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The grant supported a public program entitled "A Celebration of the Trees of Qualicum Beach," a collaborative effort between the Qualicum Beach Museum and the Friends of the Qualicum Beach Forest. The total project budget was $4,250, comprising the $3,500 PQCF grant and a $750 contribution from the Qualicum Beach Museum, with final expenditures coming in $15.67 under budget.
Funds were used to develop and mount a museum exhibition about trees, their importance in daily life and their significance to First Nations. Featuring artefacts, historical photographs, and explanatory text. The program launched during B.C. National Forest Week (September 21–27, 2025) and ran September 19 through November 22, 2025. It included a youth and adult photography competition, with winning photographs professionally framed and displayed throughout the exhibit before being awarded to the photographers. All submissions were compiled into a commemorative book shared with local educators and libraries.
A celebration afternoon was held to open the exhibit and recognize contest winners. Museum staff and Friends of the Qualicum Beach Forest also developed children's learning activities: a reading nook, a tree-name matching game in English, Latin, and Hulq'umin'um, and a nurse log identification game, all designed for ongoing use in future museum programming. Four educational forest tours were organized, led by local experts covering the QB Heritage Forest, ornamental tree species at Milner Gardens, and invasive species identification near the museum. The project also drew on 130 volunteer hours and over 100 paid staff hours from the Qualicum Beach Museum.
The program successfully achieved and surpassed its objectives of celebrating and educating the community about Qualicum Beach's trees and the broader importance of forests to human well-being. The museum exhibition was visited by over 700 adults and children, bringing the community together around a shared appreciation of their local natural heritage.
The photography competition engaged youth and adult community members, and the resulting commemorative book extended the project's reach into local schools and libraries. The four expert-led forest tours were fully booked with 15 or more participants each, demonstrating strong community interest and engagement. The inclusion of Hulq'umin'um tree names and a forest walk led by Carrie Reid of the Qualicum First Nation helped foster awareness of Indigenous connections to the land.
Beyond the immediate program, the children's activities and displays were intentionally designed for long-term use, ensuring the educational impact will continue through future museum programming for years to come. The project demonstrated the power of community partnerships, between a local museum, a volunteer forest group, First Nations, and local experts, to deliver meaningful, lasting environmental and cultural education.
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