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Please submit comments in writing on the FOM website, via email to infoshare@crestoncf.com CCF K3D CP35 BLKS 14_16 COMMUNITY REFERRAL MAP CCF - K3D CP 35 BLK 14 RUSSELL HP MAP

Help the Creston Museum Become FireSmart at our Open House Saturday, May 3rd. Join us on May 3rd - Wildfire Preparedness Day - by volunteering for the Creston Museum's wildfire mitigation efforts. Tasks include pruning trees, clearing vegetation, and removing fire hazards to make the museum grounds safer. Sign up with the link to our website below. Join us for our Open House & Wildfire Preparedness Day Local Forests, Local Voices – Your Input Matters Open House 2025 Details: Saturday, May 3rd 1:00 – 4:30 pm Creston Museum ​ Learn how we’re working to reduce wildfire risks, strengthen our forests, and protect our community. ​​ Get practical FireSmart tips to safeguard your home, sign up for a free Home Assessment, discover how sustainable forest management plays a role in wildfire prevention, and chat with our team about local forestry issues. For more details about our Open House 2025 and participating partners, click here: https://www.crestoncommunityforest.com/openhouse2025

On April 4th, Creston Community Forest (CCF) Team Members - Erich, Alana, and Angela hosted the Selkirk College Forestry Diploma students as part of their final class field trip with a tour. During the visit, they delved into conventional logging practices aimed at wildfire risk reduction, focusing on our active logging site at Goat Mountain. The students had an opportunity to have insightful conversations with the loggers about the development process and the community forest values that drive our CCF mission. They also explored completed wildfire risk reduction projects and observed our Douglas-fir bark beetle management program sites, which uses pheromone-baited funnel traps. The tour concluded with prescribed burn sites, where discussions turned to innovative silviculture practices and adaptive forest stewardship. For Angela French (RFT) and Erich Endersby (TFT)—both alumni of the Selkirk program—it was a meaningful full-circle moment, underscoring the value of keeping forestry efforts local and building a skilled workforce with deep roots in the community. Photo #1: Selkirk college with Rick Polzin and CCF staff April 4, 2025 on Goat Mountain block 12 Photo #2: Creston Community Forest team members - Erich, Alana and Angela on Goat Mountain WRR block April 4, 2025 #crestoncommunityforest #sustainableforestry #WildfirePreparedness #SelkirkCollege

Firewood cutting for personal use in the Creston Community Forest is permitted only under these specific conditions: Firewood Information We are a not-for-profit forest company who log to mitigate fires, keep our forest healthy and contribute funds back into the community of Creston. First Steps for Firewood Moving firewood can spread invasive species and diseases such as the Douglas-fir beetle which is the most prevalent concern in our area. B.C.'s forests are threatened by insects that can damage trees. "The issues BC and Alberta are facing is that the winters are not cold enough, long enough to kill the insects and so the populations are increasing, along with trees being more stressed out with drought and more impact from more beetles, we’re experiencing more [forest] mortality," says our Forest Planning and Development Supervisor, Angela French. Moving firewood from one area to another increases the risk of spreading disease, funghi and pests. Firewood cutting for personal use in the Creston Community Forest is permitted only under these specific conditions: 01 Permission Personal permission is granted from our Forest Manager, Daniel Gratton, before cutting a tree within our Creston Community Forest area-based tenure. Contact information is listed below in image and in our 'Contact Us' section in footer of page or menu tab. 02 Free Permit Annually, make sure to read, understand, fill out, sign, carry and follow your free permit at all times while cutting or transporting firewood: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/farming-natural-resources-and-industry/natural-resource-use/firewood-permits/selkirk_free_use_permit.pdf 03 Personal Firewood Firewood cut in CCF is for personal use only and not being sold. See permit for allowable amount per person. The Permittee accepts all responsibility and liability as a result of the firewood harvesting and transport under this Permit. Creston Community Forest accepts no liability for loss, damage to property, personal injury or death resulting from activities undertaken by the Permittee in harvesting firewood or in travel to and from the Permit area. Photo: a visual example from our list of Don'ts Firewood Do's Do: Work and fall safely, preferably not alone. Falling is risky business without the proper skill, knowledge, and safety gear. Only dead or downed trees may be cut for firewood, though often these trees and logs are retained for structural diversity purposes and are a part of the larger ecosystem resilience lens that we manage the forest through. Leave decaying wood in place as they add to ecosystem function by providing biodiversity in structure, and nutrient cycling. Prevent the spread of insects, disease, and other pathogens by being educated about what may have caused the trees mortality, and possible risks of bringing the pathogens to your property. Do: Do: Do: Firewood Dont's Cut any tree that has wildlife habitat characteristics as identified on the permit, or “WT” for Wildlife Tree, painted on it. These have been retained for the specific values and features they provide for wildlife in the area. Cut any trees within a Wildlife Tree Patch. These areas are legally retained areas of the tenure that have special features important to be maintained for ecosystem biodiversity. Cut green trees for access. Green trees are actively managed with long-term, sustainable practices in mind. The reasons are specific to the site. For more information contact CCF forestry staff. Leave garbage in the forest. These areas are homes to wildlife, are in our backyards, and are not a dumping ground for anyone. Drive through the ditch line into a treatment area. Ditch lines are designed for managing water movement in specific areas. Degrading the shape, direction, of filling with woody material prevents the flow of water and could cause damage to the access structures (roads) and watersheds by contributing to increased sedimentation in drinking water. Cut trees in an active treatment area. Trees under active cutting permits have specific plans that need to be followed by the hired contractor. Cutting trees that are not meant to be cut can cause deviations from plans and operations that prevent our management objectives from being achieved. Do not: Do not: Do not: Do not: Do not: Do not: If you’re unsure where not to go, contact the office for more information. If purchasing firewood, ask where it came from to help keep firewood poachers accountable. Let’s work together to ensure our forests are safely and sustainably managed for the future of our community. Do Not Live Cedar Cut STAY IN THE LOOP! Sign up for our newsletter below to stay updated on upcoming trail work, events, and more. Don't miss out on the latest news, opportunities to get involved and join our online community to be the first to know. Creston Community Forest Newsletter sign up link: Yes, I want the Newsletter

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. Projects Projects - 2025 Goat Mountain Details Harvesting Completed Wildfire Risk Reduction cutting and piling in progress spring – fall 2025 Debris Pile Burning * Lower Birch (Carroll Creek) * Mt. Thompson Completed until fall 2025 Russell Creek Details Active Harvesting Operations in Progress April – June, 2025 Carroll Creek Details Wildfire Risk Reduction cutting and piling spring – fall 2025 2024 Harvesting Details General Project Phases Phase 1: Planning Collating and analyzing relevant data to help develop plans that balance values and are aligned with our guiding principles. Phase 2: Collaboration Open collaborative discussions with the Creston Valley community, including area residents, First Nations and the Creston Valley FireSmart Resiliency Committee . Key points will be highlighted in our newsletter, on social media, and at open houses. Phase 3: Prioritization Identification of proposed and prioritized projects in the community forest will be developed over time. Phase 4: Implementation Completing the plans from field development through to reforestation and long term monitoring. Resources / Links Guiding Principles Management Plan 2024 -2029 Forest Stewardship Plan Forest Stewardship Plan Policy Manual STAY IN THE LOOP! Sign up for our newsletter below to stay updated on upcoming trail work, events, and more. Don't miss out on the latest news, opportunities to get involved and join our online community to be the first to know. Creston Community Forest Newsletter sign up link: Yes, I want the Newsletter

Fuel mitigation is to address the growing risk of intense wildfires in our region. With hotter and drier summers, wildfires have become more frequent and severe. By removing excess fuel, such as woody debris and dead trees from specific areas, we create more fire-resilient forests that act as barriers to fire spread. FOREST OPERATIONS Fuel Mitigation Fuel mitigation is to address the growing risk of intense wildfires in our region. With hotter and drier summers, wildfires have become more frequent and severe. By removing excess fuel, such as woody debris and dead trees from specific areas, we create more fire-resilient forests that act as barriers to fire spread. The amount and type of fuel removal are tailored to site-specific conditions, resulting in a forest that experiences low-intensity surface fires. Implementing fuel mitigation, especially in the Wildland Urban Interface, is vital for communities across B.C. to enhance their fire protection measures. FOREST OPERATIONS Wildland Urban Interface The Wildland Urban Interface is where our community meets the wilderness, with dense forests and thick undergrowth. This zone covers a significant portion of Creston and its surrounding areas. While it offers great recreational opportunities, these areas pose a risk to businesses, homeowners, and private landowners in the event of a wildfire. These forests are more prone to high-intensity wildfires due to the abundance of fuel, such as deadfall and dense shrub layers. As this zone encompasses a large part of the Creston Valley, many people are directly exposed to the threat of intense wildfires. That's why wildfire risk reduction through fuel mitigation work has become increasingly important as communities recognize the risks associated with these transition areas. To read about some of our previous wildfire mitigation projects, visit our blog . For perspective of how much area is at risk to wildfire by being located within the Wildland Urban Interface, check out the video. STAY IN THE LOOP! Sign up for our newsletter below to stay updated on upcoming trail work, events, and more. Don't miss out on the latest news, opportunities to get involved and join our online community to be the first to know. Creston Community Forest Newsletter sign up link: Yes, I want the Newsletter