Quartz Creek Trail Project
BC Timber Sales transfers Quartz Creek timber rights to ATCO
As of the spring of 2021, BC Timber Sales has transferred the timber rights surrounding the Quartz Creek Watershed to ATCO, a private company based out of Fruitvale BC.
We are not sure at this time how this transfer will impact the future of the town of Ymir’s only viable source of water.
YCWS has been in communication with ATCO and they are aware of our concerns regarding the protection of the Quartz Creek Watershed.
Ymir Community Watershed Society continues to monitor water flow and collect data in partnership with other community agencies.
Our First AGM!
We held out first AGM at the Ymir Community Hall Oct 21, 2020. Find out what’s happening by reading our minutes, financial report, and executive director report.
BC Timber Sales Input
This past February, BC Timber Sales put out a Forest Stewardship Plan Amendment, outlining changes to how they operate in our forests. As part of our community advocacy, our Society provided input to BCTS both at an in-person meeting and by a letter that was set to them as well as various levels of government. We provided it to the Regional District of Central Kootenay so they could include it in their own input package.
Learning about forests in our watershed
You can read our letter for our comments on the changes. Our comments are specific to key items in the Plan that affect our situation. This include the elimination of a the requirement of a hydrology study if logging activity is less than 2% of a watershed. We take strong exception to this, as we see it as a backdoor to logging a watershed with less oversight. We also have concerns about ‘temporary’ and less restricted machine-trails that can have devastating effects to a landscape. And we press for more community say in what makes a forest ‘high value’. We want a holistic approach that takes things aside from timber value into account.
If you really want to get into it, take a look at the Plan Amendment doc. Our letter references the sections in the plan that we comment on.
Non-Profit Advisor Program
Our Society is taking part in the Columbia Basin Trust's Non-Profit Advisor Program. Here is our Board with Zoe from the CBT after spending a wintery January day developing our Society Action Plan for the next 3 years. Thank you to the CBT and Zoe for helping us build a strong and sustainable Society! We are excited to put our Action Plan to work to help protect our watershed!
pictured l-r: Rosie, Isabelle, Mary, Zoe (from the CBT), Ben, and Velvet (executive director).
Society AGM Postponed
Our plan was to have our Society's first Annual General Meeting in early April... but with the current health crisis we are postponing it until it's appropriate to have it. In the meantime, we'll update our News page with info we planned to share at the AGM. We are always available for questions and comments.
We have also postponed our in-person board meetings, and are continuing to work over email.
Picture is the amazing community turn out for our Society's first official meeting, in Oct 2018!
Watershed Trails Update
Ymir resident Mike Hood has been tracking the trail use in our watershed. Over 25 weeks from May to Nov 2019 we had 769 visits logged. That's about 30 people a week on the trail where the counter was located.
Combined with our trail survey- we got 86 responses!- this helps us learn about the use of our watershed so we can protect the important water, and other, values it has! 🌲💙❣️
Thank you to Salmo Valley Trail Society for the counter and Mike for recording!
Cam Penner Show
Update~ Cam raised $1000 for our Society in this evening of beautiful music and words! Thank you Cam, and all the performers and audience members, we appreciate your support!
Join Cam Penner, Jon Wood, and Molly Sweeney for an intimate evening of live performance in the stunning Capitol Theatre Friday Sept 27 . Part of the proceeds of ‘At War with Reason’ go to the Ymir Community Watershed Society.
We’re so excited for this night of beautiful music! Thank you Cam and Jon for your generosity!
Get details on the show here. Show tickets available at the Capitol Theatre.
Sept 2019 Newsletter
Stay informed on our watershed protection progress through our newsletter! Read the latest edition here.
Get them delivered to your email by subscribing.
Watershed Trail Survey
Take our online survey to tell us what is important to you about the Quartz Creek watershed, and how we can improve recreational and educational opportunities there as part of our Watershed Trail Project!
Please complete the survey by Monday Sept 30.
Thank you for participating!
This project as made possible by grants from Columbia Basin Trust Dot Night and Kootenay Savings Credit Union.
