Percy Guichon: Leading Change in Indigenous Forestry

For Percy Guichon, forests have always meant more than a resource. They are tied to community livelihoods, to responsibility to the land, and to long-term opportunities for future generations.

As CEO of Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. (CCR) and an elected Councillor of Tŝideldel First Nation, Percy has helped guide one of British Columbia’s most recognized Indigenous-led forestry organizations.

His path into forestry started early. Through a high school work experience program, he discovered a strong interest in working on the land and later trained as a Forest Technician at the College of New Caledonia. With support from the Tŝideldel Education Trust Fund, he built the skills that would shape his career in forestry and community economic development.

Over the years, Percy has combined hands-on experience with long-term thinking. He helped establish Tŝideldel Enterprises Ltd., a forestry company that has supported employment and economic activity in the Chilcotin for decades. Through CCR, the First Nations  Tŝideldel, Tl’etinqox Government, and Yunesit’in Government have expanded that work into large-scale forest rehabilitation, wildfire risk reduction, fibre utilization, and reforestation.

“We’re not just participating in the forestry sector anymore,” Percy explains. “We’re helping lead the work on how forests are managed, rehabilitated, and protected for future generations.”

That leadership has become increasingly important as communities continue to respond to the long-term impacts of mountain pine beetle and severe wildfires across the region. Under Percy’s direction, CCR has taken on projects that many considered too difficult or uneconomical, showing that damaged forests can still be restored in ways that benefit both the land and local communities.

One area Percy has strongly supported is biomass utilization.

“In the forest industry, you have to diversify to survive,” he says. “For years, a lot of the leftover fibre from harvesting was burned or left to decay. Now we’re finding ways to use that material to produce energy and create value.”

Through CCR’s biomass and rehabilitation work, forest residues and low-value fibre are being recovered and put to use instead of being wasted. This helps reduce wildfire risk, improve site conditions, and support a stronger forest economy in rural areas.

For Percy, the value of this work goes well beyond operations. It is also about creating jobs, building skills, and making sure communities benefit directly from the work happening in their own territories.

“For our communities, forestry isn’t just an industry,” Percy says. “It’s about creating opportunities for people to work on the land while helping restore it.”

That approach has helped CCR gain provincial and national recognition, including the 2022 Indigenous Business Award for Business Partnership of the Year, the 2024 FPAC Indigenous Business Leadership Award, and the 2025 Canadian Biomass Company of the Year.

Percy continues to share CCR’s experience at conferences and industry events across the country, speaking about Indigenous leadership, wildfire resilience, and the future of forestry in British Columbia. His message remains grounded in a simple belief: when the land is cared for properly, communities are stronger.

Final Takeaway