Woodland Operations

Keen Creek Road Reopened

Good news for both forestry operations and recreation users: Numerous trees and a small landslide had blocked access to Keen Creek, but Marsh Hawes cleared the road so tree planting could begin this week. Local recreation users can once again access the area as well.

Cooper Face & Lost Ledge Ready for Harvest

Timber development work on both Cooper Face and Lost Ledge is now complete, and permit applications have been submitted. We anticipate receiving approval in the coming weeks.

Once permits are in place:

• Harvesting of CP 50 (Cooper Face) will begin with Timber Ridge.
• Road construction and upgrades at Lost Ledge will get underway before harvesting begins in CP 57, with work completed by Sunshine Logging.

Lost Ledge Road Improvements

A few important upgrades are planned before harvesting can begin.

Near the bottom of the Lost Ledge Road, a fill slope is slumping and requires repair. In addition, approximately one kilometre of the existing road will be rerouted where grades are currently too steep for safe hauling. While crews are on site, Sunshine Logging will also continue brushing 5–10 km of older roads to improve access throughout the area.

Post-Harvest Rehabilitation

Several rehabilitation projects are also underway across the community forest.

At Keen Creek, the recent salvage logging operation required multiple trails and yarder spurs on steep terrain. Once the remaining snow has melted, Marsh Hawes will complete trail rehabilitation and general road maintenance.

Meanwhile, CP 56, located behind the dump and harvested this past winter, is undergoing post-harvest cleanup. Crews are removing logging debris and rehabilitating trails throughout the block.

Safety

We’re happy to report zero safety incidents this month across wildfire risk reduction work, timber development, and tree planting operations.

Silviculture

Tree Planting Underway

Tree planting officially began this week at Keen Creek, with work being completed by local contractor Wes Mooney. To keep seedlings in optimal condition, they’re being stored frozen in a refrigerated trailer at the Kaslo Arena. A big thank you to the Arena Board for providing a shaded, easily accessible location for storage throughout planting.

Survey & Regeneration Work Continues

Review of the 2025 surveys is ongoing, along with free-growing and regeneration declarations in RESULTS. This year:

• 10 blocks will be declared free growing based on recent surveys.
• 9 additional blocks are scheduled for free-growing assessments.

Once complete, nearly all legacy blocks within the community forest will have achieved free-growing status. To better track progress, a new silviculture tracking spreadsheet has been developed to monitor regeneration declarations, free-growing status, and RESULTS reporting requirements.

Crews will also complete walkthrough surveys on several blocks to determine whether brushing treatments are needed later this year.

Internal Updates

The first week of June, our manager will be attending the BC Community Forest Association Conference in Vernon.

This month we also welcomed Deb MacKillop, Forest Biodiversity Lead, and Julie MacDougall, Executive Director from the Office of the Chief Forester, for a field tour of Cooper Face.

Discussions focused on:

• Old growth management
• Biodiversity
• Forest economics
• The future of forestry in British Columbia

The conversations also explored opportunities to strengthen local manufacturing, create more value from pulp through bioenergy and biochar, develop new markets for small-diameter timber, and the important role the Province can play in supporting these initiatives.

Wildfire Risk Reduction

Manual treatment work in CP 55 above Lardeau is now complete. Pile burning is planned for the fall or early winter once snow conditions allow. Looking ahead, FESBC has announced a new intake for Wildfire Risk Reduction projects running from June 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

Kaslo Community Forest will be submitting an application to complete manual treatment in KAS3—the area of unallocated Crown land around No Brakes that Cathro Consulting completed a Forest Management Plan for in 2025.