Kootenay Forest Watch - Castlegar

05/24/2026

BC Timber Sales & Co. living up to expectations. While out checking on BCTS somewhere else, a stump and giant slash piles caught my eye up Dog Creek FSR (49.30222 -118.12240). Turns out the stump was two metres wide. The "client" for these TA2352 cutblocks is listed on iMapBC as William Kestell, a former professional forester that was reprimanded by the Forest Practices Board in 2025. "Modern" forestry in BC folks - take the best, leave the rest.

https://www.fpbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FPBC-2022-10-Consent-Order-sgd.pdf

05/12/2026

Cai Creek looking great May 11 2026. Plenty of daylight for a cool after work hike with a fantastic view.

04/29/2026

“The Working Forest” concept was in full display on Vancouver Island in the 1990s. Today our Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar is busy promoting the working forest across BC. This is what a working forest looks like.

Picture from Clearcut: The Tragedy of Industrial Forestry. 1993.

04/25/2026

Thanks to everyone that joined me for the Earth Day Cai Creek hike April 21 & 22!

04/21/2026

Tomorrow!

04/15/2026

Tuesday April 21 12-1:30pm Creatively United is presenting a free webinar and Q&A with some of BC’s leading experts on tree preservation, a changing climate, and the threat of fire. Featuring Herb Hammond, Rachel Holt, and Dave Daust.

https://creativelyunited.org/event/protecting-trees-dispelling-myths/

Learn how to discern truth from fiction, protect and preserve trees, your community, home and loved ones from the growing threat of fire in an era of climate uncertainty.

Herb, Rachel and David will dispel myths perpetuated by government agencies and social media to reveal how the public can better protect trees and nature in their community and elsewhere.

While many celebrate a succession of sunny days, the topic turns serious when fish-bearing streams run dry and forests, trees and gardens wither under the extremes of drought. Water restrictions have limited what farmers and industry formerly took for granted and […]

04/02/2026

Back to back Cai Creek hikes are happening April 11th and 12th for Earth Days Nelson. Sign up here!

~Nature walks ~ Birdwatching ~ Plant Identification ~ Check out the many walks and hikes offered throughout April! Most walk require registration using the RSVP button

03/26/2026

Mar 25 2026 - Fresh flagging means Sutco will soon start building the road needed to log Cai Creek. BC Timber Sales’ plans for Cai Creek will require Sutco to build a 2.4 km permanent logging road into the watershed. You’ll practically be able to drive to Lt. Dan.

Tell [email protected] and our Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar [email protected] what you think about the logging of intact watersheds like Cai Creek. Is the Ministry of Forests striking the right balance between logging and conservation?

01/25/2026

Illegal dumping isn’t unsustainable logging, but it’s just as frustrating. Once dumping starts in an area it’s the green light for others to do the same. Yard waste may seem benign, it’s soon followed by garbage and construction waste.

This dump of yard waste up McPhee Creek Road was three dump trailer loads of a Blue Spruce. Full rounds included. One load was dumped in a parking spot. All this mess to save $70 in dump fees and a “free firewood” post on Facebook.

Report illegal dumping to RAPP. Castlegar and area is fortunate to have some dedicated Conservation Officers that will investigate. Call RAPP if you know anything about this illegal dumping.

https://forms.gov.bc.ca/environment/rapp/

01/09/2026

“Active Management” to reduce wildfire risk has be front and centre in the dicussion BC’s forests. You may have heard about it from the BC is Burning screening in Castlegar back in September. Our Minister of Forests is also rather excited about the phrase. But management such as thinning to reduce the age of our forests can actually increase wildfire risk and damage ecosystems. Hear about the perils of active management on Conservation North’s webinar with presentations by forest ecologists Dr David Lindenmayer and Dr Dominick DellaSalla, and local biologist Herb Hammond.

Speakers:Dr. David LindenmAyer is a renowned Australian Professor of Ecology and Conservation Biology at the Australian National University's Fenner School o...