Salt Spring Island | BC Parks Foundation

Initiatives
Initiatives
- Parks Bank
  Supporting the purchase of private lands important to communities, wildlife, and climate mitigation.
- Healthy by Nature
  Boosting Canadians’ health and learning in conjunction with doctors, health care professionals, and educators across Canada.
- Discover Parks
  Adding outdoor recreational experiences and facilities so that everyone can enjoy parks safely and responsibly.
- BC Conservation Fund
  Supporting the long-term conservation of priority biodiverse landscapes across BC by working together with the Province, First Nations, and many other partners.
- Community Science
  Empowering British Columbians and visitors with accessible tools to contribute to a living picture of the animals, plants and other elements that sustain life.
- PaRx
  PaRx is Canada’s national nature prescription program. From boosting energy and focus to reducing anxiety, time in nature is a powerful prescription for a healthier, happier life.
- Spark Grants
  Supporting volunteers, youth, entrepreneurs and new Canadians to maintain, improve and experience parks.
- 30x30
  Working with First Nations, local communities, and people like you to protect what matters most.
Explore all of our initiatives and join us in areas most meaningful to you.
View all initiatives
Participate
Participate
- Donate
  Keep parks thriving.
- Shop
  Wear your love for parks.
- Subscribe and follow
  Stay connected to parks.
- Make a wish for nature
  Every wish plants a seed for the future.
- Become a partner
  Create lasting impact.
- Volunteer
  Give back in nature.
- Careers
  Help shape the future of parks.
There are many ways to help, each offering a unique opportunity to contribute and make a difference.
Start overview
Partners
Updates
About
About

Target

$1,200,000

Progress

100%

$0 until we reach our goal

BC Parks Foundation and Province of BC pledge $300 million to tackle biodiversity loss with First Nations

Residents and BC Parks Foundation have successfully saved a rare ecosystem on Salt Spring Island from the threat of development or logging.

In under a month, the Salt Spring Island Conservation Project crowdfunding campaign raised $1.2 million to preserve 31.2 acres of mature Coastal Douglas fir habitat on the south end of the Island. Coastal Douglas fir ecosystems are among the most biodiverse in BC, and they need the most protection—98% of their ecological communities are at risk of being lost.

“Today is a big win for this vital ecosystem and for everyone involved,” says Andy Day, CEO of BC Parks Foundation. “It’s a shining example of how people can make a lasting positive impact by coming together.”

You did it!

Local residents Elissa Poole and Charles Kahn recognized the value of the land and feared that, if it went on the market, it would be developed or logged for its mature timber. They reached out to BC Parks Foundation, who approached the owner and negotiated a purchase. Kahn, Poole, and the Foundation then worked together to launch a crowdfunding campaign and generate support.

“The heroes are our local partners and everyone who stepped forward and did what they could,” says Day. “The speed and dedication of the Salt Spring Island residents as they worked to protect this valuable land was nothing short of amazing.” Contributions included a $100,000 grant from Salt Spring Island Foundation’s Land Protection Fund and a significant gift from Wilson 5 Foundation, along with several other generous local donors.

“From the start of this project,” says Poole, “many biologists and conservationists have walked through these 31 acres, marvelling at the variety of different ecosystems, the size of the old firs and cedars, the wealth of wildlife, and the amount of water in the wetland, even in drought. Their enthusiasm was tremendously helpful in validating this campaign, and the Salt Spring community has been wonderfully supportive, whether maintaining pledges made years earlier, or jumping in with significant donations as soon as they’ve learned about the project.”