The Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia are rights holders over the lands of Nova Scotia. The Mi’kmaw Nation in Nova Scotia has a general interest in all lands and resources in Nova Scotia as the Mi’kmaq have never surrendered, ceded, or sold the Aboriginal Title to any of its lands, and therefore have a Title claim to all of Nova Scotia. We communicate to all levels of government that as co-owners of the land and its resources, it is expected that any potential impacts to Rights and Title shall be addressed.
The Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia have been engaged in a process with the Province of Nova Scotia and Federal Government to implement Treaty rights. One of the key areas in the implementation is the right to manage our forest resources while ensuring that we are also protecting our forests for social & ceremonial purposes, or for livelihood.
The forestry team at KMK are active representatives in the Mi’kmaq Forest Advisory Committee. Together with the Assembly, we have been working closely with Una’ma’ki Institute of Natural Resources (UINR), the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq (CMM) and Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forestry, to develop a co-management system that implements the values of Netukulimk. This unique approach to forestry focuses on harvesting while maintaining a healthy forest ecosystem.
Forest Practices and Management Statement
Current forestry practices in Nova Scotia, in the perspective of the Assembly, places far too much emphasis on cutting and re-planting forest resources on an industrial scale, for immediate financial gain with insufficient priority given to forest, water and wildlife health and sustainability.
The Mi’kmaq are a Nation that practices Netukulimk which includes taking what we need to sustain ourselves today, but is also mindful of future generations.
Netukulimk is the customary law or principle that governs the relationship between the Mi’kmaq and the land and resources around them. It is a principle that governs Mi’kmaq individual and collective beliefs and behaviours in resource protection, use and management to ensure sustainability and prosperity for present and future generations and honour the ways and beliefs of Mi’kmaq ancestors. Netukulimk is defined as the use, protection and stewardship of land and resources provided to all by the Creator for the sustenance and well-being of the Mi’kmaq. The underlying principle of Netukulimk is the provision of basic community and individual needs as well as economic security, without jeopardizing the continued integrity, diversity and productivity of the environment.
To sustain oneself is to be able to provide a livelihood for self and family; however, not at the cost of destroying our lands. Instead we must maintain a balance – we listen to what the natural state of our forests tells us. We will not support wasting trees – instead we will find new use by cutting them and replacing them with new life that is native to the what the lands and soil composition are telling us. We will not force growth and speed up growth as that is to introduce life that was never meant to exist in the area. Instead, we will restore native trees that will take time to grow but in turn will provide for those generations that follow. Our responsibility is both to the economy and livelihoods of today but not at the cost of destroying our resources for the seven generations that will come after us.
The Assembly is currently developing management directives that apply Netukulimk principles to forestry practices and management, including harvest and silviculture methods. All forestry applications will have to conform with these principles. Methods such as large clear-cuts, mono-culture re-planting and wide-spread herbicide use, as currently employed, are designed to maximize financial gain for the current industrial model, and, as such, do not conform with Netukulimk principles.
The Assembly has adopted the concept of “Two-Eyed Seeing” for resource management. This means that to holistically sustain our forest resources, we must co-manage the land using both traditional Mi’kmaq knowledge and Western Scientific understanding. The two used together, as equal partners, will develop better management for the future.