Kootenay Forest Lands

Without conservation and restoration, connected forests, rare grasslands and freshwater systems could face further fragmentation and degradation. Species such as grizzly bears, wolverines and lynx could lose vital habitat and the connected landscapes they need to move, find food and thrive. Fish such as bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout could also lose critical stream habitat.

Healthy, resilient forests can reduce the impacts of flooding, erosion and wildfire on surrounding communities. Restoring fire-adapted ecosystems, reducing fuel and creating fire breaks can lower wildfire risks, while healthy forests and wetlands can slow water and reduce erosion. These ecosystems also store carbon, playing an important role in a changing climate.

Caring for the Kootenay Forest Lands is a long-term undertaking. Under our care, these lands are transitioning from industrial-scale forestry to conservation-focused management that restores ecosystems, strengthens resilience to wildfire and floods and enhances carbon storage. Acting now gives forests the space and time they need to recover and ensures connected habitat remains available for wildlife and future generations.

We’re protecting the Kootenay Forest Lands as part of a larger network of protected areas, giving grizzly bears, wolverines, elk and other species room to move and allowing natural processes to function as they should.

We’re restoring waterways to reduce erosion and allow water to flow naturally, while planning significant reforestation with a mix of spruce, Douglas-fir, western larch and lodgepole pine. Together, these actions will create more diverse, resilient forests and healthier aquatic habitats that can better withstand change.

Together with the Ktunaxa First Nations, governments, foundations and donors, we’re giving these lands the long-term care they need to recover. Together, we’re restoring forests and waterways while learning from how nature responds when given the space and time to heal.