TIABC Voice of Tourism Newsletter – November 28, 2025

Across British Columbia, land-use conversations are unfolding with more urgency and complexity than ever. From the North to the Kootenays, and from the Cariboo to the Coast, communities, First Nations, operators, and residents are being asked to help shape decisions that will define the future of our forests, watersheds, wildlife, businesses, residences, and recreation opportunities for generations.

These conversations are critical because they determine the future of the communities, regions and landscapes that make BC feel like home. As the season of gratitude arrives, I’ve been thinking a lot about why these wild places mean so much and why protecting them is more than a policy exercise. It’s personal.

Growing up in America, I knew Thanksgiving was always about connection. The day after was never about shopping or a week of Black Fridays, it was about getting outside. Our family would bundle up, head into the woods and search for the perfect Christmas tree. We didn’t choose the forest, the forest chose us. The crunch of snow, the smell of pine, the cold air turning into mist as we laughed and debated which tree was the one. Those moments are etched into me. They taught me that nature isn’t just scenery, it’s memory and grounding. It’s also where families grow closer and where we remember our role as part of something bigger.

It’s that same feeling I get when I visit Wells Gray Provincial Park with my family. Listening to waterfalls echo through the canyons, or paddling quiet lakes where dusk settles like a blanket. It’s on the Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit where the rhythm of paddle strokes becomes meditation. It’s in the Monashees and Silver Star Provincial Park, close to my current home, where early-morning stillness and deep winter snow make you feel both small and completely alive. And it’s in iconic landscapes like the Great Bear Rainforest and Stein Valley where the power of Indigenous stewardship reminds us that protection is a responsibility, not an afterthought.

These are BC’s sanctuaries…every bit as profound and irreplaceable as any famous wilderness elsewhere in North America. They are living classrooms. Healing spaces. Sources of wellness, clarity, and connection.

And yes, they are also foundational to tourism sectors like wilderness operators, guide outfitters, lodges, paddling companies, adventure guides, and ecotourism businesses. But their value extends far beyond economics. They are vital to our mental health, our community well-being, and our shared identity.

As BC moves through dozens of land-use planning processes, from Kaska to Gitanyow, and from the Skeena to the Okanagan, our responsibility is to show up, speak up, and safeguard what makes these places extraordinary. Land use decisions in the coming months and years will determine whether our children and grandchildren have an opportunity to appreciate the serene surroundings while paddling a canoe on a still lake; hear wolves howling in the distance in Wells Gray; carving tracks through Monashee powder; or finding their own Christmas tree deep in the woods on a magical winter day.

We owe it to the next generation to ensure BC’s super, natural landscape and open spaces remain accessible. But we must also respect and honour the land that shaped and healed us through thoughtful planning and stewardship together with First Nations and all tourism stakeholders throughout the incredible province we call home.

Cassandra Zerebeski

Policy Director, TIABC