Projects
Our 2024 Project Objectives
Ensuring a Resilient Forest and Community
The Creston Community Forest envisions healthy forests with social, ecological, and economic benefits. We prioritize non-timber resources and local community input in our harvesting plans to make this vision a reality. Our community forest allows the Creston Valley to guide land-use decisions, respecting local interest and ecological integrity. Our guiding principles outline our long-term goals:
-
Manage forest resources for long-term community benefit.
-
Operate the community forest as a viable forestry enterprise.
-
Educate the public on the community forest and Creston's forest management.
-
Enhance partnerships with local First Nations.
-
Develop a timber harvesting schedule for the next 5–10 years.
These goals guide our planning and decision-making, ensuring we prioritize actions based on community needs and reflect local values and concerns.
Wildfire Risk Reduction to Forests and Community
The Goat Mountain area where community intermingles with the natural environment is called the wildland urban interface. Mountainous geography and water restrict most areas and this challenges emergency response planning. As our climate changes, our communities are increasingly aware of this risk, and interested in seeing it addressed. As a community-led organization with a forest stewardship mandate, this is a high priority for the Creston Community Forest.
To follow community forest guidelines, Angela French, (RFT, Creston Community Forest Planning and Development Supervisor) shared the proposed Cutting Permit for this year. You will find the goals for the proposed areas, with a strong emphasis on reducing fuel loads. You will also find maps highlighting the areas for your further understanding of the Wildfire Risk Reduction Project on Goat Mountain.
How to reduce the risk of wildfire spreading through the Community Forest
Maps for Proposed Areas
The four phases of this project over the year includes:
Phase 1: Planning
This will involve analyzing relevant data, such as old growth and ecologically important areas to be protected, to build a Fuel Management Plan across the Community Forest’s operating area. This information will be used to inform decisions to show where wildfire threat, spread, and vulnerability risks are greatest.
Phase 2: Collaboration
Discussing the findings with the Creston Valley Community, including area residents, First Nations and the Creston Valley FireSmart Resiliency Committee. The information generated by this process will be shared for discussion with community on priority areas and next steps. We will highlight key points in our newsletter, on social media, host an informational open house to share findings, and reach out to community groups in areas with proposed mitigation projects to gain community input into how we should proceed with the findings.
Phase 3: Prioritization
Identification of proposed and prioritized Wildfire Risk Reduction projects in the Community Forest. A series of proposed risk reduction projects will be developed over time. Each proposed project area will be identified including such information as threat and risk levels, and forest characteristics.
Phase 4: Implementation
Completing the field development, cutting permit development and treatments to implement the Fuel Management Plan over time.
History
Creston Community Forest’s history can be traced back to January of 1996, when the B.C. government announced the availability of a Forest Licence to harvest 15,000 cubic metres annually in areas near Creston, including the Arrow Creek watershed. Concerns about water quality led five Creston organizations to apply for the licence. They were granted a 15-year forest licence, forming the Creston Valley Forest Corporation.
In October 2008, the Creston Valley Forest Corporation received a Probationary Community Forest Agreement, which later became a 25-year community forest agreement, leading to the formation of the Creston Community Forest. In 2016, the community forest expanded its area and saw an increase in the Allowable Annual Cut, which now stands at 25,000 cubic metres annually. This rich history showcases the power of community collaboration and the dedication of those who strive to balance environmental stewardship with sustainable economic practices.
