Forests
Summary
- Residents in the Cranbrook area are invited to provide input through a public survey and in-person to help guide the development of the Cranbrook Forest Landscape Plan
- The plan is being developed in partnership with First Nations and engagement with forest licensees, local communities and other stakeholders to support forest stewardship, sustainability and community priorities
- Feedback will help inform forest-management decisions in the region
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Residents in Cranbrook, Kimberley, Fernie, Sparwood, Elkford and surrounding areas are invited to share their input about the development of the Cranbrook Forest Landscape Plan, to guide forest-management decisions in the area.
The plan focuses on improving forest management for the 1.2-million-hectare Cranbrook Timber Supply Area.
“Everyone deserves a say in how our forests are managed, and when we’re all at the table, we can deliver forest landscape plans with clarity and predictability for our workforce and for our environment,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “Forests are the foundation of creating opportunity at home and abroad. Over the last few months, we’ve made real progress on forest landscape plans throughout B.C. We need your feedback to ensure we get the Cranbrook Forest Landscape Plan right.”
People can share their thoughts through a survey that will run from Monday, July 13 to Sept. 25, 2026. The Cranbrook plan team will be present at local events so people can learn more about forest landscape planning and ask questions.
Events details are as follows:
Kimberley Farmer’s Market
Date: July 23 and Aug. 6, 2026
Time: 5-7 p.m.
Location: Howard Street and Downtown Platzl
Kimberley
Fernie Mountain Market
Date: July 26, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location: 6th Avenue, Rotary Park
Fernie
Cranbrook Farmer’s Market
Date: July 25 and Aug. 8, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: 10th Street, next to Rotary Park
Cranbrook
Sparwood Farmer’s Market
Date: Aug. 28, 2026
Time: 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Location: 141 Aspen Dr., Titan Park
Sparwood
First Nations and community engagement
Forest landscape plans are being developed through collaborative planning with First Nations and engagement with forest licensees, local communities and other stakeholders in each local area.
The partnering First Nations in the Cranbrook plan are:
- Shuswap Band
- ʔaq̓am
- yaqan nuʔkiy
- Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡiʾit First Nation
- Ktunaxa Nation Council
Engagement with other First Nations in the area continues to ensure there are ongoing opportunities for dialogue and input.
Engagement with forest licensees, subject-matter experts and the public is a key part of every forest landscape plan. This engagement ensures that operational expertise from forest licensees is incorporated into plan development alongside First Nations’ interests and community-identified values.
“We care deeply about our forests, and here in the Kootenays, we’ll always stand up to ensure we’re managing our forests according to local values,” said Steve Morisette, MLA for Kootenay-Monashee. “Forest landscape plans identify exactly those values we have for our local forests and bridge the gap between traditional strategic planning and operational planning. Your priorities – be it biodiversity, old forests, water, timber supply, recreation or cultural values – will formulate the Cranbrook Forest Landscape Plan, so spread the word and get involved.”
Developing forest landscape plans is a new approach to forest stewardship that establishes clear direction for the management of forest-related values, such as old forests, biodiversity, ecosystem health, climate change, watershed health and wildfire risk.
Through collaborative planning and improved stewardship tools, these plans increase the stability and predictability of a sustainable timber supply to support communities and the forest industry.
Media attending:
Media wanting to connect at in-person opportunities are requested to register via the contact information below.
Learn More:
- To learn more about the Cranbrook forest landscape plans and provide feedback through the survey, visit: https://planninginpartnership.ca/p/6882bff743fb68002119e415/commenting
- To learn about sustainable forest stewardship and forest landscape plans in B.C., visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/forestry/managing-our-forest-resources/forest-landscape-plans
A backgrounder follows.
