West Boundary Community Forest

02/05/2026

WBCF Professional Foresters, Dan Macmaster and Peter Flett, are pleased to represent West Boundary Community Forest at the Forest Professionals BC (FPBC) Conference in Vancouver this week.

Kicking off the conference is a presentation on the Provincial Forestry Advisory Council report, "From Conflict to Care: BC’s Forest Future - A New Stable System for Communities, Economies and Ecologies", which was released earlier this week. Should be an informative discussion! More updates from the conference to follow.

02/04/2026

As we do a full review of the 'From Crisis to Care - BC’s Forest Future' report authored by the Provincial Forestry Advisory Council, we are pleased with the level of research and the thoughtful work that has gone into the report.

Many of the report’s themes align with key recommendations we at the BC Community Forest Association have been advancing to government for several years, including:
- Supporting local, community-based decision-making
- Investing in improved data, transparency, and better forest inventories
- Enabling more dynamic, informed ecosystem management
- Supporting effective wildfire risk reduction
- Expanding and strengthening the Community Forest Agreement program

We look forward to doing a deep dive into the information in the report and further contributing to the conversation about building a more resilient, community-centred future for forestry in British Columbia and the role community forestry can take.

Read the full report:https://pfac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/PFAC_Final-Report_From-Crisis-to-Care_Digital_V1.0.pdf

01/13/2026

11/17/2025

WBCF Forest Manager, Dan Macmaster, was in Victoria last week speaking to Ministry officials about the importance of community forestry. Great conversations with the Tenures Branch, the Office of the Chief Forester, and BC Timber Sales. West Boundary Community Forest successes and challenges being addressed!

11/03/2025

🎬 New Video Release!

We’re excited to share a new film from West Boundary Community Forest, showcasing the values, objectives, and diverse activities happening in our locally managed forest. From sustainable forestry practices to community education, this short film highlights the many ways our community forest creates benefits close to home. 🌲💚

👉 Watch the video here: https://vimeo.com/1146063367?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
Please share !

🎥 Produced and edited by Olam Films, this video is one of a larger BCCFA film project celebrating the stories and successes of community forests across BC.

10/30/2025

We had our first-ever combined school field trip this week at the Outdoor Education Centre! The Grade 4 class from Osoyoos Elementary and the Grade 3/4 class from West Boundary Elementary joined us for a day of nature games, learning, and connection. Together, students explored how animals survive the winter through migration, hibernation, and adaptation. They also roasted bannock over the campfire and learned about Indigenous culture and stories from our guest presenters.

It was wonderful to see and hear students making new friends, working together to build forts, and planning to stay in touch as class pen pals. We’re so grateful to the teachers and students from Osoyoos Elementary for making the trip to visit us, and for their enthusiastic participation in the day’s activities. Thank you as well to the West Boundary students and staff for being such welcoming hosts — I’m always so impressed by the kindness, positive attitudes, and respectfulness of the WBES students!

A special thank-you to Ginette Wheeler for preparing all the bannock dough and helping to organize the day, and to our guest Elders and teachers, Joan and Amanda, for generously sharing their knowledge with us.

We look forward to welcoming both Osoyoos and West Boundary Elementary again in the spring—when the pond is full of water bugs and the forest comes alive again after the long winter.

10/17/2025

We've had a busy few weeks at the Outdoor Education Centre! The beautiful fall weather has been perfect for hosting students from across the Boundary.

We were pleased to once again host the entire West Boundary Elementary School to celebrate Orange Shirt Day, learn about indigenous culture and stories and enjoy bannock on the campfire.

Next, we had the K-1 classes from Perley Elementary School followed by the K-7 students from Heartwood Learning Academy - who were visiting the OEC for the first time! Activities this fall have included Building Your Own Bird Nest, nature games such as Camouflage and Bat vs. Mosquito, interpretive hikes, and shelter-building in the forest.

We were especially pleased to host the Gr. 12 Environmental Science class from Boundary Central Secondary who came out for an interpretive hike followed by presentations about forestry education and careers lead by special guests, Brooke Mackenzie from BC Timber Sales, and Dan Macmaster, Forest Manager for WBCF and the Osoyoos Indian Band.

We look forward to hosting upcoming field trips with students from Perley Elementary School, and - a first ever combined field trip - with the grade 4 classes from both WBES and Osoyoos Elementary School!

Special thanks to our guest presenters and indigenous leaders and elders, WBCF board members, Foresters, as well as teachers, EAs, Child and Youth Counsellors, and parent helpers for helping us lead and facilitate field trip activities for students - we couldn't do it without you!

10/15/2025

West Boundary Community Forest is now accepting applications for grant funding from eligible applicants. The grant intake period runs from October 15 - November 14th.

Submit all grant documentation in PDF format. Click the link to our website for the application form, instructions, and eligibility requirements:
https://www.westboundarycommunityforest.com/grants-bursaries

09/27/2025

Today's NFW theme is Forest Education. WBCF understands the importance of forest education to help students connect with nature, understand how forests work, and why they matter.

Since 2020, WBCF has hosted students and teachers at our Outdoor Education Centre located on Wilgress Lake. With multiple hiking trails, a pond and lakefront for studying water bugs, an outdoor covered learning shelter, picnic tables, grassy sit-spots for story-time and acres of forest for shelter-building and nature games, it is an ideal space for students to experience hands-on learning, connect with nature, explore local ecosystems, and take part in engaging, curriculum-linked activities.

To learn more, or book a field trip to the WBCF Outdoor Education Centre visit our website: bit.ly/46KKaRm

09/26/2025

Today's theme for NFW: Innovation in Forest Research and Technology. Cutting-edge research and emerging technologies in forestry drive innovation that help inform our forest management practices, and adapt to climate change and other emerging threats.

One example of technology WBCF uses in our forest management planning is LiDAR, or Light Detection and Ranging, to identify trees, roads, and streams, and help determine the attributes of the forest. LiDAR uses laser pulses to create detailed 3D models of forests, enabling highly accurate inventorying of tree height, volume, and structure. By penetrating the canopy, it provides detailed information on the terrain, undergrowth, and individual trees, supporting sustainable forest management, land allocation, and the production of detailed maps that improve efficiency and reduce costs for forestry operations.