(UPDATE: On May 27, 2025, North Cowichan announced the hiring of Your Wayfinders Management Solutions to guide development of a co-management agreement.)

North Cowichan is in the process of hiring a consultant to help the municipality and Quw’utsun Nation reach a co-management agreement on the 5,000-hectare Municipal Forest Reserve.

Parks and recreation director Neil Pukesh told sixmountains.ca that $200,000 is budgeted for the consultant, thanks to a grant from the Provincial Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program.

The “co-management framework and plan” are hoped to be completed in one year, he said.

Mayor Rob Douglas added: “The consultant is expected to meet with North Cowichan staff and technical staff from each of the five Quw’utsun Nations to receive/collect information and provide regular feedback.”

There are no plans to allow public participation in the current process between the municipality and First Nations.

“Should Council wish to proceed with future public engagement about the co-management framework and plan development, or any other forest management plan development related initiatives/activities, Council direction would be required,” Pukesh said.

“Based on this direction, staff would report back to Council with possible options for consideration which would also include budget implications.”

An investigation into the potential of carbon credits “continues to be a shared interest that will be further explored in the future,” Pukesh said.

“At this time, our primary focus is on the current co-management framework and plan development project. I prefer not to speculate when we may advance the investigation into a potential forest carbon credit project, but I do expect high level discussions to take place as part of the co-management framework and plan development.”

Quw’utsun Nation consists of Cowichan Tribes, Halalt First Nation, Lyackson First Nation, Penelakut Tribe, and Stz'uminus First Nation.