ABOUT TEAL JONES


Working on forest lands throughout BC since 1946, forestry firm Teal Jones has a decades-long history of productive partnerships with First Nations. Teal Jones has struck working relationships with 106 First Nations in BC in recent years, the specifics of each engagement varying widely with the interests of individual First Nations.

“Businesses need to approach First Nations as they would any other prospective partner. Don’t impose a solution that worked last time, but ask to sit down together and hear each other out. Be ready to really listen to their specific interests and find ways to meet them,” says Conrad Browne, Teal Jones’ Director Indigenous Partnerships & Strategic Relations. “Once we understand what a First Nation is looking for, I’ve found we’re able to get creative and find a pathway forward that works for both parties.”

The priorities of each First Nation working with a forestry partner is different. Some have woods operations and are interested in a market for their trees. In other cases they might be starting up a mill and need fibre and support with training, equipment, and expertise. They might be interested in jobs for their people. In one case, Teal Jones found a First Nation was concerned about the impact of logging trucks driving through their community and wanted fair compensation for the damage to roads.

“Teal Jones acknowledges the ancestral territories of all First Nations on which we operate and is committed to reconciliation,” Browne says. “There are wide-ranging opportunities to partner to our mutual benefit if we are just willing to really listen and craft solutions that meet unique local needs.”

Visit us at https://tealjones.com/indigenousengagement or on twitter: @tealjones_group

Listening at the core of Teal Jones’ approach to partnering with First Nation


Businesses have an important role to play in reconciliation, says Teal Jones' spokesperson.

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In BC, where the forest industry remains one of the largest sectors, successful partnerships between the industry and First Nations can play a major part in economic reconciliation.

Working on forest lands throughout BC since 1946, forestry firm Teal Jones is one example of a company with a decades-long history of productive partnerships with First Nations. Teal Jones has struck working relationships with 106 First Nations in BC in recent years, the specifics of each engagement varying widely with the interests of individual First Nations.

“Teal Jones acknowledges the ancestral territories of all First Nations on which we operate and is committed to reconciliation,” says Conrad Browne, Teal Jones’ Director of Indigenous Partnerships and Strategic Relations. “The specific interests of First Nations are unique to their circumstances, so working across different territories requires that we take an approach based on listening to understand the interests of each local First Nation and adapting our approach accordingly. There are wide-ranging opportunities to partner to our mutual benefit if we are just willing to really listen and work together to craft solutions that meet unique local needs.”

Teal Jones has worked with some First Nations with their own woods operations interested in a market for their trees, which Teal Jones was able to provide. In other cases it can go the other way – a First Nation may be starting a mill and needs fibre and support with training, equipment, and expertise. They might be interested in jobs for their people, or compensation for the impact of logging trucks driving through their community. Whatever the case, the path forward begins with acknowledging and listening, according to the company.

“Taking the approach we do isn’t just good business that opens up opportunities for both Teal Jones and First Nations interested in working with us, but ensures we are doing our part to support the higher purpose of acknowledging the past and pursuing reconciliation across BC and Canada,” Browne adds. “Businesses have an important role to play.”

Teal Jones is supporting the Indigenous Partnerships Success Showcase coming May 26th and 27th, 2022, in Vancouver and online. Readers can learn more and purchase tickets to this exciting event by visiting https://tealjones.com/indigenousengagement/



Teal Jones: Our Story