Forest Activity Public Notice - Burning of Debris Piles - Mt. Thompson. Starting today, the Creston Community Forest will be carrying out its pile burning as part of the wild fire risk reduction project on Mt. Thompson. This project is funded by the Forest Enhancement Society of BC. Expect to see smoke east of the town of Creston over the next week. These are controlled burns and will be monitored.

There is a certain beauty in the forest that words cannot always capture, from the intricate patterns of a tree's growth rings to the wildflowers, or the delicate details of oak ferns to the views of mountain landscapes from one of our hiking trails. Even in its quietest moments, a forest is filled with change, growth and the intricate relationships that sustain our natural world. Radiohead's enchanting instrumental Treefingers has been described as evoking a quiet, liv

Forest Activity Public Notice - Burning of Debris Piles - Goat Mountain. We are planning to burn small debris piles created by our wildfire risk reduction projects starting today and continuing for a few days. * The goal is to remove the small debris piles associated with the wildfire risk reduction work the Creston Community Forest has been carrying out over the last year. You can expect to see smoke in the area of Goat Mountain today and in the coming days.

Our goal is to share what we do in the community when we are logging, protecting our forests from the risk of wildfire, providing outdoor recreational opportunities, fostering long term community economic development of the Creston Valley area, supporting our community, and continuing to educate our youth about the wonders and importance of our forests. IN THIS MONTH’S NEWSLETTER 1. Our National Forest Week 2. Firewood Permits and Needed Information 3. Active Hauling Ar

ATTENTION Active Hauling: Creston Community Forest contractors began harvesting our wildfire risk reduction project on Mt. Thompson with active hauling between 0 - 4 KM on the Thompson FSR and on the Thompson Spur Road from 4 - 13 KM. * Please note the activity will be now through to the end of November. Safety is essential: Please be very cautious and aware of active operations while using the road. Follow all posted signage and use a radio, if possible. Expect disruption

The BC Community Forest Association (BCCFA) released its 2026 Community Forest Indicators Report: Measuring the Benefits of Community Forestry.

You are Invited! Please join us this Friday September 18th, 5-7pm at the Tilted Brick Gallery for the Opening Night of 'Healing Forests: In honour of what forests give us’. There you will be able to experience juried art pieces: sculpture, video, felt, painting, drawing, and other mediums. We are proud to see this partnership and project come to life after eight months of planning. The exhibition features works by artists throughout the Kootenays, each bringing their own

There is no better classroom for learning about sustainable forest management than the forest itself. Last Sunday, students from the University of British Columbia’s Master of Sustainable Forest Management program joined the Creston Community Forest and Yaqan Nukiy members for a guided field tour and an opportunity to explore some of the realities, challenges and opportunities of working in forestry... discussion included; wildfire risk reduction surrounding communities, the

We would like to announce a full circle win for our community and team. Our second summer student would like to share her experience: "Hello everyone! As you might have seen Tuscany’s amazing post about her experience working for the Community Forest, I am the other summer student!

Throughout the day, Board members commented on the incredible beauty of the Creston Valley and expressed appreciation for the dedication, knowledge, and passion our staff bring to their work every day with boots on the ground knowledge as well as innovative forestry practices. Most importantly, field trips like this reminded us that sustainable forest management is built on collaboration. Bringing Board members and staff together in the field creates a stronger understandi

As climate conditions change, improving soil health and water retention is becoming increasingly important. In Creston’s fertile valley, farms are facing hotter summers, longer dry periods and growing pressure on water supplies. Finding ways to adapt to expanded stressors is becoming more imperative to BC agriculture’s bottom line. This is where biochar comes in. In partnership with the Creston Community Forest (CCF) and the Regional District of Central Kootenay, Wildsight is

Starting today (April 28th), the Creston Community Forest will be salvage logging blowdown trees in a cutblock located between 3 and 5 km on the Mt. Thompson Forest Service Road (FSR). This is in response to a wind event that occurred in December 2025. Given the impact that Douglas-fir beetles have had throughout the Kootenays, it is important that these downed trees be removed by late spring at the latest to help mitigate this forest health concern. Douglas-fir beetles

Forest Activity Public Notice - Burning of Debris Piles - Mt. Thompson. We are planning to burn small debris piles created by our wildfire risk reduction projects starting today and continuing for a few days. * The goal is to remove the small debris piles associated with the wildfire risk reduction work the Creston Community Forest has been carrying out over the last 2 years. This will depend on the area experiencing good or fair ventilation for smoke to disperse well. If

In this issue, we share updates on the Kidd Creek Salvage Area and other forest management projects currently underway across the community forest. You’ll also find the latest news from our Douglas-fir Beetle monitoring program and information on the Ralph Moore Bursary supporting students pursuing forestry and environmental education. Spring also brings opportunities to connect creativity with nature through the Healing Forest Art Project and a special Artist Walk with a

This past fall and winter, the Creston Community Forest (CCF) completed a 57 hectare block in Russell Creek as part of its wildfire risk reduction (WRR) program. The intent of the project was to reduce the risk of wildfire above the townsite of Kitchener, BC and was done by thinning the dense canopy of trees by removing 50% of the stand. The next step will be to reduce the thick concentrations of smaller trees and shrubs and woody debris covering the forest floor that would o

Our Douglas-fir Beetle Project: These beetles typically do two flights per year in the Creston Valley, the first flight occurs in late April to early June, while the second flight occurs between July and August. During these flights, the beetles are looking for susceptive hosts to feed off and lay their larvae into, further increasing their populations. To mitigate the impacts of Douglas-fir beetle, the Creston Community Forest has developed forest health management practi

The Creston Community Forest, in partnership with the Tilted Brick Gallery, invites artists across the Kootenays to submit work for “Healing Forests: in honour of what forests give us,” a juried exhibition opening in September 2026. We are excited to support BC artists by offering three monetary prizes and partnering with our local Tilted Brick Gallery as well as tying in the Opening Night of the exhibit (Friday, September 18th) as the official kick-off to the National Forest

We want our community to know that we are now working in this area to selectively harvest the fire salvaged timber. After a wildfire, there’s a limited window of time, generally up to about one to two years, when burned wood still has value for milling before it deteriorates too much, so acting promptly helps maximize the use of this resource.

A few tips for non-industry vehicles: Please be very cautious and aware of operations while using any active Forestry Road. Follow all posted signage and use a radio, if possible. Expect disruptions and delays along the sections of road with active operations during work hours Monday to Friday. Before entering active work areas, please turn on your radio and listen to road channels before entering work areas, then call your kilometre and direction (e.g., “Km 12, going