The Sunshine Coast Community Forest is being recognized for its excellence in forestry and its effect on the community, receiving the 2025 Robin Hood Memorial Award for Excellence in Community Forestry on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

“When you hear about local leaders and the incredible benefits they bring to their community through forestry, you can just tell this is what the future of forestry looks like,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “The Sunshine Coast Community Forest is this future and is leading with a community-first approach that weaves together local economic resiliency with healthy forests to support those who call the Sunshine Coast home.”

The Sunshine Coast Community Forest is one of the smallest in the province, but it has an outsized impact on its community, investing almost $25 million since 2007 in local infrastructure, recreation, economic development and community initiatives across the Sunshine Coast. A recent staple of the community forest, the firewood program, is delivering affordable and sustainably sourced firewood. The program employs people facing barriers in the workforce and provides the firewood at no cost to families facing financial hardship by helping them keep their heat on whether they are elderly, living with a disability or recovering from an injury.

With a commitment to community involvement and transparency, the Sunshine Coast Community Forest is involved in local events, sends out bi-weekly newspaper updates and an email newsletter, has a community advisory panel and carries out field trips for school children, university researchers, government representatives and community members.

“It means a lot to us to be recognized among the many exceptional community forests in B.C.,” said Sara Zieleman, executive director, Sunshine Coast Community Forest. “We're grateful, first and foremost, to our community with whom we share this success - the many people who generously contribute their time, and the organizations that collaborate with us. This recognition reflects the strength of our partnerships, the dedication of our volunteers and a shared commitment to stewarding the land responsibly. We’re proud to be part of a network of community forests working to create social, ecological and economic benefits across the province.”

The Sunshine Coast Community Forest takes an ecosystem-based management approach that prioritizes forest health, biodiversity and long-term sustainability. It does this by implementing retention systems to reduce the effects of logging, while taking conservation measures to protect wildlife habitats, protect watersheds and reduce the risk of fire.

Community forests are managed by a combination of local governments, community groups and First Nations. At the heart of community forests is a mandate to support local communities and regions, through contributing to a more diversified forest economy and supporting opportunities in recreation, wildlife and watershed management.

The Robin Hood Memorial Award for Excellence in Community Forestry was established in 2016 to honour the life and legacy of the late Robin Hood. Hood was a British Columbian with a passion for local community forestry. Hood was active in the woodlot and community forest communities.

Quotes:

Randy Spyksma, president, BC Community Forest Association (BCCFA) –

“The BCCFA board of directors and staff extend our sincere congratulations to the Sunshine Coast Community Forest (SCCF), the well-deserving recipient of this year’s Robin Hood Memorial Award. The SCCF truly exemplifies excellency in community forestry through dedication to ecosystem-based management, commitment to wildfire risk reduction, and fostering meaningful relationships in their community. We are proud to honour their hard work and the strides they have made in long-term forest stewardship around Sechelt.”

Randene Neill, MLA for Powell River-Sunshine Coast –

“Congratulations to the leaders of the Sunshine Coast Community Forest on their well-deserved award. The leaders of the Sunshine Coast Community Forest exemplify the care and intention we have for our forests locally and across B.C. They fulfil their mission by creating a legacy by balancing the environmental, economic and social aspirations of the community.”

Quick Facts:

• The Sunshine Coast Community Forest is managed by the District of Sechelt and is committed to representation from across the region, with various Sunshine Coast representatives as board members.
• The Sunshine Coast Community Forest was established in 2007 with an allowable annual cut of 20,000 cubic metres.
• There are 62 community forests operating in British Columbia.
• The Community Forest Agreement program contributes more than 2.25 million cubic metres of fibre per year, or 3% of the provincial total cut.

Learn More:

To learn more about the Sunshine Coast Community Forest, visit: https://www.sccf.ca/

To learn more about community forests in B.C., visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/forestry/forest-tenures/timber-harvesting-rights/community-forest-agreements

To learn more about the BC Community Forest Association, visit: https://bccfa.ca/

A tribute with more information about Robin Hood’s effect on the community forest program can be found on the BC Community Forest Association website:
http://bccfa.ca/rip-our-beloved-robin-hood