Forest House began as a dream for Deb Peters and Rick Kolstad over thirty years ago. Their goal was to find the perfect location for a home in Saskatchewan’s Boreal Forest, a place where they could live in harmony with the land around them. After much searching, they came upon a small, unnamed lake in the McLennan Lake area, in Saskatchewan, Canada’s far north. This pristine tiny body of water, dotted with small islands, with a lush Boreal shoreline carpeted with thick moss and wildflowers was the ideal location to realize this dream.

Over the years, the pair carefully and lovingly hand-crafted a spacious main lodge, and eventually, two guest cabins, as well as large organic flower and vegetable gardens, and a lakeside sauna house. All the time, the underlying philosophy centered around stewardship of the Boreal Forest and construction of buildings to exist in harmony with their surroundings. To this end, all lumber was selectively harvested from the land, without clear cutting; everything, from the structures, to the furniture, to interior cabinetry was fashioned by hand; a solar-powered electrical system was installed; a plumbing/water system was designed to supply hot and cold water, while fitering and re-cycling all grey water; self-composting toilets were utilized; indeed all aspects of construction were geared to having a minimal impact to the Boreal Forest.

Deb and Rick truly did accomplish what they set out to do. The architecture of the buildings, although magnificent, blends with, rather than detracts from the beautiful surroundings, a testament to their dedication. The logistics of building such elegant and luxurious accommodations in such a remote location is in itself a feat to admire, however, the vegetable and flower gardens are yet another amazing accomplishment. It required decades of composting to produce the fertile organic soil necessary for rich growth. A garden this prolific at 55 degrees latitude is not the norm – at Forest House, it is a reality.

At  first, Forest House was not intended to be a commercial enterprise. It was Deb and Rick’s home. News travels quickly, even in sparsely-populated northern Saskatchewan, and soon, many subscribers to the “paddling lifestyle” had heard about this unique undertaking in the middle of the forest. Soon, even though Forest House is not on any “established” canoe routes, curious paddlers began regularly arriving at Deb and Rick’s door to see this “jewel” in the Boreal Forest. This convinced the pair to obtain an Eco-Lodge designation and Forest House, the Wilderness Lodge was born.

In 2008, Deb and Rick made the decision to sell home they loved so dearly, in order to retire to the west coast of Canada. It was the purchased by Ric and Theresa Driediger, owners of Churchill River Canoe Outfitters, and a group of partners, all devoted outdoor enthusiasts. Their goal is to introduce clients to the marvels of Forest House and the Boreal Forest, while maintaining Deb and Ric’s dedication of minimal impact to the environment and conservation of the forest.