In British Columbia, almost 150,000 First Nations people live throughout the province, often in small communities closely associated with forests and forest activities. Even First Nations people not actively involved in forestry are affected by the industry, since many regularly use forest roads for travel, and at least 25 First Nations communities in BC are only accessible by these roads.   

In addition to traditional activities in the forest, and a long association with the forest industry in many parts of the province, recent governmentpolicies have resulted in First Nations communities owning timber harvesting rights.  This carries responsibilities for safety and supervision on these sites.

The Council is working to build relationships with First Nation individuals, companies and communities to improve information, provide education and training opportunities and help develop safety systems for their operations and companies.