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Growing Resilient Forests

As climates in the Wabanaki Forest Region become generally warmer and wetter, so too do growing conditions for tree species. Many family forest owners in the region are worried about their forests’ resilience to these changes. That’s where we come in.

Through active, adaptive management, our shared forests can thrive in a changing climate.

Into The Wabanaki

Discover how to make a positive impact on the land for future generations with our comprehensive guide. Whether you're a new forestland owner, a long-time woodlot owner, or simply someone who enjoys spending time in nature, our guide will inspire you to develop a deeper connection with the land. Don't miss out on the opportunity to learn how to protect and preserve our forests for years to come.

Silviculture Tools & Resources

In collaboration with  the New Brunswick Federation of Woodlot Owners and others, we have created a series of tools and resources to support forestry professionals and forest owners to manage their woodlots in a way that adapts to the rapidly changing climate and prioritizes long-term, resilient forests.

Finding Common Ground

At Community Forests International, we understand that the colonial land governance systems must change to recognize and uphold Indigenous rights if we are to successfully protect and restore the forests and other natural ecosystems. We are working towards amplifying Indigenous rights and strengthening understanding and allyship between Indigenous and settler forestry practitioners around issues of forest care and climate action.

Below the Canopy: A Community Forest Podcast

This podcast explores the relationships between people and the forests they care for, with a particular focus on the Wabanaki Forest. Intensive forest management since colonization has degraded what was once a diverse and resilient forest while creating challenges for the communities that are most reliant on forests for their livelihoods. In this podcast, host and forest ecologist Megan de Graaf speaks to experts from the region to understand how we got here and how we might start to restore the forest to its former abundance. The series paints a hopeful vision for forests in the region, offering lessons for forest stewardship across Turtle Island.

Npisun | Medicine

Join Cecelia Brooks from St. Mary’s First Nation, New Brunswick, and her son Anthony Bardwell, as they share their story of finding medicine from and on the land. Watch their traditional medicine harvest, listen to the challenge of accessing lands, and find hope from one settler landowner who passes on the knowledge from his own ancestors.

The Borer & The Basket

The ash trees of the Wabanaki Forest bear spiritual, ceremonial, and economic importance to Indigenous people in the area, but the emerald ash borer ― an invasive beetle species ― is currently decimating these trees and threatening a way of life. This film weaves personal stories with the latest research, following the basket makers and experts who are trying to preserve the forest before it’s too late.

Standing Trees

How do you measure the value of a forest? Enter Robinson Conservation Forest, a naturally diverse Wabanaki forest in the Wolastoq watershed in central New Brunswick, on the east coast of Canada / Turtle Island. This special forest and the people connected to it push us to see beyond the timber value of a forest—to see the forest beyond the trees.

The Muskwi Canoe

The changing climate affects both the forests and traditions that have relied on the forests for millennia. In this short film, Mi’kmaw Elder Todd G. Labrador and his daughter Melissa Labrador explain the increasing importance of sharing traditional ecological skills and knowledge — and take us on a journey to see the traditional harvest and making of muskwi products.

Windhorse: A Land Back Story

Land Back is one of the most tangible actions settlers can take within the process of reconciliation. Through the story of Windhorse Farm, this short film shows the importance of Land Back and the profound beauty this form of healing provides.

And many more.

Browse the full playlist of Common Ground films and educational shorts.

Keep Learning

By taking informed actions we are acknowledging and living up to our responsibilities. It is our hope that the following Resource Guide to Support Environmental Organizations in Decolonization Work can support individuals and organizations to learn and practice meaningful Indigenous allyship in their work and beyond.

Two years into the collaborative work of Common Ground, today you can read more about how to embody the principles of Common Ground in action and see all that the Common Ground project has accomplished to date.

Read more about the connections between climate and racial justiceIndigenous leadership, and inclusive forestry.

Our Research

Community Forests International is working to protect the remaining Wabanaki forests, restore climate change-resilient species, and adapt these forests for long-term community and climate benefits. Through sharing our learnings and resources, we hope to inspire and support others to do the same.

French Resources | Ressources Françaises

En collaboration avec le sylviculteur Gareth Davies et la Fédération des propriétaires de boisés du Nouveau-Brunswick, nous avons créé une série d'outils et de ressources pour aider les professionnels de la foresterie à gérer les forêts en accordant la priorité aux forêts résilientes aux changements climatiques. Découvrez les ressources développées à ce jour :