Region Archives: Canada West

Marking its 10th anniversary, the Forest Enhancement Society of BC is highlighting a decade of work advancing forest resilience, fibre utilization, and climate action across the province. Framed by Earth Day reflections, the latest update underscores how thoughtful forest management—from wildfire risk reduction to rehabilitation and better use of low-value fibre—can play a meaningful role in addressing climate change. FESBC continues to support projects that reduce slash burning by turning residual fibre into bioenergy, cutting greenhouse gas emissions while creating economic opportunities for communities. The newsletter also points to the importance of collaboration, including Indigenous leadership, in delivering lasting forest stewardship outcomes. Featured stories include a fuel management project with Kenpesq’t Forestry, reflections from former forests minister Doug Donaldson, and recognition of FESBC’s impact at the BC Legislature. A safety tip from the BC Forest Safety Council rounds out the update, reinforcing the sector’s ongoing focus on worker safety.

Air traffic in parts of west-central Alberta has been busier than normal over the last few days as the province prepares for another wildfire season. Newly recruited wildland firefighters are participating in training sessions in Hinton, Alta., about 270 kilometres west of Edmonton. The rookies will learn how to initially attack a fire, a process that includes a helicopter ride. Meanwhile in nearby Edson, Alta., about 90 kilometres to the east, seven planes have been stationed at the Edson Air Tanker Base. The planes, which arrived on Monday, are ready to be deployed in the event a wildfire breaks out in the region, said Derrick Forsythe, an information officer with Alberta Wildfire. The area has seen less snow than other parts of the province.

Mother Nature is the expert on growing forests, but sometimes she needs a helping hand. This hand is especially helpful when something disrupts her well-honed process in the first place. Such is the case with the forestry plantations in qax mot and the effort to restore these areas by the Comox Valley Land Trust (CVLT). Located at the Morrison Creek headwaters up Lake Trail Rd., the qax mot Conservation Area consists of 22 hectares of riparian forests and forestry plantations. …About 9 per cent of qax mot consists of forestry plantations. While it might seem like planting trees is always a good idea, the way the Douglas fir plantations were installed prohibit the natural regenerative cycle essential to a healthy forest. The trees were planted too closely, making it nearly impossible for light to break through the canopy, leaving the forest floor virtually barren of the undergrowth species we associate with a thriving West Coast forest.

Ben Parfitt

As pulp mill and sawmill jobs plummet in number, British Columbia’s Forests Ministry is opening the door to more exports of unprocessed logs, including those produced from trees cut down in old-growth forests. Under current rules, companies … pay a “fee in lieu of manufacturing”… But in February, the provincial government quietly lowered those fees. The reduced fees will make it more profitable to ship logs away, and although the government says it will incentivize more logging, others warn that the change risks undermining  jobs in the province’s struggling forest industry. …Arnold Bercov, a former worker at the Harmac pulp mill and former president of the Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada, warns that the move will hurt B.C.’s forestry sector. …[Saying] the government’s surplus test is “a trap.” “The more logs you export, the more mills that shut down,” he said. “And the more mills that shut down, the more exports you have.”

Extreme weather events in northern Manitoba are challenging to navigate, and the lack of weather radar sites in the northern part of the province only adds to that challenge, experts say. “We experienced that a lot last summer during our forest fire,” said Mike Funk, the emergency co-ordinator for the City of Flin Flon. “We would get reports from Environment Canada, [saying] ‘We’re expecting rainfall,’ and they were great at predicting the time that it would hit [elsewhere]. But by the time it got close to your area, nothing happened.” Last spring, Flin Flon, more than 600 kilometers northwest of Winnipeg, was nearly encircled by wildfires. The city of roughly 5,000 was evacuated for weeks. Funk said a weather radar station in the north would give his community a clearer picture of what type of weather they could expect.

On May 2 volunteers will converge on the Bush Creek hatchery in Ladysmith to haul illegally dumped waste out of the surrounding forest and watershed. Over the past three years, the community cleanup, run by the Ladysmith Sportsmen’s Club, has removed nearly 160 tonnes of garbage. “Illegal dumping is a serious offence, one that harms our forests and puts communities at risk,” said Ravi Parmar, minister of Forests. “But because of this initiative, we’re reducing the risks and protecting our environment. We’re adding to the 160 tonnes already removed, through on-the-ground, people-led land restoration.” Mosaic Forest Management, which manages approximately 585,000 hectares of private forest land across Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, will once again supply staff volunteers, donated materials and disposal support for the effort. Volunteers can email judsonboys@shaw.ca to get involoved. More information on Mosaic’s reporting pilot will be available at MosaicForests.com this summer.

Randall Van Wagner

Wildfire season is upon us, and Manitobans are hoping for a reprieve from 2025, which was deemed the one most devastating in the province’s history. As the severity of wildfires increases, so too does the importance of reforestation and tree planting. “Wildfires are more prevalent, and they’re more powerful, and part of the reason is the buildup of fuel. Diseases, shorter and milder winters, less snowpack and less moisture in the spring, are contributing factors making for a difficult situation,” said Randall Van Wagner, the head of national greening program, Tree Canada. Van Wagner says while many areas regenerate on their own, more intense fires like what we saw last year cause more depth of burn in the soil, making it difficult for trees to regenerate. The organization estimates they’ve planted between 500,000 and one million trees in the past five years in Manitoba.

On a flat stretch of burned ground southwest of Port Alberni … close to 100 volunteers help to re-establish a thriving forest. Nearly 3,600 hectares burned during an aggressive wildfire that started on Aug. 11, 2025 and reached within nine kilometres of city limits. A community planting event held on April 16 brought together Mosaic Forest Management staff volunteers, students from the Alberni Valley Land Based Learning class, members of the Port Alberni Scouts, and their teachers, leaders and caregivers to plant seedlings in the footprint of the 2025 Mount Underwood wildfire — a human-caused fire that burned second growth and old growth forests within an area nearly nine times the size of Stanley Park. The seeds for the seedlings were sourced from Mosaic’s Mount Newton seed orchard in Saanich, a Mosaic spokesperson said, and selected for their climate resilience and ability to thrive in the sun-exposed conditions left behind by the fire.

A motion to contact the province and urge it to review and strengthen its forestry policies, including those governing raw-log exports, failed in a 4-3 vote at North Cowichan’s council meeting on April 15. The motion by Coun. Christopher Justice, if it passed, was intended to help improve fibre availability for domestic processing, support value-added wood manufacturing, and sustain forestry employment on Vancouver Island. A number of delegations spoke to council on the issue at the meeting. Arnold Bercov, a former president of the Public and Private Workers of Canada, spoke in favour of council supporting Justice’s motion. …Brian Bull, a long-time worker at the WFP’s curtailed Chemainus sawmill, said if the motion passes, it would create a conversation about the issue at a time when many forest companies and the province don’t want to have that conversation. …Mosaic Forest Management’s Karen Brandt and Nick Broekhuizen also spoke on the issue.

In this second in a series of stories, Jim Stirling looks at the issues that have brought the B.C. forest industry to a crisis point, where many community-supporting sawmills have been forced to shut down, and thousands of well-paying jobs in towns and cities across B.C. have vanished. Jim looks at how the province’s associations have recently banded together, to better communicate with a seemingly deaf-to-the-forest industry NDP government. …Today, forestry associations [are] speaking out as one. And when that happens, it sounds a different set of political alarm bells for elected representatives. They start paying attention. … The timing is right for the launch of “Forestry is a Solution”. …The initiative provides an opportunity for members of the public to voice their opinion on the forest industry’s contributions to B.C. and the economy. …The campaign encourages the public to show their support for the forest sector by signing a petition to be forwarded to provincial decision makers.

The Island has some of B.C.’s most well-known karst features — such as caves, sinkholes and underground rivers — but they’re threatened by logging. Around five years ago, Mark Worthing — heard a company was planning to log a huge drainage of ­old-growth forest and watershed 350 kilometres north of Victoria, with the only access point being a single road believed to have a karst cave underneath. Worthing, an old-growth forest campaigner [intended to] prove the cave stretched beneath the road, the destructive heavy logging machinery would not be allowed to pass through, and the old growth and watershed would be saved. …While researcher Jenica Ng-Cornish says B.C. has a comprehensively better karst plan than other jurisdictions, it falls short when put into practice. The forestry guidelines are based on aging documents: the 2002 Forest and Range Practices Act and 2003 Karst Management Handbook. There are also six Government Actions Regulation orders on karst protections.

Haida Gwaii, BC – As the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) marks its 10th anniversary, the Society is reflecting on the investments it has made to support climate change mitigation across the province. Notably, with support from FESBC, communities like Haida Gwaii continue to enhance the resilience of their forests in the face of a changing climate. This work often includes supporting transportation costs so that uneconomic, low-value fibre is transported to local secondary manufacturing facilities rather than burned on site in slash piles following harvesting operations or post-wildfire salvage. …“As we mark ten years of FESBC, what stands out the most is the tangible impact these projects are having on the ground, the people behind the work, and the role they play in addressing climate change,” said Jason Fisher, RPF, Executive Director, FESBC.

Two men were arrested Friday after a protest blocked access to a Forest Service road near Nelway, preventing a contractor from reaching a worksite. Salmo RCMP responded on April 24 to a demonstration where a small group of people had obstructed the road in opposition to logging activity in the area. The protest is connected to ongoing efforts by the Rosebud Community Watershed Protection Group, which has been advocating for stronger protections in the Rosebud and Lomond Creek watersheds. …Police said officers attempted to negotiate with the group, but the demonstrators refused to leave. Two men were arrested as a result. During the arrest, an officer was allegedly struck in the face by one of the men. A 75-year-old Nelway man was subsequently arrested for assaulting a police officer with a weapon and obstruction, while a 37-year-old man, also from Nelway, was arrested for mischief and obstruction.

A new UBC-led study into wildfire risk in Whistler finds residents report near-universal concern about wildfire, a level of awareness that is driving high rates of mitigation work on properties—but not the same level of preparedness for an emergency. The research suggests “strong leadership” in local FireSmart programs is contributing to the uptake of mitigation techniques while pointing to a possible trade-off: residents who have reduced risk around their homes may be less focused on planning what to do if a wildfire occurs. “People are very aware of the risk, but we’re not seeing very high level of preparedness,” said study author Adeniyi P. Asiyanbi, an assistant professor at UBC Okanagan. …Drawing on 234 survey responses, the study finds high levels of concern across the community, with 91 per cent reporting they are “concerned” or “very concerned” about wildfires in Whistler, and 80 per cent rating overall risk as “high” or “extreme.”

Climate change is making Vancouver Island more prone to wildfires, and the Homalco First Nation is taking proactive steps to prepare. To protect the community during wildfire season, the Nation has started a project designed to reduce wildfire risks in its privately owned forest next to the Homalco community south of Campbell River. Thinning the forest will make it less prone to fire and provide the community with another escape route in case of an emergency, says the Nation. …Ken Dodd, the manager of forest values with the Nation, said the abundance of ladder fuel, coupled with densely packed trees, could lead to a catastrophic forest fire if one were to ignite. …Dodd explained that the thinning technique replicates the qualities of an old-growth forest… Quentin Stefani, with Integrated Operations Group, the company hired to conduct the thinning, said the technology is typically used to thin forests in Europe. 

Kira Hoffman

Kira Hoffman has been lighting fires since the age of seven, when she learned how to conduct planned burns on her parents’ farm. Now a fire ecologist at the University of British Columbia, she researches wildfire behavior and Indigenous-led fire stewardship, working in partnership with the Gitanyow, Cheslatta Carrier and Wet’suwet’en Nations. Hoffman was recently recognized with a prestigious National Geographic 33 award… She spoke with CBC Daybreak North host Carolina de Ryk about how fire benefits the land, the group effort behind her work and what she’s expecting in the wildfire season ahead. Click Read More for the interview transcript.

Recent headlines have made clear the need for change in B.C.’s forest sector. Immediate action is needed to further diversify forest operations and access to fibre, opening doors to innovation and value-added products. We can and should emphasise building with renewable materials sourced from B.C. timber, such as expanding local production of mass timber and continuing to advance tall wood construction. It’s also time to take stock of our collective long-term vision for forestry in the province, including its role in impacting our physical and psychological health, both collectively and individually. The Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship (FES) at the University of British Columbia is doing just that. Interdisciplinary environmental and forestry pursuits are engrained in its research, teaching and community outreach — why they lengthened their name from the Faculty of Forestry to the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship in January.

Harrison Hot Springs leaders may be taking their forestry-related concerns right to the provincial government. During Monday’s council meeting, Harrison Hot Springs council voted 1-4 to defeat a motion from Coun. Mark Schweinbenz to direct village staff to speak with a number of entities concerning large-scale, clear-cut forestry and its effects on the community. Schweinbenz was the sole assenting vote. “Every year, we get a letter from (B.C. Timber Sales), and it’s confusing and obfuscates what is really going on,” Schweinbenz said. “I don’t think we have any real input and I think the citizens of Harrison Hot Springs are frustrated by that. I think that should change.” …Instead of engaging with multiple agencies such as the B.C. Timber Sales Chilliwack Forest District, local First Nations leaders and neighbouring communities, council will consider requesting a meeting with the Minister of Forests at the 2026 UBCM Conference at the Vancouver Convention Centre in September.

Fire Information Officer Amanda Cullum said effective at noon tomorrow (April 23) all Category 2 and 3 open fires must be fully extinguished. “The prohibitions will remain in place until noon on October 31, 2026, or until the Orders are rescinded. These prohibitions apply to the entire Cariboo Fire Centre including the Tsilhqot’in (Xeni Gwet’in) Title area, the 100 Mile House Forest District and the Quesnel Forest District.” …Cullum said the prohibition does not include Category 1 campfires that are 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide or smaller, and CSA-rated or ULC rated outdoor stoves for cooking, heat or ambiance that burns charcoal briquettes, liquid fuel or gaseous fuel, and has a flame height that is less that 15 cm tall.

See all Fire Prohibitions and Restrictions on the BC Wildfire Service website

The board of the Regional District of Central Kootenay voted on April 16 to write a letter to the provincial government in support of a group of rural water users near Nelway. The Rosebud Community Watershed Protection Group wants two adjacent watersheds preserved as a provincially protected area or as ecological reserve. The Lomond Creek and Rosebud Creek watersheds provide water for about 25 households… Rosebud Creek drains into the Salmo River and Lomond Creek into the Pend Oreille River. The total area of the two small adjacent watersheds is 2,250 hectares. “We’re trying to get the province of B.C. to declare this area a protected area to protect the wildlife corridor and to also protect our watershed from logging by B.C. Timber Sales,” said group spokesperson Dave Lang. B.C. Timber Sales is building roads, he said, preparing to log in the area, and residents are worried about … their water supply. 

Council heard from Mosaic Forest Management representatives Jimmie Hodgson and Francis Guyver, who provided an overview of the company’s role in the coastal forestry sector, including timber markets, sustainability initiatives and wildfire preparedness. The presentation also highlighted watershed management work in the Ladysmith area and ongoing partnerships with Indigenous communities. Representatives invited council to participate in a field tour of Mosaic-managed lands.

In October 2025, the Regional Parks Committee tasked staff with looking at a potential Strategic Forest Management and FireSmart Plan, including budget. With a report in hand, the committee agreed to embark on a phased approach to develop a forest management plan for regional parks with key considerations including wildfire risk reduction, ecological values, cultural considerations and FireSmart principles in 2027. The first step would include a request for proposal process, with a price tag of up to $75,000 from the 2027 budget, to retain a qualified consultant to assist in developing a Strategic Forest Management Plan framework guiding future wildfire risk reduction and forest resilience efforts, the parks committee agreed during its April 22 meeting.

On May 2, volunteers will converge on the Bush Creek hatchery in Ladysmith to haul illegally dumped waste out of the surrounding forest and watershed. Over the past three years, the community cleanup has removed nearly 160 tonnes of garbage, the equivalent of 23 fully loaded dump trucks. “Illegal dumping is a serious offence – one that harms our forests and puts communities at risk,” remarked Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. Mosaic Forest Management will once again supply staff volunteers, donated materials and disposal support …This summer, Mosaic is expanding its response beyond cleanups. The company is launching See Something, Snap Something, a public reporting pilot that will invite anyone recreating on Mosaic lands to photograph and report online illegal dumping they encounter. The data will help identify hot spots and trends and build an evidence base for working with local authorities on enforcement. …More information on Mosaic’s reporting pilot will be available at MosaicForests.com this summer. 

On Saturday, March 28, 2026, a fire at Evans Lake resulted in the loss of two buildings, including four cabins. We are deeply grateful that no campers were on site and all staff are safe—but the loss to our community is significant. We want to sincerely thank Squamish Fire & Rescue, Britannia Beach Volunteer Fire Department, RCMP, Conservation Officers, our team, and a member of our community for their quick and compassionate response. Right now, our focus is on recovery. While we are insured, there are always substantial costs that aren’t fully covered. As we begin to rebuild, many have asked how they can help. Donations made here will directly support urgent recovery needs, replacement of essential spaces, and ongoing operations—helping ensure we can continue to provide meaningful outdoor experiences for thousands of children and families.

Ben Parfitt

You would be forgiven for thinking that British Columba’s Ministry of Forests is really the Ministry of Logging. A recent ministry news release boasts of a 30 per cent increase in timber auctioned, legislative amendments that will result in 17,700 more truckloads of logs coming out of the province’s forests each year, and a new streamlined permitting process that will add another 11,100 truckloads of logs to the mix. Ravi Parmar, the man overseeing all of this as forests minister, is certainly working hard to meet the mandate given to him by Premier David Eby, one that instructs him to increase logging rates and that sets a numerical target. But what of old-growth forest conservation, which is also part of Parmar’s mandate? There, Parmar has acted with decidedly less zeal. …Parmar and his predecessors have clearly encouraged more logging by First Nations on the grounds that it fosters a long-overdue new relationship with Indigenous Peoples and governments in the province.

The Sunshine Coast Regional District Board is set to weigh in on 15 new or modified cutblocks BC Timber Sales is proposing over the next five years — and may withhold support for eight of those. On April 30, the SCRD board is slated to consider a large package of local comments responding to BC Timber Sales’ 2026-2030 operating plan. According to BCTS’s website, its Chinook region (which includes the lower Sunshine Coast) led this initiative, “to provide more detailed information on planned activities over a longer time period to our identified stakeholders.” At the April 16 electoral services committee meeting, rural area directors supported forwarding comments from the five area advisory planning commissions to BCTS. That would be in addition to recommendations from regional staff reviewed by committee of the whole on April 9.

A new old-growth logging controversy is unfolding in British Columbia, dividing Indigenous leaders and pitting the provincial government against scientists and conservation groups. The Tsitika River watershed …was deemed to be at such high risk of biodiversity loss that the B.C. government placed it in an old-growth deferral area, off limits to logging. But last year, the government quietly removed a large tract of the forest from its old-growth deferral list. And then in March, the government agency BC Timber Sales auctioned off 24 hectares for clearcutting. …The B.C. Forests Ministry told The Tyee it approved the Tsitika cutblock following consultation with Tlowitsis Nation, We Wai Kai Nation, Wei Wai Kum First Nation and Kwakiutl First Nation, “on whose territory this cutblock overlaps.” But other Indigenous leaders, including Ma’a̱mtagila Hereditary Chief Rande Cook, whose ancestors stewarded the Tsitika area, strongly object to logging.

©CityofEdmonton

The City of Edmonton has released its Wildfire Risk Strategy, as Canada has seen an increase in wildfires over the last few years. The City says it is developing a roadmap for a coordinated approach to protecting people, property, and natural areas. “This strategy flows from our commitment to building a resilient city where we are aware of the risks associated with climate change, including wildfires, and protect our ecosystems and communities through proactive planning,” said Kent Snyder, Branch Manager of Planning and Environment Services. …Through the strategy, the City will look to minimize ignition risk through vegetation management and updated development regulations, increase community awareness and support initiatives such as the FireSmart™ Neighbourhood Recognition Program, strengthen integrated emergency response and specialized wildfire training across City departments, and Collaborate with regional partners and Indigenous communities to build landscape-level resilience.

Rena Dehne

FORT NELSON, B.C. — A wildfire technician from the Fort Nelson fire zone has won an award at the recent BC Wildland Firefighter Award. Rena Dehne, a wildfire technician for BC Wildfire Service, was given the Vanguard Award at the recent 2026 Wildfire Resiliency and Training Summit that was held from April 8th to April 12th. As a wildfire technician, Dehne’s job supports both wildfire response and fire management within her respective zone, including contributing to fire preparedness and prevention work. According to Dehen, the Vanguard Award is a “specific honor” within the BC Wildland Firefighters Award “This award recognizes an early career wildland firefighter with 10 years or less of experience who demonstrates excellence, dedication and leadership within their role,” Dehne explained. Dehne was humbled and surprised when she won this award.

Doug Donaldson

A special feature interview with Doug Donaldson, former Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. As the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) marks its 10th anniversary, it is a chance to look back on a decade of investments and work that has quietly but meaningfully contributed to the health and resiliency of forests and communities throughout British Columbia (B.C). Established in 2016, FESBC emerged at a time when B.C.’s forests were facing growing pressures from the risk of catastrophic wildfires and the mountain pine beetle epidemic to ever changing economic conditions in the forestry sector and growing concerns specific to climate change. For Doug Donaldson, who served as Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Forests) for a few years shortly after FESBC’s creation, the Society quickly proved its value in ways that were not initially expected.

Creston, BC — The Creston Community Forest (CCF) is featured in a new film as part of a province-wide project led by the BC Community Forest Association, showcasing the work and impact of community forests across British Columbia. The film highlights how the CCF is managing its forests to support local priorities, including wildfire risk reduction, recreation, and long-term sustainability. “We’re excited to share this film as a way to show the work that happens on the ground and what this community forest means to the community of Creston,” said Daniel Gratton, Registered Professional Forester and Forest Manager at the CCF. Unlike traditional forestry models focused primarily on timber, the CCF has been taking a broader approach. Its work reflects the needs and values of the residents first, balancing ecological health, economic activity, and public use of the land.

Oliver, BC — Nk’Mip Forestry, the professional forestry branch of the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB), is leading a wildfire restoration project within the OIB traditional territory following the 2021 Nk’Mip Creek wildfire. The work, which will include forest recovery, wildfire risk mitigation, and community involvement, is supported by Environment and Climate Change Canada through the Climate-Smart Forestry grant, administered by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). This project reflects a long-term approach to caring for the land by bringing back diversity to the forest and supporting a healthier landscape over time.

After more than three years of community engagement, expert input and advisory committee work, residents in Coquitlam are left asking a simple question: Why is the city choosing not to include the very measures needed to make its Urban Forest Management Strategy succeed? The draft strategy presents a strong vision and highlights planting programs, volunteerism and monitoring. These are positive steps. But they are not enough. What is missing are the core elements that actually determine whether our urban forest survives and thrives over time. There are no measurable canopy targets to tell us whether we are gaining or losing tree cover. There is no clear alignment with the bylaws that regulate tree removal and development. There is no defined pathway to update the Tree Management Bylaw, which has not been meaningfully revised since 2010. …That is not a plan. It is a deferral. And deferral has consequences.