A public presentation on the future of forest management in British Columbia will take place in Golden on June 2, as part of a province-wide tour introducing the proposed New Forest Act.
The event will be held at the College of the Rockies Golden Campus, located at 1305 9th Street South, beginning at 5:30 p.m. It is being hosted in partnership with the Kicking Horse Country Chamber of Commerce.
Jennifer Houghton, campaign director of the New Forest Act initiative, will present a citizen-developed legislative proposal that calls for replacing B.C.’s current forestry framework with a new approach focused on watershed protection, restoration of degraded forest lands and continued forestry activity within ecological limits.
The proposal is being put forward by the Boundary Forest Watershed Stewardship Society, a grassroots organization based in Grand Forks. The group has been advocating for changes to how forests are managed in B.C., arguing that the current system has not done enough to protect watersheds, reduce wildfire and flood risk, or provide long-term stability for forest-dependent communities.
The New Forest Act campaign is built around what the group describes as a practical shift in forest management: protect the most sensitive and critical areas, restore forests and watersheds that have already been damaged, and continue harvesting in areas where ecosystems can sustain it. The campaign also calls for more community involvement in decisions that affect local landscapes, water systems and regional economies.
“Across B.C., communities are dealing with increasing wildfire costs, water concerns, and long-term uncertainty in the forest sector,” said Houghton. “This is about laying out a practical path forward.”
For Golden and Area A, the discussion is expected to touch on issues already familiar to many residents, including wildfire risk, water supply, forest health, recreation, wildlife habitat and the long-term future of forestry-related work in rural communities.
Melanie Myers, executive director of the Kicking Horse Country Chamber of Commerce, said residents in Golden and Area A are increasingly interested in how forest management decisions affect water, wildfire risk and long-term economic stability.
“We look forward to the presentation and discussion about the New Forestry Act and hope to see many people from the community at this event,” said Myers.
The Golden event will include a public presentation followed by a question-and-answer period. The broader roadshow includes communities across the Interior and Vancouver Island throughout June.
More information and full tour details are available at boundaryforest.org.
