International Institute for
Indigenous Resource Management

News from the Institute, October 2003

Arthur Manuel and Nicole Schabus of the Indigenous Network on Economies and Trade Visit the International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management

Nicole Schabus and Art Manuel at the May 2002 NYU Conference on Indigenous Peoples and Multilateral Trade Regimes: Navigating New Opportunities for Advocacy where the INET-IIIRM collaboration began .

Denver, October 13, 2003. Art Manuel and Nicole Schabus of the Indigenous Network on Economies and Trade came by the Institute this week for some Thai food and wide-ranging discussions on the future of native forests with Mervyn Tano and Jeanne Rubin. The Institute has been supporting some of the work of INET to gain control of native forests in British Columbia, but our primary interest lies in helping indigenous peoples shape the future of native forests and native forestry. Our sense is that defining and preparing for life after taking control of the forests will also help win the fight for control. What follows is a very rough summary of the questions we had on three topics: setting out a vision for the future of native forests; establishing control over the forests; and developing the “tribal” forestry management paradigm.

Setting out a vision for the future of native forests. We thought it useful to start by defining the past relationship between native peoples and their forests. How did native peoples use the forests in the past? How were the forests managed? Perhaps a better way of posing this question is, how did native peoples shape the forest landscape and how did the forest landscape shape the people - physically, socially, culturally, spiritually, and politically? How is the present forest management paradigm connected to the past? How can the the management, use and development of native forests protect and advance tribal political, cultural, social, economic, environmental, and other interests?

Asserting native control over the forests. How do tribes and First Nations define the nature and scope of control? Do tribes want to influence forestry management policies and practices of public and private forests? How do tribes and First Nations establish control over forests without adversely affecting other tribal forest operations or compromising tribal sovereignty or future marketing opportunities? What systems and institutions are needed to establish tribal and First Nation control over forests? What human resources need to be developed, and how? What are the impediments to tribal and First Nation control over forests? Who are allies in the efforts of tribes and First Nations to establish and exercise control over their forests? What sorts of alliances should be formed and with whom?

Developing the "Indian" forestry management paradigm. What makes Indian and First Nation forestry management “Indian?” How do we connect modern forest management practices with the past? Do protected geographical indications and designations of origin make sense in the lumber context? What about other forest products?