Our next monthly board meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 19th, 2026, at 7 PM at the Kaslo Arena. Everyone is welcome to attend and learn more about what’s happening in our community forest.
Questions? Email us at manager@kaslocommunityforest.org.
The Kaslo and District Community Forest Society (KDCFS) will manage the diversity of values of the Community Forest in an ecologically responsible and fiscally accountable manner on behalf of the people of Kaslo and Area D.
Timber Ridge completed harvesting of CP 56 (the block behind the Kaslo airstrip) at the end of February. Close to 8,000 m³ was harvested, with tree species reflecting a classic Kootenay mix of Douglas fir, hemlock, cedar, and larch. The project also produced a significant number of cedar pole loads.
The block spans approximately 2 km and incorporates a mix of patch cuts, group selection, and single tree retention, designed to blend well into the surrounding landscape. While the term “wildfire risk reduction” is sometimes flagged as justification for harvesting near private land and communities, that terminology was not used for this project.
That said, the block now contains a mosaic of age classes and openings — a forest structure that has been shown to help reduce wildfire behaviour. Post-harvest clean-up funding through FESBC is currently being applied for.
Timber development work up Cooper Face and Lost Ledge is mostly complete:
The goal is to have all blocks ready for First Nations referral and submission to the Forest Operations Map (FOM) by mid-March.
There were no safety incidents reported from wildfire risk reduction (WRR) work, logging operations, or timber development.
Review of the 2025 surveys, free-growing declarations, and RESULTS data entry is scheduled for March.
Winter in the Forest was held on Family Day, February 16th. Leading up to the event, it felt like spring might arrive early — but Mother Nature had other plans, delivering a snowstorm with 10–15 cm of fresh snow on the day of the festival.
The snowfall allowed the popular human dog sled competition to go ahead, but attendance was roughly half of what is typically expected.
Thank you to:
Manual treatment in CP 55 above Lardeau continues, with little to no snow at lower elevations.
FESBC — our primary grant funder for WRR initiatives — has limited funding available over the next few years due to provincial spending cuts. One of the projects submitted in our recent Expression of Interest has been selected to move forward to a full application.
The Kaslo and District Community Forest Society (KDCFS) will manage the diversity of values of the Community Forest in an ecologically responsible and fiscally accountable manner on behalf of the people of Kaslo and Area D.
CP 55
Timber Ridge completed harvesting of CP 55, the block along the highway from the Lost Ledge campground to Lardeau, before the Christmas break. Approximately 3,900 m³ were harvested, mostly Douglas fir, with minor components of larch and cedar. Some green firewood remains on site and will be sold or moved to our lot by the airstrip.
CP 56
Harvesting of CP 56, located behind the airstrip up the True Blue Road, began in early January and is expected to continue for several more weeks. The block contains Douglas fir, hemlock, and cedar, with a high proportion of cedar poles. Approximately 4,000 m³ is expected to be harvested. After this project is completed, no further harvesting is planned until the summer.
This block features mixed retention, ranging from single-tree selection to patches of trees and regeneration. Many advanced regeneration trees (20–40 years old) were retained for biodiversity purposes, while smaller, less vigorous trees in these patches will be thinned by hand in the spring.
Timber Development
Timber development, which has been stalled for some time, will resume this month up Cooper Face and Lost Ledge, with the goal of having these blocks ready for First Nations referral and the Forest Operations Map (FOM) by the end of February.
There have been no safety incidents from road work, logging, or timber development.
Review of 2025 surveys, free-growing declarations, and results input is scheduled for February 2026.
Manual treatment in CP 55 above Lardeau continues. While the lack of snow is favourable for this work, the Natural Resource Officer requires 2,500 litres of water on site in case of fire spread. Due to difficulties maintaining water without freezing, the crew is cutting and piling for now, with burning planned once snow is on the ground this winter, or next winter if necessary.
The Kaslo and District Community Forest Society (KDCFS) will manage the diversity of values of the Community Forest in an ecologically responsible and fiscally accountable manner on behalf of the people of Kaslo and Area D.
CP 55
Timber Ridge is harvesting CP 55, the block located along the highway from the Lost Ledge campground to Lardeau. The timber in this block is almost all Douglas fir and larch. Harvesting will be complete within the next week or two. More information can be found in the Wildfire Risk Reduction section below.
CP 56
This block is located behind the airstrip, up the True Blue Road. Plans for this block to be harvested start at the beginning of January. Depending on the Hemlock market, the plan is to harvest at least 3000m³ in the block. The species mix includes Douglas fir, hemlock, and cedar.
CP 57
Western toads have been found in the large block up Lost Ledge. While this species isn’t legally protected, we are following best management practices and working with a biologist on a strategy that ensures we aren’t distrupting their habitat.
Timber Development
Timber development up Cooper Face continues. We were targeting spruce- and larch-leading blocks, but with spruce currently not marketable, we are shifting focus to developing more larch-leading blocks.
There have been no safety incidents from road work, silviculture surveys, logging, or timber development.
Craig has completed the silviculture surveys for 2025. The data still needs to be reviewed, but numerous blocks have achieved free-to-grow status. This will be finalized early in the New Year.
The road from the highway up to the Moose Meadows cross-country ski cabin was narrowing, and the ditch was becoming a hazard for skiers descending the steep hill during low-snow years. We graded the road to widen it and reduce ditch depth, ahead of it’s use in the winter season ahead.
The donated firewood load is being processed by students, parents, and teachers for the JVH Outdoor Ed Class.
There are many piles from the thinning work completed this spring around the Wardner Trail and Buchanan Fire Access Trail. These couldn’t be burned earlier due to warm weather and fire risk. With cooler, wetter conditions, these piles are now being burned and smoke may be visible from Kaslo.
The CP 55 project stretching from the Lost Ledge campground to Davis Creek began earlier this fall. Approximately 10 ha will be treated with manual thin-from-below prescriptions, while the remaining 20 ha will be mechanically implemented.
Initially, the plan was to remove all trees that could fall on the power line. After completing this in the southern area, we received public feedback that it looked like a clearcut. As a result, the remaining areas along the power line will now be reserved for visuals from the highway. A heavier removal will occur upslope, centred around the old trails and roads, which have been upgraded for access. Patches, single trees, and immature trees have been retained for biodiversity and visual quality.
The FESBC put out an Expression of Interest call for 2027–2029 projects.
We submitted six proposals, including:
Our next monthly board meeting will take place on Thursday, December 4th, 2025, at 7 PM at the Kaslo Arena. Everyone is welcome to attend and learn more about what’s happening in our community forest.
Questions? Email us at manager@kaslocommunityforest.org.
This update details the status of the CP 55 project, taking place north of Kaslo along Hwy 31.
This project was initiated due two forest fires starting near Schroeder Creek in the past 15 years by trees falling on the power lines, which luckily didn’t spread too far thanks to the efforts of the KVFD and BCWS. The project includes 14ha of manual treatment above Lardeau, and 20ha of mechanical stretching from just north of the Lost Ledge campground to Lardeau.
The forest cover in the project area consisted of a mix of mature timber and immature trees. This is a result of previous land clearing from power lines and mining, as well as root rot centres.
Wildfire risk reduction work has many different approaches, with the existing stand and desired outcome driving the planned treatment. The treatments can range from manual thinning from below (removing ground and ladder fuels with chainsaws), to using a feller buncher to provide crown separation (removing a small amount of trees) or to clear larger areas.
The mechanical portion of this project aimed to reduce the risk of wildfire by removing trees that could strike the power lines. This would be done by reducing fuel loads — and removing approximately 50% of the volume through a mix of reserves, patch cuts and single tree retention. We would also install access above the power lines utilizing old trails in the area. After completing an area along Hwy 31, which required removing all trees that can fall within 10ft of the power line, the results are noticeable from the highway.
Through feedback from the community we altered our plans for areas near the highway and power line. We’ll be adding more reserves so the project won’t be as visible from the community. While this doesn’t meet one of our objectives of removing trees along the power line, the overall goal of the project will still be realized due to the fuel breaks and access, and the visual effect from Hwy 31 will be limited. A field tour will be held post treatment — keep an eye on our website and social media for more information on when this information becomes available.
Questions and comments can be directed to the board at manager@kaslocommunityforest.org. Maps of the project can be found below or by emailing the address above.
The Kaslo and District Community Forest Society (KDCFS) will manage the diversity of values of the Community Forest in an ecologically responsible and fiscally accountable manner on behalf of the people of Kaslo and Area D.
Sunshine Logging has completed the majority of road upgrades up Lost Ledge, with roughly 1 km of new construction still to be completed. This work positions us with a mostly roaded Standing Timber Inventory (STI), setting up future harvesting access.
Timber Ridge has finished harvesting in CP 47 and will be shipping wood over the next week or two.
The next project, CP 55, which extends from near Lost Ledge Campground to Lardeau, has received its cutting permit approval. Work is expected to begin in the coming weeks. Lumber markets are currently softening, with Interfor pausing purchases, but Kalesnikoff will be taking the wood from this project.
Sunshine Logging assisted the Powder Bound Ski Club with log bridge repairs — great collaborative work by everyone involved!
Timber development has wrapped up at Lost Ledge, with approximately 23,000 m³ developed across four blocks. Species profile: Hw6 Lw3 Cw1 (SxFd)
Some blocks contain a high hemlock component, which we may defer until market conditions improve. There is also approximately 12,000 m³ of larch-leading timber with potential for harvesting in 2026.
Development continues up Cooper Face, building on previous layout and Wildfire Risk Reduction (WRR) work. Given current market uncertainty, focus is on spruce and larch-leading stands to ensure marketable timber. The permit is expected to cover approximately 60 ha (18,000 m³).
With most road work already completed in the area, only a few short spurs will be needed to access timber.
Scattered pockets of old growth remain on the large bench — including cedar up to 3.2 m in diameter and Douglas fir around 1.5 m. These trees are near the Davis Creek Trail, and KDCFS is considering future trail additions to provide access to these impressive old growth stands.
Our standing timber inventory (STI) remains low. With permitting timelines continuing to lengthen, advancing timber development and applying for new permits early is essential.
Our goal by spring is to have 30,000–40,000 m³ of timber permitted. Significant investments in road work over the past few years have improved access to our tenure, supported local contractors, and positioned us for more cost-effective operations in the future.
No safety incidents were reported from road work, silviculture surveys, logging, or timber development.
Craig has nearly completed silviculture surveys for 2025. Data review is underway, with numerous blocks achieving “free to grow” status. RESULTS reporting and waste survey planning for 2024 and 2025 harvest areas are in progress.
The updated Forest Stewardship Plan was approved this month.
Three organizations applied for firewood this fall, and all three will receive a logging truck load:
The British Columbia Community Forest Association (BCCFA) released its 2025 Indicators Report, which highlights community forest performance across the province.
KDCFS is featured twice — on pages 12 and 24 — for:
Piles from the spring thinning work around the Wardner Trail and Buchanan Fire Access Trail are now being burned, taking advantage of the cooler and wetter fall weather. Smoke may be visible from Kaslo during this period. The cutting permit for CP 55 (above Lardeau) was received this month, allowing for 10 ha of manual thinning adjacent to the previous RDCK fuel treatment area.
The BCCFA also sponsored a short video highlighting our Bucky Cabin spacing project.
Our next monthly board meeting will take place on Thursday, October 30th, 2025, at 7 PM at the Kaslo Arena. Everyone is welcome to attend and learn more about what’s happening in our community forest.
Questions? Email us at manager@kaslocommunityforest.org.
The Kaslo and District Community Forest Society (KDCFS) will manage the diversity of values of the Community Forest in an ecologically responsible and fiscally accountable manner on behalf of the people of Kaslo and Area D.
Sunshine Logging road updates are complete. Next, KDCFS will assist the Powder Bound Ski Club with repairs to several log bridges.
Timber Ridge has moved equipment up Branch 7 and completed grading. Harvesting started in September and the bunching is complete. The wood will be skidded, processed and shipped over the next few weeks. The block is mostly hemlock with some larch, Douglas fir, spruce and cedar mixed in.
While log prices remain low, Kalesnikoff is still accepting wood.
Current prices:
This is a pulp-heavy project. Although Mercer did not secure the FESBC incremental haul top-up grant, we successfully obtained $21/m³ through FESSBC, bringing pulp revenue to a roughly break-even level for harvesting and hauling.
Development continues in Lost Ledge, with approximately 23,000 m³ being developed across four conventional blocks. Species profile: Hw6 Lw3 Cw1 (SxFd).
After this project, focus will shift to Cooper Face, with a goal of developing 20,000–25,000 m³.
KDCFS’s standing timber inventory (STI) remains low, and with extended permitting timelines, advancing timber development and early permit applications are key priorities.
KDCFS will produce firewood this fall, with three loads donated to local organizations for fundraising.
Announcements will be made in the Valley Voice, on the KDCFS website, and through social media.
A field tour was held with members of the mountain bike trail crew in CP 56 (behind the airstrip) to discuss trails and harvesting plans.
Rhino Reforestation is conducting heli tree planting on the Briggs Creek fire site.
Planting locations include the slopes between:
No safety incidents have been reported from road work, silviculture surveys, or timber development activities.
Craig is carrying out silviculture surveys across the license area, including regeneration checks, free-to-grow assessments, and block walkthroughs to plan stand management treatments.
RESULTS reporting and waste survey planning for 2024 and 2025 harvest areas are underway.
Across several cutblocks, about 10 sph of Lw were affected by snow press. In one Buchanan block, bear activity has caused localized stem damage due to bark feeding, though the impact remains limited.
No additional WRR projects are currently underway, but KDCFS has applied for the CP 55 (Lardeau) cutting permit so operations can begin this fall. A potential Ministry of Forests strike could affect the permitting timeline.
A field tour was held in Lardeau on September 12 to discuss the project and address community questions. Concerns included:
The project aims to remove hazard trees near powerlines and reduce fuel density to lower potential wildfire behaviour. A follow-up field tour will be held during operations.
The BCCFA has recently hired three regional managers to assist with WRR initiatives across Community Forest Agreements. Their roles include:
