The idea of mutual site visits came after Guichon spoke to Dan Macmaster, head of forestry at Nk’Mip Forestry and a board member of the B.C. First Nations Forestry Council.

Macmaster said the collaboration is a unique opportunity to showcase the lands managed by each company, but also to share forest management practices on both sides.

“I have to say that this kind of partnership was neat,” Macmaster said in an interview, “because it went beyond just sharing ideas about forest management.”

The conversation between nations broadened to include the importance of incorporating Indigenous cultural values, “as well the distinctive ecological and social values” each community brings when working on the land, he said.