Salish Sea Lands Protected Forever

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SECRET COVE, BC , Aug. 23, 2024 - A fragile island with unique geological features, a salmon estuary and wetland, and an at-risk waterfront forest on the Sunshine Coast are a few of the areas that will now be protected forever.

Thanks to generous donors, dedicated volunteers and major support from the Wilson 5 Foundation and Environment and Climate Change Canada, BC Parks Foundation has preserved more than 250 acres of land in the Salish Sea.

"Salmon. Towering Douglas-firs. The Sunshine Coast. These natural treasures help define the west coast. Yet their future is not guaranteed. Climate change and biodiversity loss pose major threats to their survival," says the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. "Today's announcement highlights our collective commitment to protecting our coast. As Canada's Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, I am proud to support this effort, ensuring these beautiful lands and the species they sustain are preserved for all generations."

"These areas are all part of the Coastal Douglas-fir ecosystem - the smallest, rarest and most globally unique biogeoclimatic zone in BC," says Summer and Chip Wilson. "Many of these places are under threat, as are the species who live there, so it's more important than ever we help protect them."

With 80 per cent of Coastal Douglas-fir ecosystems held privately in BC, protecting land which comes available on the market is key to preserving these treasures.

"This is about British Columbians coming together to keep BC beautiful," says Andy Day, CEO of the BC Parks Foundation. "By protecting these valuable places now, people and wildlife can enjoy them forever."

The new protected areas include:

32 acres near Smuggler Cove Marine Provincial Park on the Sunshine Coast includes an undeveloped northern shoreline, mostly comprised of important biodiverse second growth Douglas-fir with scattered magnificent old growth.

85 acres of an untouched coastal landmark that welcomes visitors to the Sunshine Coast from land and shore.

The 84-acre oceanfront parcel fronts Deep Bay near Courtenay/Comox and is a link that will connect other already- protected areas.

The 10-acre island lies in the Moist Maritime Coastal Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic zone. Less than 3% of this zone, which is less than 1% of the province, is included in British Columbia’s protected area system.

More than 40 acres of shoreline and rare Douglas-fir forest, will now be protected forever near Hidden Point and Lumley.

This is the second major land protection announcement in partnership with the Wilson 5 Foundation in the Salish Sea.

In 2021, the Wilson family donated $4 million to protect 365 acres of threatened Coastal Douglas fir on Lasqueti Island, the entire Saturnina Island and West Ballenas Island – a story that made international news.

"The Wilson family continues to be a part of the movement of British Columbians to keep Canada's west coast beautiful," says Andy Day. "We are grateful for the Wilson 5 Foundation's gift as we work with Indigenous groups, governments, Canadians, and friends around the world to protect threatened and fragile places in BC."

All the new protected properties fall within the "Southwestern British Columbia" priority place, identified as a hotspot of biodiversity by Environment and Climate Change Canada.

The properties will not be available for public access until use and management plans are developed through discussion with stakeholders and governments, including First Nations and other groups, unless otherwise noted in the full stories.

Media Photos available here.

BC Parks Foundation is the official charitable partner to parks and protected areas in BC. Our mission is to create the greatest system of parks and Indigenous protected areas on earth. 

Environment and Climate Change Canada is committed to protecting and conserving our natural heritage, predicting weather and environmental conditions, preventing and managing pollution, promoting clean growth and a sustainable environment for present and future generations. 

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. 

Chelsea Rooney
chelsea.rooney@bcparksfoundation.ca
(236) 477-2554 x 130