The New Forest Act: Fixing Forestry in British Columbia
Date: June 3, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM
Location:
Hume Hotel
422 Vernon Street, Nelson, BC
Event Details
- Registration required: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1988283713109
- Event is free. Donations welcome at the door.
- Seats are limited.
Includes Special Presentation by Herb Hammond, Forest Ecologist – What the New Forest Act Looks Like on a Real Watershed
In partnership with the West Kootenay Watershed Collaborative.
About This Event
This is a focused public presentation on the New Forest Act – a legislative proposal to replace British Columbia’s current forestry system.
The session will clearly explain:
- What is actually happening in BC’s forests
- Why the current system is no longer working
- The structural changes needed to fix it
- How the New Forest Act framework works in practice
This is not a panel or a general discussion.
It is a presentation followed by Q&A.
What You’ll Learn
The New Forest Act introduces a different way of managing forests:
Protect – Restore – Harvest
- Protect what must remain intact
- Restore what has been degraded
- Harvest where ecosystems can support it
This approach is designed to:
- Reduce risk from wildfire, flooding, and drought
- Stabilize long-term timber supply
- Support jobs and local economies
- Align forest management with ecological limits
Presenters
Jennifer Houghton
Campaign Director, New Forest Act
Jennifer Houghton is the lead developer of the New Forest Act, a legislative proposal to replace British Columbia’s current forestry system. She works directly on forestry policy analysis, public education, and government engagement to advance structural reform in how BC’s forests are managed.
Herb Hammond
Forest Ecologist
Herb Hammond is a forest ecologist and nature-directed stewardship planner with 40 years of experience in research, industry, teaching and consulting. He is a co-founder of the Silva Forest Foundation and the project lead for more than twenty-five ecosystem-based conservation plans across Canada and elsewhere. He is the author of the award-winning Seeing the Forest among the Trees: The Case for Wholistic Forest Use and Maintaining Whole Systems on Earth’s Crown: Ecosystem-based Conservation Planning for the Boreal Forest.
Who Should Attend
This event is for:
- Residents concerned about forestry in their region
- People working in or affected by the forest sector
- Those interested in practical, policy-level solutions
- Anyone who wants a clear explanation of what’s happening—and what can be done
Why This Matters
BC’s forestry challenges are not isolated incidents – they are the result of a system that no longer reflects the realities on the land.
This presentation offers a clear, developed alternative.
Learn More
For full details on the legislative framework: View the New Forest Act Proposal
Support the Work
This campaign is independently led and publicly supported.