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

Our Quarterly Newsletter is available to read with link below. Innovation, generations, education and community partnerships continue to shape the work of the Creston Community Forest. This month's newsletter highlights how forest management is evolving through exciting projects like the Fire for Healthy Soils initiative, where wood waste from wildfire risk reduction is being transformed into biochar with the potential to benefit both our forests and Creston valley farms.

A Forest and A Family: Part of a three-generation clan of loggers, Trench writer Danette Polzin reflects on the forest industry’s proud past and its transforming future. Danette's story reminds us how community and family are the backbone of the forestry industry not only in the Creston Valley but in many communities throughout British Columbia.

As part of the Creston Community Forest's continued goal to mentor a new generation of foresters, we would like to introduce our two summer students, Tuscany and Elissa. Having studied at UBC's Natural Resources Conservation program, Tuscany and Elissa will spend the summer in Creston assisting with our forest development, monitoring the Douglas-fir beetle program, over seeing the maintenance of hiking trails

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

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

These are the people who turn plans into action. Who ensure that our projects, big and small, move forward throughout the Creston Valley. Their hard work, and commitment to sustainable forestry is the backbone of every project we complete. They are the heart of our operations, working closely with community forest staff to bring our vision to life. Our thanks go to: * Macaulay Forestry - who for the last 6 years have treated hundreds of hectares reducing the risk of wildf

We're proud to share a compelling op-ed by Jennifer Gunter, Executive Director of the BC Community Forest Association, recently featured in Canadian Forest Industries, Pulp & Paper Canada, and Canadian Biomass Magazine. “Community forests have never focused solely on managing forests for timber. Instead, they take a multifaceted approach to stewardship, managing forests for the benefit of people, place, and long-term resilience.”

Today, on World Environment Day, we acknowledge the hard work of our tree planters, the West Arm Silviculture crew. Tree planting is a key boots-on-the-ground action that drives our forest management practices forward. At Creston Community Forest, sustainable forest management is one of three guiding pillars of what we do. Thank you to our West Arm Silviculture team, working tirelessly to help reforest the Creston Valley. Each year as part of our Forest Plan, thousands of tr