Kwiakah Regenerative Forestry Pilot

Project Title: Kwiakah Regenerative Forestry Pilot

Recipient: Kwiakah First Nation

Region: Vancouver Island/Coast Region

Theme(s): “Old-like in a new light”, “Thin it to win it”, “Success, failure, learn & tailor”

Awarded Amount: $50,000

Project period: 2025=2026

Description: This Kwiakah-led project will support the Kwiakah vision to heal the forests in our territory which have been heavily impacted by 80+ years of intensive industrial forest plantation management, affecting wildlife, plants, soils and hydrological systems. Kwiakah Forest Keeper/Guardians in collaboration with researchers will test a range of thinning treatments, where larger trees, especially cedar, are protected and the understory, especially food and medicinal plants, are revitalized. This project focuses on post-treatment assessments, where critical information on how to restore carbon sinks, biodiversity, old-growth structure, and resilience will be generated.