Client Spotlight: Logan Lake Community Forest

The work that Amplify did for us – actually WITH us – was an important step in us furthering our engagement with all aspects of our community.  Amplify got to know us as an organization as well as the different folks we interact with and then helped develop strategies, materials and messaging we could use to meet our goals.  Their focus was on results for us, which were about deepening relationships with the community and developing a two way street for information sharing and understanding, at all levels. 

The support Amplify provided to us was also fun!  The atmosphere, whether the virtual meetings or phone calls or the time we spent together in the community, was enjoyable and productive.   Was a pleasure to work with Aleece and the team.

Since this work, we continue to hear about the impact our enhanced communications and engagement is having.   Folks are getting to know us more deeply, which is key.  Our story, the work we do, and what we care about is becoming more widely known and we appreciate the support Amplify has provided to get us there.

- Randy Spyksma, Community Forest Manager, Logan Lake Community Forest 

When the Logan Lake Community Forest unveiled its new brand and website, it marked a clear shift in how their story is told and understood.

For our team, the work we did to support the community forest in developing the strategy and communications tools was grounded in a simple principle. Start with engagement. Listen first. Then build communications that reflect what key audiences need based on their perceptions and levels of awareness for the work of the community forest.

Starting with Engagement

Before any strategy or design work began, the focus was on understanding. Community forests operate at the intersection of environment, economy, and community benefit. That means their audiences are diverse, and expectations are high. Residents, partners, and shareholders all bring different perspectives on what success looks like. Our role was to create space for those perspectives to be heard.

Through engagement, we worked to identify:

·      What people value most about the community forest

·      Where there were gaps in understanding or awareness

·      How people prefer to receive information

·      What building trust to strengthen reputation for the long term looks like

Without this step, communication can often become misaligned or incomplete.

Building a Clear Communication Strategy

With a foundation of engagement in place, the next step was to translate insight into direction. The communication strategy focused on clarity, consistency, and accessibility. It defined:

·      Core messaging that reflects both operational realities and community values

·      Key audiences and how to reach them effectively

·      Opportunities to improve transparency and ongoing dialogue

·      A practical roadmap for consistent communication over time

This is where communications become operational. Not just what to say, but how and when to say it.

Refreshing the Brand

A brand is not just visual. It is how an organization is understood and perceived. For the Logan Lake Community Forest, the brand refresh was about aligning identity with purpose.

The goal of the Board was to create something that reflects:

·      Stewardship of the land

·      Commitment to the community

·      Long term sustainability

·      Local pride and ownership

·      Based on the foundation of the community forest’s core values

A strong brand provides a foundation for all communication. It creates recognition, builds credibility, and ensures consistency across platforms.

Building a Website That Works for People

The website was designed with one primary question in mind: How do people want to access information? Too often, websites are built around internal structures rather than user needs. This project took a different approach.

The new site prioritizes:

·      Simple, intuitive navigation

·      Clear pathways to key information

·      Content that is easy to understand and regularly updated

·      Accessibility for a wide range of users

The result is a platform that supports transparency and makes it easier for the community to stay informed and engaged.

Why This Matters

Effective communication does not start with design or messaging. It starts with engagement or that pull of information through listening. When engagement leads, strategy becomes sharper, branding becomes more meaningful, and tools like websites become more useful. This helps ensure that communication reflects real needs, not assumptions.

How We Approach This Work at Amplify

Our process is consistent across projects like this:

·      Engagement to understand context and perspective

·      Strategy to create clarity and direction

·      Brand to align identity with purpose

·      Tools to deliver information in ways that people can access and trust

Each step builds on the last, ensuring common sense and creativity take the lead.

A Simple Reflection

The Logan Lake Community Forest has important work to share. This project was about helping ensure that work is clearly understood, accessible, and connected to the people it serves. When communications reflect real input and real needs, it does more than inform. It builds trust, and trust strengthens reputation, which helps amplify impact.