The Land Conservancy of BC and Valhalla Foundation
Launch Campaign for 'The Valhalla Mile'
New Denver, B.C. - The Land Conservancy of BC and the Valhalla
Foundation for Ecology & Social Justice (Valhalla Foundation) are
launching a fundraising campaign to purchase a private property called
the "Valhalla Mile" which is nestled within Valhalla Provincial Park.
Once protected, the land will be added to the Park, helping to save it,
and the natural shoreline of Slocan Lake, from future development.
The Land Conservancy has successfully negotiated an option to purchase
the property. Working with the New Denver-based Valhalla Foundation,
the two organizations are working to raise the $1.5 million cost of the
acquisition by December 2008.
This 155-acre property contains rare mixed forest and 1.7 kilometres -
slightly more than a mile - of undeveloped shoreline. It is a vital
movement corridor for grizzly and black bears, wolverines, cougars, and
mule deer, among the many species that frequent the land and its
shoreline habitat. From a cultural perspective, ancient First Nations
pictographs are located just north of the property and the shoreline was
a Sinixt fishing and gathering site.
"The property is important to the ecosystem continuity of all of
Valhalla Park," says bear biologist Wayne McCrory. "In the spring the
Valhalla grizzly bears come down to the rocky bluffs nearby to feed on
glacier lily corms, wolverine and cougar hunt on the property, and other
at-risk species such as Great Blue Heron and Townsend's Big-eared bat
are likely present, given the types of habitat."
Twenty-five years ago, the B.C. government created Valhalla Provincial
Park after eight years of citizen advocacy spearheaded by the Valhalla
Wilderness Society, a related organization to the Valhalla Foundation.
Stretching for almost 25 km along the west shores of Slocan Lake, it was
one of B.C.'s first large valley bottom to mountain top provincial
parks.
Former BC cabinet minister Dr. Tom Perry, a medical doctor who now
resides part time in New Denver, is honourary campaign chair, helping to
solicit contributions to secure the Valhalla Mile. "Most of us are here
because of the Slocan Valley's astounding beauty and its peacefulness,"
says Perry. "I'm hoping a lot of residents, and those farther afield
who value wilderness, will welcome the chance to help complete Valhalla
Park."
"This property has many important ecological and community values," says
Bill Turner, The Land Conservancy's Executive Director. "Every year,
thousands of campers, canoeists, and kayakers visit Valhalla Provincial
Park since it is one of the few large protected lakeshores in the
southern interior of B.C. We are pleased to be working with the
Valhalla Foundation to protect this property in perpetuity."
The Valhalla Foundation and The Land Conservancy are asking community
leaders, business owners, and citizens to help protect the Valhalla Mile
and add it to Valhalla Provincial Park, to be enjoyed by people and
wildlife forever. Donations can be made by phoning 1-250-358-2796
(Valhalla Foundation) or 1-877-485-2422 (The Land Conservancy of BC) or
online at www.conservancy.bc.ca
The Land Conservancy of BC is a registered charity and land trust
protecting wilderness areas, cultural landmarks, and agricultural lands
in B.C. Since 1997, it has protected over 120,000 acres of sensitive
and threatened lands around the province, involving more than 300
projects. The Land Conservancy of BC has grown to include over 7,500
members, and is now part of an international network of National Trusts
with over 7.5 million members.
The Valhalla Foundation for Ecology & Social Justice is a parallel
organization to the Valhalla Wilderness Society which has been
instrumental in securing protection of approximately 1.25 million acres
of parkland in B.C. during the past 30 years. The Valhalla Foundation's
mandate is to protect private land for conservation. Renowned BC
activist Colleen McCrory was working to secure the property. Her brother
Wayne and colleagues have continued the work after she passed away last
summer. With help from The Land Conservancy and B.C. Parks, The
Valhalla Foundation is working to honour her memory by securing this
property.
For further information:
* Lorna Visser, Valhalla Foundation, ph: 250-358-2722 / e-mail:
carmanah@xplornet.com
* Wayne McCrory, Valhalla Foundation, ph; 250-358-7796 / e-mail:
waynem@vws.org
* Bill Turner, Executive Director, The Land Conservancy of BC, ph:
250-213-1090 /
e-mail: bturner@conservancy.bc.ca
Squitty Bay Provincial Marine Park Expansion
The Lasqueti Island Nature Conservancy and the Islands Trust Fund reached their goal of raising $250,000 in a whirlwind 2007 summer campaign to protect the Iversen/Tyler property next to Squitty Bay Provincial Park on Lasqueti Island. With our contribution, the Ministry of Environment was able to purchase this beautiful 38.46 (95 acre) oceanfront property from Terry Tyler and Ingrid Iversen for $1,340,000, a price well below market value. The property owners provided a significant donation through Environment Canada's Ecological Gift Program because they had a vision of the property being protected as a park.
This property is a Gulf Island treasure. The protection of this property will result in a four-fold increase in the size of Squitty Bay Provincial Park from 13 hectares to more than 51 hectares. The property features almost a kilometre of coastline with sheltered bays and beaches, older forests, a heritage orchard, a salmon-bearing creek, and windswept coastal bluffs. The property is also a fine example of the endangered Coastal Douglas-fir ecosystem, which is in urgent need of protection as it is under
extreme pressure from agricultural and urban development.
The Lasqueti community and Islands Trust Fund donors, including the Nature Trust of BC and the Marine Parks Forever Society, pulled together to protect this special place by contributing over $143,000 in donations. The BC Trust for Public Lands provided $107,000 resulting in the community reaching its $250,000 goal.
Squitty Bay by Barry Churchill
Denman Island Conservancy (DCA) has purchased Central Park, a 147 acre block of land in the middle of Denman Island. Two wetlands and productive forest uplands are the main conservation features of the land.... Read more
**They are still campaigning for Central Park,
as they have a $200,000 mortgage to pay off over the next 5 years!
To view their fundraising brochure, click here.
To view the map, click here.
Mount Artaban Nature Reserve Fundraising Campaign
The Islands Trust Fund is working with the Gambier Island Conservancy to establish a 107 hectare (264 acre) nature reserve on Mount Artaban, Gambier Island. The nature reserve will benefit people and wildlife by protecting forest,high elevation bluffs, watersheds and popular hiking trails.
More information about the project is available on the Gambier Island Conservancy website: http://www.gambierc.ca/ and on the Islands Trust Fund website http://www.islandstrustfund.bc.ca/campaigns.cfm#mtartaban.
Read More
Fort Shepherd Conservancy Area
Donations needed to complete conservation financing.
The 2200 acre property has been appraised at $1.5 million, of this,
Teck Cominco is donating $1 million
as an Ecological Gift. The remaining $500,000 will be raised by TLC.
Recent Successful Campaigns
Save a Piece of Salt Spring Rainforest
photo: Shari Macdonald
Dear Friends of Salt Spring's Creekside Rainforest,
Together, we did it!
The Creekside Rainforest has been saved! The title of the property has now been transferred to TLC-The Land Conservancy of BC so the land will now be protected in perpetuity.
TLC was able to close the funding gap that remains (temporarily) as we wait for the final pledged donations to be sent in. If you have pledged and not yet sent in funds now is the time to do so.
Soon there will be a celebration and an official dedication ceremony for this precious land that you all have saved. Details will be firmed up and sent out next week.
Thank you again so much for all of your support and encouragement throughout this intense campaign. This rare forest could not have been saved without all your generous donations, volunteer hours and other ongoing support. Imagine how beautiful and biodiverse this land will be in a hundred years and into the future beyond due to our collective effort now. Thank you!
Maureen Moore
Coordinator
http://www.savesaltspringrainforest.com
Read more
