Australia has much to learn from First Nations Peoples, especially in forest management and Caring for Country. That is according to Mick Stephens, CEO of Timber Queensland (TQ)—the peak body for Queensland’s timber industry—who said that engagement is crucial for maintaining ‘healthy forests.’
“There is a sector-wide commitment to increasing understanding and engagement; respectful and appropriate engagement is the starting point,” Stephens said, pointing to the Albanese government’s new Timber Fibre Strategy. “Timber businesses that embrace cultural agility are better equipped to work collaboratively with Traditional Owners, unlock new opportunities in land management, and contribute meaningfully to shared outcomes.”
Today, Stephens announced TQ’s new Cultural Agility Program: Building on the Strengths of Our Stories, to be held in Brisbane on September 9 – an initiative, he said, that deepens understanding of Indigenous perspectives across Australia’s forest and timber industries.
Held in partnership with respected First Nations leaders and cultural educators through Regional Economic Solutions, the two-day program offers a unique opportunity for industry professionals to explore Australia’s shared history, current realities, and pathways toward reconciliation and meaningful engagement.
“This is about building respectful relationships and recognising the value of Indigenous knowledge in shaping a shared sustainable future for our industry,” Stephens said. “Understanding cultural context isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s an essential first step to understanding the legacy of past historical experience and the ongoing impact on indigenous people and the importance of trust.”
Wood Central understands that the program creates a safe yet robust environment where participants are encouraged to move beyond rhetoric toward genuine understanding and collaboration: “This shared understanding can enhance workplace inclusion, strengthen community partnerships, and support land stewardship aligned with both traditional and contemporary practices,” according to Stephens, who said participants will take part in traditional yarning circles and powerful storytelling to discover Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing.
- To learn more about Australia’s timber fibre strategy, click here for Wood Central’s special feature. And to learn more about the role that First Nations Peoples must play in maintaining ‘healthy and active’ forests, click here for Wood Central’s article from earlier this month.
