Kistike’win Wildfire Restoration

Kistike’win means planting trees in Cree, and that is exactly what we aim to do.

Negote LP and Blue Green Planet Project are partnering to restore wildfire-affected boreal forest near Devil’s Lake in Manitoba’s Interlake Region, on the traditional territories of the Swampy Cree First Nations. The project, named Kistikiwin, Cree for tree planting, focuses on land that was heavily impacted by pine budworm, salvage logging, and the 2021 wildfire. When the fire swept through, it destroyed the young regrowth and remaining seed source, leaving the land unlikely to recover on its own. Restoration work will help bring jack pine forest back to the area, support wildlife habitat, improve watershed function, and sequester carbon for future generations. The project is Indigenous-led, with partner Nations involved in planting crews, seed collection, and long-term stewardship. It also supports local capacity-building by creating equitable access to forest work, green jobs, and hands-on restoration experience for surrounding Swampy Cree communities. This project is ongoing through 2026, with approximately 8.9 million trees planned across five planting seasons. Blue Green Planet Project helps fund the operational shortfall, while Natural Resources Canada provides major support through the 2 Billion Trees Program. The expert forestry work, including verification and monitoring surveys, is provided by Nisokapawino Forestry Management Corporation.  Summit Reforestation provides planting and silviculture support, with third-party seedling assessments used to verify and monitor survival.