A major reforesting project has been announced for the Tlicho region.
The announcement was made by MP Michael McLeod, who was speaking on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. Also present was the Tlicho Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty, and together, they shared the news that the traditional Tlicho lands will be receiving a $53 million investment that will be put towards the planting of twelve million trees!
This is part of the project known as “Preserving Our Land, Preparing for the Future. This project is designed to support habitat regeneration and support animals at risk, with a focus on species that are critical to the survival of the boreal ecosystem. By planting tree species that are native to the Tlicho lands, it can greatly help to restore more natural plant and animal habitats.
The $53 million in funding will be broken down into several key projects. First, greenhouse facilities will be designed and built across the territory to help properly nurse the trees. Local community members will be consulted to make sure that the whole process is being respectful to local cultural values, and employment opportunities will be offered along with training to help with long-term restoration efforts. The twelve million seeds that will be planted have all been gathered by local sources, and will be planted over the course of the next seven years.
Grand Chief Lafferty spoke on the development, saying “The Tłı̨chǫ Government is pleased to take a leadership role to foster the healing of the land after devastating wildfires. Together, we will work to counter climate change through the reforestation of vital wildlife habitat and support training and employment opportunities for those in our communities.”
Some of the expected outcomes of this project include a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, more resilience to the effects of climate change, and protection from wildfire damages by using FireSmart principles in the process of planting trees.
