Rural Success
BC Community Forests Make a Difference
A report entitled Community Forests — Community Benefits: The Economic Contributions of Community Forests to Rural BC Communities, recently released by the Southern Interior Beetle Action Coalition (SIBAC), in cooperation with the BC Community Forests Association (BCCFA), underscores the fact BC community forests are playing a very significant — often critical — role in the…
Read MoreWestern Juniper?! ‘Why Not?’ Says Small Mill Owner
Western Juniper is a native species in Central Oregon. Over the past century, it has begun to outcompete other native vegetation and interfere with the balance of the local ecology. Because harvesting Western Juniper in Central Oregon is critical for grassland restoration, there is a tremendous opportunity to create an income stream for the region…
Read MoreKaslo Jazz Fest 2017 Rocks!
Kaslo Jazz Fest 2017, just ended, the biggest and best ever by all accounts. The Festival was completely sold out. For three days, Kaslo Bay looked more like the south of France than the Kootenays, as thousands enjoyed the hot weather, sandy beach, the cool waters of Kootenay Lake, and some astonishing musical performances. Hotels,…
Read Moreall that jazz… a conversation with Paul Hinrichs
All those mountains, and all that jazz… For over 25 years, the tiny West Kootenay village of Kaslo has played host to one of the world’s most celebrated outdoor music festivals. USA Today has called the Kaslo Jazz Festival “one of the 10 best places in the world to enjoy outdoor music in the…
Read MoreOld Masset Turns Up the Heat!
Energy/heat in the village of Old Masset on Northern Haida Gwaii, as in many remote BC First Nations and rural BC communities, has always been hugely expensive. On Haida Gwai, hydro is provided by diesel generation, and other heating fuels are barged in 100 kilometres across Hecta Strait, not only making them expensive but also giving…
Read MoreAnts in your pants? Red Ants Pants founder Sarah Calhoun speaks out!
Do you have ants in your pants? Sarah Calhoun does. Or rather Sarah has created a successful clothing business, foundation, and music festival, all under the catchy title of Red Ants Pants. Sarah has nearly two decades of leadership experience in both the non-profit and small business sectors, working in the outdoor education industry…
Read MoreCulture & rural development — how culture revitalized New York Mills, Minnesota
Culture & rural development — are they, or should they be, linked? Zachary Mannheimer, founder of the Des Moines Social Club, VP of Creative Placemaking for Iowa Business Growth, who has led numerous revitalization efforts in rural communities in the American Midwest, argues that the answer is a resounding yes. Mannheimer, who is particularly focused…
Read MorePaul Muir on the arts & small rural communities
For many small remote rural communities, the key to renewal and revitalization may well lie in the pent-up creativity of local residents. Culture, even if it starts out small, as it did in tiny (population 120) Rosebud, Alberta, can become a powerful change agent. Paul Muir is the Education Director of Alberta’s Rosebud School of the Arts.…
Read MoreSmall, Remote — and Successful!
Small can be beautiful. Remoteness and rugged surroundings are often cited as negatives in discussions regarding rural communities and regions. But there are cases where these apparent challenges are turned into positives. Mountain Trek, a boutique health & wellness destination in BC’s West Kootenay region, and Newfoundland’s Fogo Island Inn stand as highly successful examples…
Read MoreYale First Nation & Britco team up to create a new generation of energy efficient housing
In the Fall of 2016, Yale First Nation signed on with modular builder, Britco, one of the largest commercial modular construction companies in North America, to start a housing revolution. For the past few years, Yale, a First Nation located in Yale, BC, with approximately 160 band members living on and off reserve, has been…
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