Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. Video Showcases How Forest Rehabilitation Cares for the Land, the People, and the Water
Williams Lake, B.C. – Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. (CCR), a joint venture of Tŝideldel First Nation and Tl’etinqox Government, is releasing Part IV in their five-part forestry video series, this time with a focus on how their large-scale forest rehabilitation projects help to care for the land, the people, and the water.
“Water is sacred to Indigenous people,” shared Percy Guichon, Forest Technician, Executive Director of CCR. “Water is relied upon for our cultural practices, our traditional knowledge, as a food source, and for the livelihood of our communities. This is why the work we do in forest rehabilitation is so critical to ensure the water is protected to enhance and sustain life for all.”
The meaning of ‘Tŝilhqot’in’ is ‘the river people’, and the Chilcotin River featured in the video has sustained First Nations communities in the region for thousands of years.
“The water is our connection to the land. We have always been down by the river, close to the river, and camped by the river because that is where the food source was and is,” remarked Guichon. “People around the world watched the devastating impacts earlier this year of the landslide that blocked the Chilcotin River. That slide impacted wildlife, fish, and recreation. This reaffirmed to our team at Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. the importance of our forest rehabilitation work to help care for the land and water and to help minimize these kinds of catastrophic events in the future.”
Photos (left to right): The Chilcotin River, an important source of water and food for many First Nations. First Nations, like Tŝideldel First Nation and Tl'etinqox Government, thrive on practicing their culture and traditions. The Chilcotin River is where many First Nations catch fish to feed their families. This is why protecting these waters is so important to CCR. Photo credit: CCR.
CCR has been salvaging and rehabilitating large areas of land in the Cariboo Chilcotin to help the forest regrow, mitigate wildfire risk to communities, and to improve wildlife habitat. Good forest management work has also helped to create openings in the forest to improve the growth of berries, shrubs, and other important food sources and medicinal plants. Additionally, instead of burning wood waste left over from harvesting work in slash piles, CCR has utilized this excess residual fibre to help create green energy that supports local industries.
“Creating these videos was important to us to help better educate the public about the work we are doing through Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. and the benefits of that work,” shared Guichon. “We hope these videos will bring awareness to the public as well as inspire other First Nations communities to take a leadership role within forestry.”
The fourth video in the series is titled: The Focus on Water. The video brings viewers on to the land to experience the Chilcotin River, better understand its importance, and learn why it must be protected:
To watch the first three videos in the series, follow CCR’s YouTube channel:
