Wilgress Lake Outdoor Education Centre Receives a ForesTrust Grant

Midway, B.C. – The West Boundary Community Forest (WBCF) is extending its appreciation to ForesTrust for their generous support of the Wilgress Lake Outdoor Education Centre. ForesTrust, the charitable division of The Association of BC Forest Professionals (ABCFP), provides funding for educational activities that focus on managing and caring for B.C.’s forests.

Educational materials on display at the Outdoor Education Centre

In December 2022, ForesTrust awarded the WBCF a $1,000 grant for educational supplies and storage space at their Outdoor Education Centre at Wilgress Lake. This school bus-accessible site on a 60-acre parcel of land south of Wilgress Lake offers hands-on early education opportunities about forestry and the forest ecosystem.

“Our primary focus is our commitment to sustainable forestry, good land management practices, and providing educational opportunities to everyone in our community. We are proud of our community forest, which received this generous funding from the ABCFP,” said Dan Macmaster, RPF, Forest Manager, WBCF.

The ABCFP regulates the largest group of forest professionals in Canada, invested in the care and management of forests in B.C. Since its inception, ForesTrust has funded the creation and continuation of various educational activities focused on expanding forest education to the general public.

It’s here where the WBCF aligns with the ABCFP’s ForesTrust through its work to give back to the community, ensuring educational opportunities are within reach for all. To date, the ForesTrust charity has supported 13 scholarship awards in nine post-secondary institutions in B.C., and has provided funding to 17 educational initiatives, including the West Boundary Community Forest’s Outdoor Education Centre.

L to R: MLA Roly Russell, Edena Brown, Minister Katrine Conroy, Elly Macmaster of the West Boundary Community Forest, Chris Hammett

“We are proud to support the West Boundary Community Forest’s work teaching students about forestry,” noted Nathan Doidge, ForesTrust Trustee. “The hands-on approach, made possible by the Outdoor Education Centre, is a fantastic way to engage students and give them exposure to real-world forest management. This is a wonderful example of the educational activities ForesTrust supports across the province, and we wish the WBCF continued success for many years to come.”

For an interview with West Boundary Community Forest, contact:

Dan Macmaster, RPF, Forest Manager | West Boundary Community Forest | 250.528.0344

Healthy Forests. Healthy Communities