Manitoba

Nekote LiMITED pARTNERSHIP kistike’win Wildfire Restoration

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

Nekote LP and Blue Green Planet Project are partnering to plant trees on the traditional territories of the Swampy Cree First Nations in the Manitoban boreal forest in the Interlake Region.

Native jack pines and black spruce will be planted in an area ravaged by wildfires that swept through the area in 2021. When the fire hit, the area was void of a viable seed source. The restoration work will provide forest benefits for future generations of the Swampy Cree First Nations and Canadians, by improving watershed function, increasing habitat for wildlife and sequestering carbon.

The aim is to foster long-term community benefits by providing equitable access and increased inclusion of indigenous people in forest work and green jobs. In 2022, 12 Opaskwayak first nations received on-the-job training and employment opportunities.  In 2023, through the Nekote Limited Partnership and BGPP, 10 individuals were hired and trained.

This project is on-going to the year 2030, with a total tree count totalling 20.8 million

The expert forestry work, including verification and monitoring surveys, is provided by Nisokapawino Forestry Management Corporation. Our planting partner for this project is Summit Reforestation.

Saskatchewan

SHOAL LAKE CREE NATION 

BELL FIRE restoration & FOREST STEWARDSHIP

 In 2021, the Bell fire in the Pasquia Hills area of Saskatchewan stretched over 100, 000 hectares. The nearby communities were evacuated. Upon return they found that the land surrounding their communities no longer supported traditional hunting, trapping and berry picking. Climate change is having a profound impact on their way of llife. The boreal forests that burned in this area were left with inadequate seed supply, making the likelihood of regeneration slim.