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The Pacheedaht First Nation says it will determine what will be logged and preserved in its territory through a resource stewardship plan, adding it does not support “third-party activism” taking place in the disputed Fairy Creek area near Port Renfrew.

In a statement signed by Pacheedaht Hereditary Chief Frank Queesto Jones and Chief Councillor Jeff Jones, the nation said it has always harvested and managed forestry resources, including old-growth cedar, for “cultural, ceremonial, domestic and economic purposes.”

“Our constitutional right to make decisions about forestry resources in our Territory, as governing authority in our Territory, must be respected,” the statement said.

The Fairy Creek area has been blockaded for eight months in a bid to protect what demonstrators say are some of the last old-growth stands of cedar on South Vancouver Island.

Teal Jones Group, which holds the tree farm licence and approved cut-blocks and has support of First Nations, wants to begin logging about 200 hectares along a ridge line above the Fairy Creek watershed and has a court injunction to remove the protesters.

There has been a tense standoff since the B.C. Supreme Court granted the injunction April 1, with the Rainforest Flying Squad saying they are willing to be arrested.

So far, the RCMP have not moved in on the blockade.

The Pacheedaht said the nation’s ownership and management of forest resources within its territory “need to be acknowledged.”

“We do not welcome or support unsolicited involvement or interference by others in our territory, including third-party activism,” the statement said. “Pacheedaht needs to be left in peace to engage in our community led stewardship planning process so that we can determine our own way forward as a strong and independent nation.”

The Pacheedaht were not immediately available for comment, saying they are responding only to emailed questions.

The First Nation ation said its Integrated Resource Stewardship Plan will include the identification of special sites, traditional-use areas and places where conservation measures will be in place.

The statement said its has secured commitments from tenure holders like Teal Jones and the province to suspend and defer third-party forestry activities within “specific areas identified by Pacheedaht.

“This will result in a the implementation of an immediate interim conservation measure.”

No specific sites were revealed by the Pacheedaht, who said “we have inherent governance rights and scared responsibilities to manage the human use of resources in our territory.”

The Pacheedaht and province agreed on a forestry revenue agreement in 2017.

Pacheedaht territory includes the lands and waters along the southwest coast of the Island between Bonilla Point and Sheringham Point.

dkloster@timescolonist.com