Rise of Aboriginal Forestry in Canada

In the last three decades, forestry has emerged as a newpractice among Aboriginal communities in Canada to provide themwith economic development. Without a historical perspective of theinterrelatedness between Aboriginal communities and mainstreamCanadian society, the implications of Aboriginal forestry cannot beanalyzed. This book, therefore, examines changes in mainstreamsociety that have impacted Aboriginal communities, such as Canadianresource-dependent economy, Aboriginal and treaty rights, andenvironmentalism. Also, burning practices in Canada, sacred grovesof India, and Japanese mountain landscapes are reviewed to show howpeople with close connection to their environment have developed aunique perspective of forests. The latter part of this bookanalyzes how the Little Red River Cree Nation in Alberta hasdeveloped forestry in co-operation with governments and forestcompanies in order to advance their interests and assert theircultural values. The analysis should be useful for scholars in thefield of forest management involving Aboriginal communities, forFirst Nations policy analysis, and for anyone who has an interestin the human-environment relationship.