Happy Canada Day! The Creston Community Forest (CCF) recently graded the entire length of the Mt. Thompson Forest Service Road. This will allow for much better vehicle access for any hiking enthusiasts wanting to visit the Thompson Rim/ Bonnie Lake Trails this coming long weekend. To help maintain the condition of this road, 4x4/ AWD vehicles are strongly recommended. The community forest was also recently provided with $45,000 of funding to replace all its trail signage which will be occurring this summer. Funding was awarded by the province as part of the Creston Valley Kootenay Lake Wayfinding Project overseen by the Economic Action Partnership. CCF trails needing maintenance will also be taking place over the next two weeks. Happy hiking and enjoy the trails!

Earlier this month the southern six community forests had their annual(ish) get together to review the Slocan wildfires and how they interacted with some of SIFCo’s fuel treatments over the years. This photo is of Enterprise Creek watershed where the wildfire started by lightning at the shore of the lake which then jumped the highway and burned the entire watershed, except for an old private land plantation (green area).  This meeting is always an amazing opportunity to connect with the other BCCFA forest managers in southern BC to build more understanding about what is happening in other areas and build upon what we can do in our community forests.

Mark it on your calendars, this Saturday is Bear Fair 2025 – A Community Celebration of Bear Awareness and Safety. Creston Valley Trails   presents the event – a free, all-ages event full of fun, food, games, and real talk about living alongside our wild neighbours. Sponsored by Yukon to Yellowstone Conservation Initiative and Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program. For all event details and featured highlights, please visit their event page by clicking his link: https://www.crestonvalleytrails.ca/event-details/creston-2025-bear-fair?fbclid=IwY2xjawLKWChleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFqa2VoRmd1aXdNeldwUXhjAR4owMOTUY7d55KV-fUmFwDV6Pq81ZPy1q-ooRPTz9ixM8chVZ_BwGJ5bbZznw_aem_2Ael2kK38yLzTJAy2_RvQA Because awareness is wildly important. Visit the event curious. Leave inspired.

Happy Father's Day. What a beautiful day to celebrate all the Dads! We encourage you to get outside and enjoy the views, the trails, the fishing and mostly time spent together. One of our trails is the THOMPSON RIM TRAIL. Here is the link to the Trails page on our website: https://www.crestoncommunityforest.com/thompson-rim-trail We are in the beginning process of reworking our Trails page and would very much enjoy your insight. What would you like to see on a hiking page? What are the features we should highlight? Would you be willing to share some photos with us to use? If we were to take photos, what areas of each trail would you like to see? Most of all today, we want to say Happy Father's Day and enjoy the time outside together!

We enjoyed hosting the Wildsight Youth Climate Corps with this project and supporting the agricultural sector of our community. Congratulations Youth Climate Corps, our future sure looks good! Wildsight shared the following photos and details on their overall project: "With support from Loki Tree Service , our Youth Climate Corps crews recently completed a surface fuel reduction project in the Creston Community Forest  to support wildfire risk mitigation efforts and community safety for the summer ahead. Loki Tree Service - wood chipper These excess fuels were either burned or chipped and given as woodchips to support organic matter for local Creston farms! Next up, crews will get to work on the farms that received woodchips from this project! By reducing forest fuel near urban environments, we can help make wildfires become less intense, easier to manage, and pose less risk to people and infrastructure."

Camping season is now officially underway and we encourage everyone to review our 8 Wildfire Safety Tips below. Keep these tips in mind before you leave home and during fire season! 1. During periods of high fire danger, consider alternatives to campfires, such as a propane camp stove or it may be a great opportunity for some fantastic stargazing. 2. Practice Leave No Trace principles—pack out cigarette butts and burned materials from your camping area. 3. Pack a portable fire extinguisher with you when you travel. 4. Build campfires in designated areas like a fire ring. Make sure it is fully extinguished before leaving the area, it should be cold to the touch. Never leave a burning or smoldering campfire unattended. 5. If you are using a portable stove, make sure the area is clear of grasses and other plants that could easily catch fire. Prevent stoves from tipping and starting a fire. 6. Do not drive your car or ATV and park in tall, dry vegetation, such as grass. The hot underside of the vehicle may start a fire. 7. If you're going on a hike, here are some other safety items to pack before leaving your car: paper maps, compass, flashlight, cell phone and/or emergency locator device, sun protection, water, and food.  8. The Wildfire Danger Rating sign explained.  In the attached FireSmart video explanation, watch to understand the wildfire danger rating sign; what it means, and how it impacts you. Simply click on the link below. https://firesmartbc.ca/resource/the-wildfire-danger-rating-sign-explained/ If you see smoke, fire, or suspicious activities, note the location as best you can and report it to authorities *5555 or call 911. Do NOT investigate it, attempt to contact suspicious people or try to put out a fire by yourself. To report a wildfire call the Southeast Fire Centre with *5555 Save: the *5555 to your mobile phone as "WILDFIRE - Creston Valley" #Crestonbc #hikebc

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 trees planted during the spring are restoring habitat, supporting biodiversity, and securing the future of our local forests. Thank you for helping grow tomorrow’s forests, one seedling at a time. West Arm Silviculture website: https://wasi.eco/ Photos: CCF Forest Manager #WorldEnvironmentDay   #TreePlanters   #CrestonCommunityForest   #BCForestry

Spring, this season brings both vibrant forest growth and fresh momentum with our community collaborations. Here at Creston Community Forest, we’ve recently hosted Selkirk College Forestry students for valuable hands-on learning and working with Wildsight to promote resilient, healthy forests. Our 2025 initiatives have attracted new funding, including a program that creates opportunities to connect with the valley’s agricultural sector. Camping season is now officially underway and we encourage everyone to review Wildfire Safety Tips and the guidelines for responsible firewood collection. As always, we’re dedicated to supporting our forests as places of sustainable resource use, recreation, and connection for all. IN THIS MONTH’S NEWSLETTER 1. $1 Million in Provincial Funding 2. New Collaboration Project with Wildsight - Youth Climate Corps. 3. Collecting Firewood in the Creston Community Forest 4. Wildfire Safety Tips While Hiking & Camping 5. Selkirk College - full circle moment for Erich and Angela 6. Newest Team Member: Alana Sargent 7. Education and Engagement - BC Community Forest Association's AGM 8. What We Are Watching 9. Questions or Comments To sign-up or to view entire newsletter, please click here or head to our website: https://mailchi.mp/e4a802db396b/creston-community-forest-newsletter-10336201

Above photos from CCF Forest Manager Daniel Gratton Last week the Creston Community Forest board and staff attended the BC Community Forest Association's conference and AGM held in Nanaimo. Thank you to the BC Community Forest organizers, exhibitors and presenters at this 2025 event. Above photo: BC Community Forest Association Creston attendees included Tom Olenczuk, (Chair), Robyn Usher (Director), Erich Endersby, Angela French and Daniel Gratton. This was an opportunity to engage with other community forests from across the province and learn from other forest professionals. Presentations included Forest Landscape Planning, bringing back fire onto the landscape, forest policy, innovative silviculture and community engagement. The conference wrapped up with presentations from the UBC Centre for Wildfire Coexistence hosted by Dr. Lori Daniels, Dr. Kelsey Copes- Gerbitz and Dr. Sarah Dickson -Hoyle. Since 2021, the Creston Community Forest has collaborated with UBC's TreeRing Lab in assisting Masters students in their research regarding wildfire risk reduction.

Photos: Wildsight Facebook One of our three pillars is Education. We are thrilled to extend our projects and collaborations with organizations with Wildsight - Youth Climate Corps. Below is a shout out from Wildsight sharing a few insights from our project with them held this May 2025. "Pumps & hoses & chainsaws, oh my! The East and West Kootenay Youth Climate Corps teams came together in Creston to complete training for their Basic Fire Suppression and Safety certificate and Basic Chainsaw Safety course, conducted by Loki Tree Service. This training equipped the crew with skills for their wildfire risk reduction project taking place in the Creston Community Forest  this May, as well as skills for future environmental careers! The crew loved getting out into the forest and getting some hands-on training and knowledge on fire behaviour, chainsaw handling, pump layouts, and more!"

Fuel Reduction Meets Food Security. Notice to the public : possible pile burning during May 20th - 30th on Goat Mountain. From wildfire prevention to regenerative farming, a new project on Goat Mountain is connecting the dots. In partnership with the Creston Community Forest, the Youth Climate Corps is building hands-on skills while reducing forest fuels and feeding local farms with mulch made on-site. Details below: - The Youth Climate Corps, Wildsight East and West Kootenays regions combined are completing a wildfire risk reduction treatment project in partnership with the Creston Community Forest on 3.1 hectares on Goat Mountain. To view our project head to the "2025 West Kootenay" projects list on the Wildsight website listed here: https://wildsight.ca/programs/youthclimatecorps   - The goal is reduce the fuel build-up adjacent to private land to reduce the risk of wildfire as well as to help restore fire-maintained ecosystems to increase resilience in a changing climate. - The project provides an opportunity to foster young, local skill and knowledge in the work and objectives. - The group will be chipping the gathered woody debris and delivering the chips to local farms that signed up in the Creston area, with the goal of promoting local food systems and creating a local carbon cycle. - Where the debris is too far from the roadside to warrant chipping, the debris will be piled and burned in small piles (less than Category 2 sized: <2m in height and <3m wide), venting dependent. - This project is anticipated to go from May 20 - 30th. - Wildsight is one of the Creston Community Forests 5 share-holders . We are grateful for these opportunities to continue to focus on long-term, sustainable, climate resilient projects. Please visit our PROJECTS page here: https://www.crestoncommunityforest.com/projects

Collecting Firewood in the Creston Community Forest (the Selkirk Forest District): What You Need to Know Did you know that you need permission to collect firewood from our forestry blocks? This permission comes in the form of a Free Use Permit for Firewood – for Domestic Purposes Only. This permit is free of charge and valid only within the Selkirk Forest District, which includes the Arrow, Boundary, Kootenay Lake, and Creston areas. What Does the Permit Allow? This permit authorizes you to: Collect dead and downed wood only (no live trees or standing dead permitted) Gather up to 5 cords per calendar year (approx. 18 cubic metres or 6–8 pick-up loads) Use the wood for personal, domestic use only—not for resale or commercial purposes Important Regulations to Follow When collecting firewood, the following rules apply under Section 48(1)(b) of the Forest Act: You must fill out, sign, and carry your permit with you while cutting or transporting firewood.  You must be able to produce your permit if asked by a Natural Resource Officer, Conservation Officer, or Peace Officer The permit is not transferable Cut only DEAD conifer trees (standing or down). Conifer trees that have been blown down or broken off, shall ONLY be cut for firewood if there are no green  needles left on the tree(s). No cutting of deciduous trees  is allowed under this permit. Cutting of any decked logs is PROHIBITED  and may be subject to criminal charges of theft under the Criminal Code of Canada . Wildlife Values  are to be recognized. No trees greater than 50 cm  (approximately 20 inch) in diameter as measured at stump height (30cm from germination) shall be cut under this permit. Care shall also be taken to not cut, damage or remove trees showing signs of wildlife use (see last page).  Watch especially for trees posted with a “Wildlife Tree” sign.  It is an offense under the Wildlife Act  to destroy any active bird nest. Look carefully before you cut! ** See image of Wildlife Tree Characteristics on the Permit and on our ‘Firewood’ webpage located on our website. The link to view both is listed below. PERMISSION MUST FIRST BE   GRANTED from   the Creston Community Forest before cutting a tree within these area based tenures using this permit. The debris must be cleared from roads, roadside ditches, culvert inlets and outlets prior to leaving the area with a load of firewood. Note: whenever you cut, you should have at least one functional shovel and one fire extinguisher present at all times. Follow all posted instructions in respect to the use of the road. Do not block roads under active use with your vehicle or firewood. Work safe and drive carefully.  This permit is issued under the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) and associated regulations. Permit holders are expected to collect responsibly, avoid damage to the land, and leave no trace.  Please see the map of permit required area in this post. How to Get Your Free Use Permit To make things easy, we’ve created a dedicated page on our website where you can download and fill out your permit: 👉  Click here to access the Firewood Permit and Details Please read all instructions carefully before heading out. Our goal is to keep firewood collection safe, sustainable, and respectful of the land we all share.