The purpose of this paper is to describe a framework for Aboriginal capacity building in the forest sector which will serve as a guide enabling community and regional level strategic planning. The framework provides conceptual approaches to Aboriginal governance and institutional reform and suggests that governmental programs be aligned so as to effectively utilize/maximize available resources enabling focussed initiatives in human resource development relative to the Aboriginal needs in the forest sector.
If Aboriginal communities across the country are to derive economic benefit from the forest resources that surround their communities – for many this is the only major development option – then they need to develop strategies encompassing new and different approaches to forest-based development. Basically, overall there has to be a diversification of the Aboriginal forest-based economy and now is the time to address this matter. This report assesses potential avenues that First Nations could pursue.
The bioeconomy and the protection of ecological/environmental goods and services (EGS), often referred to as the conservation economy, provide significant opportunity for First Nations. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the Aboriginal human resource professional and skill development needs in these two emerging sub sectors of the forest economy.
