Kootenay Forest Watch - Castlegar

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Kootenay Forest Watch - Castlegar Advocating for wild spaces in the West Kootenays under threat from logging. Based in Castlegar.

A big thanks to the 370 people that have hiked Cai Creek and signed the register since October of last year!People from ...
10/10/2026

A big thanks to the 370 people that have hiked Cai Creek and signed the register since October of last year!

People from all over have seen the Cai Creek forest. Visitors hailed from Trail, Rossland, Nelson, Salmo, Winlaw, Crawford Bay, Summerland, Invermere, Penticton, Kelowna, Fernie, Sechelt, Victoria, Edmonton, Bruderheim, Terrace, and even Switzerland!

Of course lots of people from CASTLEGAR are especially proud of their local gem and left some great messages for BC Timber Sales - who developed the block - and Sutherland Group - who paid $1 million to log this local attraction. Despite what our ex-mayor McFaddin might say, people in Castlegar are concerned about the impacts of forestry and the loss of places like Cai Creek.

Some of the messages from the people of Castlegar.

Beautiful - please save this amazing place.
Beautiful place - so sad that it will be destroyed by greed.
OK this place is incredible! It must be protected
Truly breath taking!
Love the Lieutenant!
Deserves to be preserved!
WOW!
Perfect hike!
Gorgeous ❤️
Forests can be of value to more than timber companies. This plan is an example of greed.
Please do not log.
Save Cai Creek!
Please save this area entirely.
Don’t forget to hug the trees!

Today October 10 2026 Cai Creek is STILL STANDING so there's still time to go this forest before it's logged by Sutco.

https://westkootenayhiking.ca/cai-creek-route/

Eddie Petryshen and Wildsight do the excellent work I wish I could every day. On their latest trip they boated 60 km on ...
09/27/2026

Eddie Petryshen and Wildsight do the excellent work I wish I could every day. On their latest trip they boated 60 km on Kinbasket Reservoir to a remote forest next to the Foster Arm Protected Area. They found ancient forest marked for logging by BC Timber Sales that were previously old growth deferral areas but were removed to allow logging. This ancient forest met the criteria for old growth and is known Caribou habitat. These old growth BCTS blocks have now been sold. If you think old growth logging isn’t happening anymore, think again, and it’s being done by our own government timber agency.

https://wildsight.ca/2026/09/24/a-trip-into-the-endangered-ancient-foster-rainforest/

Wilson Lake is another premier West Kootenay destination soon to be clearcut by Interfor. Over 142 hectares of clearcuts...
09/08/2026

Wilson Lake is another premier West Kootenay destination soon to be clearcut by Interfor. Over 142 hectares of clearcuts are planned for the south slope of Wilson Lake. Nothing says "Cut and Run" like Interfor's recent logging plans for the West Kootenays, and what’s worse is they are running to the USA.

You can comment until: September 25, 2026 at 11:59pm

https://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects?id=3406

07/30/2026

Little Slocan Lakes is one of the most cherished destinations in the Kootenays. Unfortunately it's surrounded by Interfor's Tree Farm License 3. This spring Interfor was approved to build roads and log 132 hectares on the intact east side of the lakes. Take a look at what will be lost in Little Slocan.

A reminder to comment on INTERFOR's logging plans for the Columbia Western Rail Trail before Thursday August 6, 2026 at ...
07/30/2026

A reminder to comment on INTERFOR's logging plans for the Columbia Western Rail Trail before Thursday August 6, 2026 at 11:59pm. Comment before the long weekend! :)

The logging includes a dozen blocks directly on the Rail Trail.

https://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects?id=3278

Despite two emails and an FOM submission with questions Interfor has provided no additional details on the logging.

I recommend submitting comments via both the FOM portal (so anonymous comments can be obtained via an FOI) and an email to Intefor (so you have a record).

[email protected]

I also recommend emailing our local Ministry of Forests office since it was the Ministry that removed the recreation status from the trail and opened the door to logging.

[email protected]

And finally be sure to CC your local MLA since this Province has failed to provide adequate funding for the Rail Trail.

MLA for the western side of the Trail
Boundary-Similkameen MLA
[email protected]

MLA for the Columbia side of the Trail
Kootenay-Monashee MLA
[email protected]

Cai Creek is green and lush! Despite the heat and lack of rain the forest is cool and makes for a great evening hike. Th...
07/29/2026

Cai Creek is green and lush! Despite the heat and lack of rain the forest is cool and makes for a great evening hike. There's even standing water in the forest still, but next to no bugs 🙂 Definitely not the type of forest we should be logging. Pictures from July 27 2026. Thanks to the ***297 people*** that have hiked Cai Creek and signed the trail register at Lt. Dan since October 2025. Sorry the register paper is running low! But feel free to email [email protected] and [email protected] with your thoughts about logging Cai Creek while you sit under Lt. Dan.

Interfor has just yesterday July 8 2026 posted logging plans for over 24 cutblocks along the Columbia Western Rail Trail...
07/10/2026

Interfor has just yesterday July 8 2026 posted logging plans for over 24 cutblocks along the Columbia Western Rail Trail including a dozen blocks directly on the Trail.

https://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects?id=3278

Zero details are provided in the FOM posting as to why there are so many small blocks along the trail there and no details on the level of logging that will take place.

Email for questions and comments is [email protected]

MLA for the western side of the Trail
Boundary-Similkameen MLA
[email protected]

MLA for the Columbia side of the Trail
Kootenay-Monashee MLA
[email protected]

More to come.

The Province is hosting a Kootenay Lake Forest Landscape Planning Open House in Nelson tomorrow July 8, 5 to 8 pm at Pre...
07/08/2026

The Province is hosting a Kootenay Lake Forest Landscape Planning Open House in Nelson tomorrow July 8, 5 to 8 pm at Prestige Lakeside Resort, 701 Lakeside Dr., Nelson.

https://planninginpartnership.ca/p/6882b60e43fb68002119ded9/project-details

Additional booths are planned for Nelson July 15, Creston July 18, and Kaslo August 15. An online survey is open June 22 to August 22.

https://planninginpartnership.ca/p/6882b60e43fb68002119ded9/cp/6a31926be93ae86ae2d7fc2f/details

Go the open houses, ask questions, and then fill out the survey. Questions can be directed to [email protected] until August 22, 2026.

“The Kootenay Lake FLP initiative focuses on improving forest management for the 1.2 million-hectare Kootenay Lake Timber Supply Area (TSA) in southeastern BC, with a current allowable annual cut of 550,000 cubic metres.”

Thanks to everyone that joined us at Brittny’s office to protest the NDP’s broken promises on forest protections! We had...
06/23/2026

Thanks to everyone that joined us at Brittny’s office to protest the NDP’s broken promises on forest protections! We had 70-100 people out with just 48 hours notice. 🌲🌲🌲

Getting ready down at 433 Josephine St! See you soon!
06/22/2026

Getting ready down at 433 Josephine St! See you soon!

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Castlegar, BC
V1N2N1

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