To mark National Forest Week in Mission, community members are invited to attend a guided hike in the municipal forest on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 9 a.m.
The hike will be an opportunity to experience the local forest first hand to learn about management approaches, the types of trees and wildlife in the habitat, and how old-growth forests are being re-established onto the landscape.
Operating since 1958, Mission’s municipal forest was the first community forest in Canada and the first in B.C. Local management of the forest has many social and economic benefits for Mission, including revenue from the annual harvest that is used to fund capital projects, world-class recreation, and education opportunities for all ages.
Forestry Department highlights over the last year include, hosting an Indigenous Guardians Training Program, planting 80,000 trees, and welcoming UBC graduate students to study climate change right here in Mission.
The theme of National Forest Week this year is Canada’s Forests: Solutions for a Changing Climate, and runs from Sept. 18 – 24.
“National Forest Week provides a great opportunity to reflect on the importance of our local forests and all of the benefits that they provide to the community and local First Nation communities,” said Chris Gruenwald, Director of Forestry. “It also serves as a reminder that climate change presents a serious threat to maintaining healthy, diverse forests, and that we need to be proactive in addressing this challenge.”
Registration is required by emailing forestry@mission.ca. Registrants will receive details of the meeting location.
The hike will be about two and a half hours including breaks with discussions, and will cover about 5km.
It’s a hike of moderate difficulty with an area of short, steep sections. The hike will be limited to 30 people, and a moderate fitness level is required. Strollers and pets are not allowed, and hiking boots are preferred.
