When BC’s community forestry leaders gather each year, one of the sector’s highest honours is the Robin Hood Memorial Award for Excellence in Community Forestry. Established in 2016, the award recognizes the community forest that best exemplifies the values of British Columbia’s community forestry program—leadership, innovation, local economic opportunity, stewardship, and a passion for community forestry. The award is presented jointly by the BC Community Forest Association and the Ministry of Forests. Recipients receive provincial recognition and a $10,000 grant in support of their work.

The award is named after Robin Hood—not the legendary outlaw of Sherwood Forest, but a respected British Columbia forester, woodlot operator, and early champion of the community forestry movement. Hood was deeply involved in both the woodlot and community forest sectors and was widely admired for his belief in local stewardship, long-term thinking, and the connection between healthy forests and healthy communities. Colleagues remember him as a principled advocate, known for his integrity, humility, technical expertise, and quiet leadership.

Robin Hood played an important role in advancing the concept of community forestry in British Columbia, helping to shape a model that gives local communities a greater voice in managing nearby forests. Today, the award that bears his name serves as a lasting tribute to his vision that forests can provide not only timber, but also social, environmental, cultural, and economic benefits for the people who depend on them.

Previous winners include Sunshine Coast Community Forest (2025), Chinook Community Forest (2024) and Williams Lake Community Forest (2023).