The Western spruce budworm spray program is scheduled for the week of June 22 and expected to last five days.
Further information can be found on the CCF’s original post with links to the Province’s webpage.
The Cheakamus Community Forest (CCF) is pleased to announce the successful applicants for the inaugural funding round of its Community Benefit Program (CBP). The program is designed to provide funding for community projects that have the potential to offer lasting benefits in the partner communities of the Lil’wat Nation, Squamish Nation and Resort Municipality of Whistler.
Funding for the CBP is provided from the carbon offsets sales program revenue to a maximum of $50,000 per year as funding allows and as determined by the CCF Board of Directors.
The CBP funds projects and administration costs related to:
– Forest education (training, interpretive signs, tours, educational materials, etc.)
– Trail or recreation development and/or enhancement
– First Nations’ cultural or youth-oriented projects and programs
– Forest health (invasive species management, etc.)
Three groups were awarded funding for the following projects:
Mamquam River Access Society – House Rock Kayaking Access Improvement Project ($8000)
Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment (AWARE) – Priority Habitats Guided Walk Series ($7500)
Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council (SSISC) – Invasive Species Management and Education Initiatives in CCF ($10,180)
John Harvey of the Mamquam River Access Society, says “this will help revitalize the House Rock parking lot area and replace the outhouse. The Whitewater Kayak community is thrilled to be able to showcase this renowned river. The Upper Cheak is worth it!”
“It is wonderful to be given the opportunity to help support the Community Forests’ strategic objectives by conducting invasive plant control and inventory activities, along with planning community outreach and engagement initiatives,” says Claude-Anne Godbout-Gauthier, co-Executive Director, SSISC.
Alison Jenkins, Executive Director AWARE, commented, “AWARE is pleased to receive the Community Benefit Program funds to deliver guided walks through many of Whistler’s Priority Habitat areas. This will provide more opportunities to educate and raise awareness for the importance of these sensitive ecosystems.”
The Cheakamus Community Forest is committed to managing its tenure as a model of regenerative forestry and reconciliation, and that provides benefits to its partner communities. The Community Benefit Program is another example of the CCF supporting its communities and looks forward to seeing the funded programs delivered this year.
The CCF will be holding its spring 2026 information session on Thursday, May 28 at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre Istken Room from 5-7 p.m. Come and learn about how we’ve turned our climate change risk assessment into harvesting/management plans.
Also, our mission statement says the CCF will be a model of regenerative forestry that mitigates the impacts of climate change. To better understand that, we’ll have table discussions about what regenerative forestry is and how we can better implement it in the CCF.
The Ministry of Forests, South Coast Region, is planning to aerially treat areas of Crown
forests to reduce populations of the Western spruce budworm moth (Choristoneura occidentallis). The
biological insecticide Foray 48B containing the bacteria B.t.k. (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki) will
be applied by helicopter once at each site on or about June 1st to July 1st, 2026, depending on weather
conditions and insect development.
Proposed treatment areas were selected based on severity of Western spruce budworm defoliation, Douglas-fir leading stand types, and proper access for weather monitoring and biological sampling during before, during, and after spray operations.
The proposed treatment sites are located within the Chilliwack and Sea to Sky Natural Resource Districts.
Sea to Sky District (Soo Timber Supply Areas) maps:
Brandywine and Callaghan valleys southwest of Whistler
Whistler-Cheakamus areas west of Whistler
Soo and Rutherford valleys north of Whistler
Twin and Lizzie creek areas southeast of Pemberton
All sites proposed for treatment are covered by the South Coast Pest Management Plan 2025-2030
(PMP). The PMP and maps of the proposed treatment areas may be viewed online.
The Community Benefit Fund was established by the CCF to provide funding for community projects that have the potential to offer lasting benefits in the partner communities of the Lil’wat Nation, Squamish Nation and Resort Municipality of Whistler.
Funding for the Benefit Fund will be paid from a portion of the carbon income to a maximum of $50,000 per year as funding allows and as determined by the CCF Board of Directors.
Application Procedures
Community groups and non-profit groups from the three CCF partner communities wishing to apply for funding from the Benefit Fund should submit a letter of intent to the CCF Board of Directors by March 9, 2026. Letters of intent should include a brief description of the project, who is involved, estimated budget request, and timeline. The letters will be reviewed by the CCF Board of Directors.
The CCF will fund projects and administration costs related to:
The CCF will not fund solely administration or routine operational expenses.
Following a review of the letters of intent, all applicants will receive notification of the Board’s decision. Successful applicants will be asked to submit a detailed application using the application form template to provide sufficient information to allow the CCF Board to fully evaluate the merits of the project. The applicant must clearly identify how the project benefits the community and what portion of the project will be supported by the CCF Benefit Fund.
Successful applicants must confirm that they will acknowledge the funding received through the Benefit Fund on all media releases, social media, and include the CCF logo on promotional materials, signs or other materials developed with the funding. They also agree to allow the CCF to share information regarding the project funding through its media channels.
Applicants may send an email indicating their interest through the CCF Contact Us intake form on the CCF website.
The Cheakamus Community Forest (CCF) and RMOW are partnering on two more wildfire fuel management projects this year. The projects are along the north end of Alta Lake Road from 21 Mile Creek to Alpine Meadows, and in the 16 Mile Valley above The Adventure Group (TAG) base area. The project areas are identified in the RMOW’s Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan and funded in part by the federal government’s Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Plan.
Lil’wat Forestry Ventures will start the Alta Lake Road wildfire fuel management project in early March and continue to autumn 2026. The early start to the work will minimize impacts to the ground as well as to users of the many multi use trails in the work area. Crews will work through the treatment units sequentially so that disruption to public use in minimized.
The general timeline is:
Unit 1 – late February to early April. River Runs Through It/Rainbow Express area, above cemetery, Rainbow Falls and Between the Creeks (lower) will have intermittent closures.
Unit 2 – Mid-late March through June. Bart’s Dark Trail will be closed for duration. RRTI North on to Bart’s Dark Trail will be diverted to Alta Lake Road. RRTI access trail will have 4-5 days closure during initial treatment.
Unit 3 – Potential summer start (wildfire risk and crew availability permitting) for 2-3 weeks. Affects Bob’s Rebob, Billy Epic with intermittent closures.
Unit 4 – Late March through June. Get Over It and Nectar Connector will have 2-3 days of full closures during falling/yarding operations, then intermittent closures when yarding trees near trails.
Unit 5 – Summer or fall start for 2-3 weeks. Affects the gravel pit access road from Alta Lake Road down to the pit (not Emerald Forest side), intermittent closures.
The CCF and RMOW are in close contact with WORCA regarding trail impacts and potential closures. Trail closures will be kept to a minimum and closed trails will be marked by signage. The public must obey all signs and instructions from staff for their own safety. The crews will be cutting trees, running heavy equipment and chipping wood – all dangerous activities that are unsafe for the public to approach. Trails that are disturbed will be restored following the project.
The 16 Mile wildfire fuel management project will begin in autumn 2026 and continue as long as snow levels permit then resume in spring 2027. The CCF and RMOW are also in close contact with The Adventure Group (TAG) to understand their operations logistics and minimize impacts to their business. More details to follow.
A keen crowd attended the November 19 Cheakamus Community Forest Information Session at the SLCC Long House. Nick Soverel, RPF with Frontera Forest Solutions and Abe Litz, RPF with Chartwell Resource Group gave presentations on the Climate Resiliency Plan and how it is being used to develop the CCF’s strategic operations plan.
The plan identifies where the CCF forest is most at risk from the main climate change risks, wildfire and heat/drought. The strategic operations plan will use that information to map out where and how the forest will be managed to provide harvesting, management and silviculture opportunities that will create a more diverse, resilient forest over time. The CCF will use a three pronged approach to deciding what to do and where by determining if an area is resistant, resilient or in transition to climate change.
Have a look at the CCF November 2025 Climate Resiliency & Operations Plan Presentation.pdf to learn more.
Join the CCF at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre Long House on Wednesday, November 19 from 4 – 6 p.m. to learn how we are evolving our forest management approach. Last year we described how we were undertaking a climate risk assessment of the entire CCF tenure area to see where it was most at risk from wildfire and drought through the next few decades. We did that and shared the results at the spring wildfire workshop held at the SLCC in May.
The CCF can now strategically decide where and how to manage the forest within its tenure to make the forest more diverse and climate resilient. The Chartwell Resource Group team has taken the risk assessment information and prepared a draft forest management plan that will reduce those risks. We will also give an update on the situation with the Western Spruce Budworm outbreak in our valley.
Come to the information to see the plans and share your thoughts with us. You put the community in community forestry! If you can’t make it, we’ll be posting the plans here after the information session and you can email your thoughts to [email protected].
Due to circumstances out of CCF control, we were unable to secure cutting permits for the harvesting and wildfire risk reduction projects planned for this fall.
The projects affected are:
Our plan is to carry out these projects in spring 2026 assuming all permits can be secured. In addition, the CCF will develop and implement an autumn 2026 harvesting plan. In effect, we will harvest two years of blocks within 2026 (meaning the postponed 2025 blocks plus new 2026 blocks). This will not put the CCF over its Annual Allowable Cut of 21,000m3/year because it is averaged out over five years.
At long last! The 2024 Cheakamus Community Forest annual report has been released. The report shares information on how the CCF is delivering on 18 environmental, social and economic objectives.
Have a read and send in your questions and comments to [email protected].
We love to hear from you!
Credit: H. Beresford