A First Nation Canadian company formed eight years ago after clashes between loggers and environmentalists has received international conservation recognition.
Iisaak Forest Resources Ltd in Clayoquot Sound, BC, has been awarded Gift to the Earth status by the WWF in acknowledgement of the work it has done to safeguard habitats and set aside valleys of pristine old growth forests as part of its revolutionary forestry management techniques.
Eric Schroff, managing director of Iisaak, said conflict forced change in Clayoquot Sound. ‘First Nations rose to the occasion and started to work, with input from environmentalists, towards creating a solution to the resource management issues in the area rather than letting conflict spiral into chaos. These initiatives are happening elsewhere in the world, but Iisaak is a compelling example because it is in a developed country – here, in North America.’
