Nicola Pacific Forest Products Ltd.

Nicola Pacific Forest Products Ltd. is a successful joint venture; 50/50 partnership company between Ardew Wood Products Ltd. and the Upper Nicola Band.

The partnership has been in operation since September 1996 when it was awarded its' first forest licence of 67,500 m3 per year of small wood timber. This licence is for the management of small diameter lodgepole pine stands referred to as problem forest types or small-wood.

Ardew Wood Products (Ardew) and the Upper Nicola Band (UNB) decided to join forces after a long history of working together. A relationship was first established when Ardew was awarded a Forest Licence which bordered UNB's traditional area. This relationship strengthened when Ardew Woodlands Manager, Bruce Hampton, and the Chief of the UNB, Fred (Scotty) Holmes, entered into discussions during the Pennask Local Resource Use Plan process between 1984 and 1992. Over the years a cooperative relationship emerged.

Ardew worked with the Upper Nicola Band in the development of their successful woodlot proposal submission to the Ministry of Forests.

Nicola Pacific Forest Products was awarded the 2008 Aboriginal Joint Venture Business of the Year Award by  the Province of B.C..  For more information, attached is a link to the B.C. Achievement website.

Link : Upper Nicola Band