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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 prefer downed trees, so they will preferentially attack the felled "trap" trees rather than standing, healthy trees. Timing here is critical. Trap trees must be processed (hauled to a mill, burned, or debarked) before the beetles emerge from the trap trees and infect the healthy standing trees in the area. If traveling up the Mt. Thompson FSR, please exercise caution and if possible, have a two-way radio set to the correct Resource Road Channel. Operations should conclude by Friday, May 1st. With any concerns or questions, please contact our Forest Manager: Daniel Gratton dgratton@crestoncf.com

Kootenay River Secondary School students and their Grade 10 & 11 science teacher, Erich Meyer, for a field day of learning and exploration on October 27th, 2025. The Creston Community Forest (CCF) is pleased to invite applications for a $5,000.00 educational bursary supporting students pursuing post-secondary studies in Forestry or Environmental Science. As a not-for-profit forest management organization overseeing more than 21,000 hectares of forest lands surrounding the Creston Valley. Through this bursary, CCF hopes to encourage students who are interested in advancing their education in forestry or environmental fields through technical programs, college, or university studies. Supporting education in these areas helps strengthen our community’s connection to sustainable forest management and ensures the next generation continues the work of protecting and understanding our natural landscapes. About Ralph Moore: June 12, 1945 - April 16, 2015.Ralph was born in 1945 in Kimberley B.C., growing up between the Purcells and the Rockies creating a love for the mountains. His father, Jack, took him on countless wilderness hikes and as a result Ralph shared  his passion for the wild with hundreds of people over the years, knowing that protection begins with appreciation. He was especially pleased with the opportunity to protect the forests on Goat Mountain by establishing a Woodlot. He was proud of the work of the local Community Forest Corporation and was a founding member of the environmental group that eventually became Wildsight . He donated hours of his life to assisting individuals and groups in whatever ways he could. We continue to honour him with this educational bursary. CCF is requesting applications from individuals interested in an educational bursary to advance them to a potential career in Forestry or Environmental Science.   Selection of Bursary recipient will be made Creston Valley Forest Corporation Board of Directors based solely on the responses to the application questionnaire. Deadline for completed application: May 15th, 2026 To read the Ralph Moore Bursary  application form and details, HERE

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 conditions permit, expect to see smoke in the area of Mt. Thompson today and in the coming days. We are working to reduce the fuel load near the Town of Creston prior to high fire danger season. Thank you.

A little bit about our ongoing Douglas-fir beetle project and the forest management practices we use to better understand the impact these beetles have in our Creston Valley area: The Douglas-fir beetle (Dendroctonus pseudotsugae) is a native bark beetle in British Columbia. Mature, unhealthy and stressed-out Douglas-fir trees act as a primary host. Due to the impacts of climate change: less snow, earlier spring weather, the extreme heat during our summers and wildfires, we are seeing an increase in beetle populations. 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 practices that utilize funnel traps. These traps contain a bait which uses pheromones to attract and isolate the beetles, meanwhile the surrounding forest area is protected by an additional pheromone (MCH) which causes the beetles to ‘overlook’ the trees and target the traps where they are collected and measured. We collect the beetles to further our understanding of beetle flight dynamics and present populations and to contribute to further adaptive management practices. Our project is ongoing in the valley. We have 11 trap site locations planned throughout our operating area this season and we ask that the public do not disturb this important project.

To read our MARCH NEWSLETTER click link below. In this newsletter: "This year has already brought an active season in the woods. 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 Forester. With trails opening in early April, our community can once again explore the forests we maintain. May also brings in our Open House and Wildfire Community Preparedness Day. As always, ‘Thank You’ for your continued interest in the Creston Community Forest and the work we do together in the valley." IN THIS MONTH’S NEWSLETTER View the Newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/53bc77e31744/creston-community-forest-newsletter-10341521

With 10 liters of beetles collected, our year-long program combined traps, research, and collaborations to better understand and slow the spread of the Douglas-fir Bark Beetle. Find the results and what we are doing next by reading the summary below. Summary of the 2024 Creston Community Forests Douglas-fir Bark Beetle Program.      Goal : The program aimed to reduce Douglas-fir bark beetle populations impacting Douglas-fir stands within the operating area. The focus was on slowing the spread of infestations, tracking beetle flight patterns, and monitoring population changes.      Methodology:          Trap Sites: Ten funnel trap sites were strategically selected based on proximity to affected or susceptible Douglas-fir stands and reserve areas. Additional factors like snowmelt timing, aspect, stand age, wind direction, and site accessibility were considered.          Trap Setup: Each site had three 5-piece multitrap systems, placed a few meters apart to enhance mass trapping. The traps used a 3-part lure to attract and collect beetles, aiming to draw them away from vulnerable trees.      Methylcyclohexen (MCH): Over 1000 MCH bubbles were distributed in susceptible stands to prevent beetle infestation.      Research Collaboration: The program contributed to Canadian-wide bark beetle research by sending collected beetle samples to Dr. Christopher Keeling at the Laurentian Forestry Centre. His research on genetic biodiversity helps assess factors like cold tolerance and pest communication in bark beetles.      Partnerships: Collaboration with the Selkirk Resource District and Stewardship allowed for discounted products and materials. The beetle data collected also contributed to monitoring infestations in the Selkirk District.      Monitoring & Data Collection: From May 15 to August 19, 2024, 10 liters of bark beetles were collected. Bear damage at certain sites affected data accuracy, but high volumes were recorded in late May to mid-June and early to mid-July. This data will inform future management strategies.      Future Plans: Funnel traps will continue to be placed at Goat Mountain, Mt. Thompson, and the Arrow Creek drainage to further monitor beetle populations and inform adaptive management.

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 otherwise contribute to the spread of wildfire. The community forest has also been focusing on salvage logging the burned timber in the Peterson and Spider Creek drainages. This is in response to the September 2025 Kidd Creek wildfire that burned approximately 450 hectares which included older cutblocks were fully forested. Given the scale and intensity of the wildfire, critical areas of these drainages were however, left untouched by the fire. Examples include timber on either side of creek draws and certain species of trees such as Douglas-fir, larch and yellow pine that can be resilient to scorching due to their thick bark. Not all burned areas are being logged and trees that have a chance of surviving where logging is occurring are being reserved from harvest. Once operations are complete in these drainages, our logging contractor will move to the Birch Creek drainage where the community forest will continue to work into late fall. _________________________________________________________________________________ Wildfire Risk Reduction Since 2019, the community forest has continued to help reduce the risk of wildfire throughout the Creston Valley carried out by its WRR projects. This spring, our local contractor will resume this work in the next few weeks, focusing on Lower Birch, Mt. Thompson and Goat/ Arrow Mtn. All these locations are WRR blocks that were logged/ thinned in 2024. This work continues to be funded by the province’s Forest Enhancement Society of BC program which the community forest is extremely grateful for.

About the Project: 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. The exhibition explores the many ways forests shape our lives : ecologically, economically, culturally, emotionally, and recreationally. Artists ages 16+ and working in any medium are encouraged to participate. 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 Week. Save that date and join us! This exhibition celebrates the forests and invites artistic reflection on the value of BC forests in daily life. 1st Prize: $500 2nd Prize: $300 3rd Prize: $200 Please share this information with the artist or creative you know. Find all details on our website page: Art Partnership: Healing Forests

We are thrilled to share our newest project with a community supported organization, The Creston Community Forest & Tilted Brick Gallery Announce 2026 Juried Exhibition: “ Healing Forests: in honour of what forests give to us .” How you can participate today , "Save the Date" for the listed Exhibition Opening Date, notice that we will create a page dedicated on our website for this program, and ask you to share this information with any of your creative friends. 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 to us,” a juried exhibition opening in September 2026. The exhibition explores the many ways forests shape our lives: ecologically, economically, culturally, emotionally, and recreationally. Artists of all ages and working in any medium are encouraged to participate. This exhibition celebrates that work and invites artistic reflection on the value of forests in daily life. The Creston Community Forest (CCF) manages more than 21,000 hectares of local forest with a focus on sustainable practices, long-term stewardship, recreation infrastructure, and community benefit. ABOUT OUR PARTNER : Tilted Brick Gallery Association is a registered non-profit society under BC's Societies Act and operates on the principle of being "built by artists for artists" in Creston, BC. We are an artist-run center that is community-based and nurtures the development of art & culture in all forms. * Please continue to watch our Facebook, Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter (here: http://eepurl.com/iwjUgk   or sign up is found on our website: www.crestoncommunityforest.com  ) for all details, electronic juried guidelines, date for the May 'Artist Walk' through a forest with our Forest Manager and a hands on bear spray workshop before the walk for this project, and so much more. We wanted to share the beginnings of this project with the details we have and for you know there is more to follow. We encourage artists to submit their pieces for a chance at one of three monetary awarded wins. Stay tuned, follow our page https://www.crestoncommunityforest.com/artprojecthealingforests , and save the date!

Last September, a wildfire burned many hectares in the Kidd Creek area. Once conditions were safe, our field crew looked at areas for salvage logging. Despite the scale and intensity of the fire, not all areas were affected in the Peterson and Spider Creek drainages. 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. Our contractors are currently removing timber from select areas. Trees that survived are being left where we are salvage logging and not all areas that burned will be harvested. Trees left behind will help towards regenerating the forest ecosystem, including supporting wildlife habitat, maintaining soil health, and aiding natural regeneration. This work is an opportunity to support local mill supply, reduce potential fuel for future high-intensity fires, and prepare the ground for reforestation. This salvage work involves careful planning to balance ecological recovery with operational safety. Our crews are following best practices to protect wildlife habitat, waterways, and soil stability as we work. Thanks for your patience as we do this important work in the Kidd Creek area. Once again, we ask that you exercise extra caution if you are travelling up the Kidd Creek Forest Service Road. A two way radio is recommended.

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 up”). This simple step helps ensure the safety of both road users and our contractors. If you do not have a radio, please be aware of working trucks on the forestry roads. Give them time to slow down or the space to turn with a loaded trailer. * It takes time for a loaded truck to come to a stop, be mindful of them and the work they do.

We are proud to share this video "Rooted Together" highlighting the value and impact of community forests throughout British Columbia. The film explores how community forests support environmental stewardship, local economies, and strong, resilient communities throughout the province. The film centres on a simple but powerful idea that forests are best managed by the people who live closest to them. Featuring voices from Indigenous and community forest leaders plus renowned forestry experts and specialists, the film explores how community forests go beyond timber to prioritize social, cultural, environmental, and economic values. YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG947o031W8