CRYPTOQUOTE

It seems the head of forestry operations for the Osoyoos Indian Band also has a way with words.

Peter Flett, who leads Nk’Mip Forestry and West Boundary Community Forest, this month received an award from BC Forest Professional Magazine for his contribution to the spring 2023 edition.

His article focused on the OIB’s work with local companies to salvage trees that were damaged by the 2022 Nk’Mip Creek wildfire, which scorched approximately 20,00 hectares.

Flett’s piece is titled: “Keys to Improving Forest Recovery Post-wildfire: The Critical Roles of Proper Planning, Implementation, and First Nations’ Collaboration.”

In it, the registered professional forester walks readers through the process of incorporating traditional Indigenous knowledge into salvage plans.

“For example, on a proposed salvage area walkthrough, two OIB hunters identified an area of high use for elk that created a sheltered corridor to lower elevation sources of

Peter Flett water. They also pointed out decaying stumps that housed insect colonies and provided important sources of food for local bird species-at-risk,” wrote Flett.

“While the features were easily identified by the OIB members, they were easy to miss for a development crew unfamiliar with the territory. As a result, the areas were removed from the salvage plans to preserve the wildlife features.

“In another walkthrough, a lone raspberry bush that survived the fire was identified and a protection zone was implemented to ensure it would not be disturbed during forestry operations.”

The article can be found at fpbc.ca/ portfolio-items/spring-2023