, and collaborative approach which acknowledges First Nations’ and Indigenous Peoples’ distinct culture, history, and inherent right to the land. We use a framework commonly called ‘Two-Eyed Seeing’[2] as guiding principle when working alongside Indigenous Peoples or communities.
An outline of the approach our company takes includes:
Consultation and Collaboration
We know an ongoing dialogue is key in working collaboratively with First Nations. In previous work we have led ongoing consultation for prescribed burning within the Sea to Sky corridor to identify prescribed burn objectives. This collaboration occurred throughout the extent of the project and was comprised of multiple in-person and Zoom meetings, ongoing information sharing, and presentation of findings after the completion of the project.
Respect for Traditional Knowledge
Frontera acknowledges the traditional knowledge of Indigenous Peoples on the land. Traditional knowledge of the land precedes colonial knowledge and therefore is key in developing a deeper understanding of historical baselines, and ecology. Therefore, continued engagement with First Nations and Indigenous Peoples is necessary for defining meaningful land management objectives.
Adapting to Feedback and Continuous Learning
Frontera strives to receive and adapt to feedback from the Indigenous communities we work with. We have implemented this by encouraging our clients to provide feedback through a post-work survey after the completion of every project. Feedback allows our company to continually improve our approach to Indigenous-led land management.
Support for Indigenous Voices in Forestry
Frontera has started a philanthropy committee to meet Frontera’s duty to support Indigenous voices in the forestry and emergency planning sector. In 2023, Frontera was a sponsor at the BC First Nations Forestry Conference.
Long-term Commitment
At Frontera, we believe Indigenous-led forestry management is the future of forestry. We are committed to building lasting relationships with our First Nations clients. Additionally, we support, where possible, the economic development of our Indigenous clients. Frontera has built its business model around supporting Indigenous-led management and consultation.
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Frontera Forest Solutions is a forestry consultancy located in North Vancouver, British Columbia. With clients all around Western Canada, Frontera specializes in helping communities develop wildfire resiliency though innovative forest management an urban forestry, grant writing and training and curriculum development.
To explore how we can work with your community, reach out here.
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