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Logan Lake Community Forest Featured in New Film Celebrating Forestry and Community Stewardship
- 26 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Logan Lake, B.C. – The Logan Lake Community Forest (LLCF) has released a new film as part of a province-wide project led by the BC Community Forest Association (BCCFA), to celebrate the stories and draw awareness to the successes of community forests across British Columbia. The film offers an insightful look into how the LLCF plays a key role in maintaining the region’s ecological health while supporting the local economy, helping mitigate wildfire risk, and providing recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike.
“This film speaks to the heart of what we do as a community forest and allows us to share this incredible work with a wider audience. It’s not just about logging; it’s about investing in a sustainable future for our people,” said Randy Spyksma, General Manager of the LLCF. “We hope this video raises awareness about the power of community-driven forest stewardship and how it can make a real difference.”
The LLCF ensures that profits from operations stay within the community, reinvesting those funds back into to the forests and land through local initiatives and programs. This commitment to the community, as shared throughout the film, also enhances the recreational opportunities available in the area, such as hiking, mountain biking, hunting, disc golf, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.
“You can really tell that whenever work is done by our community forest, they care about the community,” Wade Archambault, Chief Administrative Officer, District of Logan Lake shared in the film. “It’s not just a job; it’s enhancing what the community is.”
The community forest takes a measured approach to forest harvesting, relying on a range of practices including partial cutting, group selection, small openings and some clearcutting with reserves – tailored to the ecosystems and their condition. Implementing a variety of approaches is used to support a range of goals including reforestation, watershed management, ecosystem restoration and wildfire mitigation, the benefits clearly evident during the Tremont Creek wildfire.
“With our large fire we had in 2021, we were definitely tested. It showed that the work that community forest has put in over the years was successful. It stood the test of time and we're here to prove that,” noted Doug Wilson, Fire Chief, District of Logan Lake.
The Logan Lake Community Forest also places a strong emphasis on engaging future generations through educational and job programs. Local youth participate in the forest fuel treatments, gaining valuable experience and a sense of pride as they contribute to wildfire prevention efforts in their own backyard.
In addition, the film also highlights the strong relationships the Logan Lake Community Forest has built with Indigenous groups such as the Lower Nicola Band, Skeetchestn Indian Band, Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc, and Scw'exmx Tribal Council.
“These collaborative relationships are critical to our community forest’s success, working with the Nations that have stewarded this land long before there was a community forest, in the design of our operations on the ground. Each of these communities are in the field with us and we really appreciate the ownership that they bring to the fuel treatment work they do for us, for example, as we see them investing in the land,” added Spyksma.
Jennifer Gunter, Executive Director of the BCCFA, noted that the film series showcases how community-based decision-making is transforming the way forests are managed in the Logan Lake area, and throughout B.C.
“When local people are involved in decisions about their community and their local forest, the outcomes are more sustainable and aligned with the community’s values and needs,” she said.
The Logan Lake Community Forest film is now available to view online as part of the BCCFA’s community forest film series. Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/JeczQMEzlmE