BC Parks Foundation
BC Parks Foundation Spearheads Largest Terrestrial Conservation Project on Gulf Islands with Local Landowners and Partners
April 22, 2025
BC Parks Foundation Spearheads Largest Terrestrial Conservation Project on Gulf Islands with Local Landowners and Partners
April 23, 2025 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LASQUETI ISLAND, BC – Two new properties adjacent to two recent conservation areas and a provincial park are being conserved, forming 568 acres of contiguous protected areas in one of BC’s least protected and most fragile ecosystems.
“This shows the momentum that can happen when landowners, community organizations, individual donors and funders inspire each other to conserve a beautiful place,” says Andy Day, CEO of BC Parks Foundation.
This Gulf Islands milestone was made possible through the Foundation's community of support, including the Wilson 5 Foundation, passionate individual donors, and the dedicated residents of Lasqueti Island.
When Philippe Taillefer first walked the land named the Mystic Ridge by local residents, its beauty made him feel like he was in a world-class national park. “I said to myself, ‘I can’t believe this is not a national park! This should be protected forever.’”
At the heart of the rugged 74 acres is a long, narrow ridge with panoramic views of Mount Arrowsmith and Vancouver Island. It’s marked by dramatic rock formations and ancient old-growth trees—some 350 to 400 years old.
Philippe and his wife Alysha bought the property because they didn’t want it to be logged or developed. From the start, their intention was to keep it in the family or work with a conservation group to have it preserved. Through a partnership with BC Parks Foundation involving a partial donation, their vision has now become reality—and then some.
Mystic Ridge will be combined with other new and recent protections to form a 568-acre conservation area—one of the largest land-based conservation areas on the Gulf Islands.
“We’re thrilled to put the beautiful land of Mystic Ridge into conservation,” says Philippe. “Partnering with BC Parks Foundation was the best solution for everyone. It’s best for nature. It’s best for the community. It’s best for the people who will be here after we’re gone.”
Just south of Mystic Ridge lives Wayne Bright, a Lasqueti Island resident of more than three decades. His 84-acre property hums with life: Douglas-fir and cedar forests, camas-covered hilltops, mossy bluffs, and ponds he dug himself, now glinting with salmon fry. Over the years, Wayne has planted over 3,300 trees and raised close to a million salmon—quiet acts of restoration rooted in a deep sense of responsibility.
The property is also home to a monumental yew tree, which Wayne posits, at thirty-four inches in diameter, is just two inches smaller than the largest recorded yew in BC. Yews are the slowest-growing tree on the Pacific coast, so a tree this large is likely to be hundreds of years old.
“The original name of this island was Xwe’etay, the Northern Coast Salish term for Yew Tree,” says Wayne. “This tree has been here a long, long time. And allowing it to continue to stand means I get to leave the world a little bit better than I found it. My goal was to leave more biomass, more biodiversity, more life, for the future.”
Philippe, Alysha, and Wayne’s conservation vision is adjacent to and builds on a recent partial land donation by another family, the Buttjes, called Young Point. BC Parks Foundation worked with them, and a local crowdfunding campaign, to protect 5 km of waterfront adjacent to Squitty Bay Provincial Park. That purchase built on a 2019 partial land donation by another owner and community effort to create Salish View Nature Reserve.
In total, the five areas now create a magnificent contiguous mature Coastal Douglas-fir forest and coastline, with wetlands, rocky bluffs, and other habitats. Coastal Douglas-fir is critical to protect because it is one of BC’s most fragile and least protected ecosystems.
“As our region’s population grows, these endangered ecosystems are increasingly important for the long-term protection of numerous species at risk,” says Ken Lertzman, Professor Emeritus of Forestry at Simon Fraser University and Director of the Lasqueti Island Nature Conservancy (LINC), a grassroots land trust supported by local residents.
With no car ferry and no connection to the power grid, Lasqueti Island is one of the least developed places in the Salish Sea. Its dark night skies add to the conservation value of the land.
“The combination of BC Parks Foundation expertise and resources and LINC’s local knowledge is a model of collaborative conservation success,” says Gordon Scott, a longtime LINC Director. BC Parks Foundation has been instrumental in bringing major funders into the mix to complement community stewardship efforts.
“Philippe, Alysha, Wayne, the Buttjes and other local community members’ unwavering care shows the power of individuals who truly connect with the land,” say Chip and Summer Wilson of the Wilson 5 Foundation, one of BC Parks Foundation’s major supporters. “Their commitment reflects our own belief in showing up for nature and protecting it for generations to come. We’re proud to help conserve this place so more people can connect with its beauty and pristine wilderness—now and forever.”
“The land is part of who we are in BC and keeping it beautiful is very close to British Columbians’ hearts,” says Day. “This effort shows that great things can happen when we all pitch in, and I hope it inspires others to be part of similarly fantastic legacies.”
Learn more and sign up for their newsletter at bcparksfoundation.ca/newsletter
Photo and video of the properties can be viewed here.
Facts
The Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is 15,321 acres but includes ocean areas and is spread out over many islands. The largest single block of the National Park is on Sidney Island, though of its 988 acres, 551 acres are foreshore, leaving 437 acres of land.
About BC Parks Foundation
BC Parks Foundation proudly acts as the official charitable partner for British Columbia’s world class system of parks and conservation areas. We inspire and empower you to enjoy and conserve areas in BC, so that they flourish for now, for all, forever.
About Wilson 5 Foundation
The Wilson 5 Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation established in 2012 by Chip and Summer Wilson. The foundation partners with world class organizations and invests time, knowledge, and resources to create what otherwise might not occur. The Wilson 5 Foundation is focused on funding land conservancy, park creation and sharing public art in British Columbia.
About Lasqueti Island Nature Conservancy (LINC)
LINC works to conserve the natural ecosystems of Lasqueti Island and its surrounding islands and waters by facilitating education, stewardship and acquisition of legal interests in land.
Media Contact for BC Parks Foundation
Chelsea Rooney
BC Parks Foundation
media@bcparksfoundation.ca
604-343-3975 x130
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