Talking Trees-Sustainable Narratives of the Logging and Forestry Industries in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and their Relationships with Mi'kmaq Peoples

• Main Author: Graham, Bridget
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Sustainability; Trees; Logging; Mi'kmaq; Mi'kmaq Maliseet Nations News; Micmac News; Forestry Magazines; Environment; Maliseet; Mi’kmaq
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10222/56643

Historically, the Indigenous peoples living in Mi’kma’ki have shared intimate ties to the natural environment, and more specifically trees. This region, now more commonly known as Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, is home to the Mi’kmaq people. This paper examines the longstanding relationship between Mi’kmaq peoples and trees, by examining the past quarter of a century’s worth of data. By focusing on local publications such as Mi’kmaq Maliseet Nations News and Micmac News, it has been possible to formulate an understanding of this type of relationship. As the logging and forestry industries make up such a large sector of the economy in these regions, it has been imperative to comprehend the way in which they view and value trees. As one would expect, their relationships with trees differ greatly from those fostered by Mi’kmaq people, and for that reason these industries and the local indigenous populations have been in conflict. By examining the data collected, it has been possible to see how the two groups differ, and how they are now starting to work together. This paper concludes with possible options for both the Mi’kmaq and the industries moving forward.