VANCOUVER, BC – A community effort to protect 122.5 acres of forest, wetland, estuary, and shoreline in Deep Bay has succeeded. BC Parks Foundation has purchased the $4-million property with support from the Wilson 5 Foundation, local land trusts, and donors across the region, securing an important stretch of Vancouver Island's coastline for future generations.
The successful campaign marks several important achievements:
- 122.5 acres permanently protected, including mature forest, salmon-bearing streams, wetlands, estuary, and shoreline.
- $100,000 contributed by Comox Valley Land Trust (CVLT), raised entirely from its members and supporters.
- $100,000 contributed by Nanaimo & Area Land Trust (NALT), including $25,000 donated by the Denman Conservancy Association, $50,000 committed from conservation acquisition funds and additional funds raised from supporters.
- A conservation corridor connecting more than 4,300 acres of protected lands to Baynes Sound and nearby marine protected areas.
“Conservation successes like this one are years in the making,” said Andy Day, CEO of BC Parks Foundation. “The Comox Valley Land Trust had its eye on this property for more than a decade. The Nanaimo & Area Land Trust joined the effort, the Wilson 5 Foundation and our donors stepped up, and the community came together to make it happen. Thanks to that shared effort, this coastline and the wildlife that depends on it will benefit for generations.”
The property's former owners, whose family has cared for the land for generations, are delighted that this special stretch of undeveloped coastline will remain protected. They hope its conservation will allow wildlife to thrive and ensure that future generations can continue to appreciate the natural beauty and ecological importance of the area.
For CVLT, the successful purchase represents the culmination of an effort that began more than a decade ago. The organization identified the property as one of its highest conservation priorities because of its mature forest, salmon-bearing streams, diverse shoreline, and connections to surrounding protected areas. Its members and supporters raised the full $100,000 contributed by the organization, allowing CVLT to preserve its existing land securement funds for future conservation projects.
“This Deep Bay property has been a conservation priority for the CVLT for over a decade” said CVLT President David Stapley. “Our members and supporters responded with great generosity to ensure it was protected, and we’re looking forward to showing the community the amazing forests, shoreline, and salmon streams that make this property so special".
NALT also contributed to the purchase and worked alongside CVLT and BC Parks Foundation to rally support across the two neighbouring regions.
“Nanaimo & Area Land Trust extends our sincere appreciation to all donors, supporters, and community members who contributed to this significant land acquisition campaign in Deep Bay,” says Linda Brooyman, NALT Stewardship Manager. “Thanks to your support, we have secured a valuable natural asset that will serve our community for years to come. We are deeply grateful for your partnership in making this vision a reality.”
The newly protected property sits beside an 83-acre property already conserved by BC Parks Foundation. Together, the two properties help connect more than 4,300 acres of protected lands to Baynes Sound and nearby marine protected areas, strengthening a conservation corridor from inland forests to the Salish Sea.
The property includes salmon-bearing waterways, wetlands, mature forest, estuary, and shoreline habitat, including the estuaries of Cook Creek, Sandy Creek, and other waterways flowing into Baynes Sound. Its protection will help safeguard an increasingly rare intact land-to-sea ecosystem along one of the least-developed stretches of eastern Vancouver Island's coastline.
Local organizations have also contributed to the property's long-term conservation. The Fanny Bay Salmonid Enhancement Society (FBSES) donated $5,000 to the campaign and committed an additional $3,000 in native plants and labour. CVLT and FBSES volunteers have already completed planting nearly 1,000 native plants into a small, degraded area with support from the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Streamside Native Plants, Wolftree Integrative Forest Rehabilitation Society and Cumberland Earthworks.
Learn more: https://bcparksfoundation.ca/campaigns/deep-bay/
Media kit: Photos and additional assets are available here.
