The Islands Trust Fund s Plan for Conservation working together to protect canada s islands in the salish sea The Islands Trust Fund s Plan for Conservation
3 2 The Islands Trust Fund s Plan for Conservation The ecosystems of our islands provide a sanctuary to more than 100 species-at-risk. Island communities and landowners have worked with the Islands Trust Fund to protect more than 1,000 hectares of sensitive ecosystems in the islands for the future.
The Islands Trust Fund s Plan for Conservation 1 What do you love about the islands in Canada s Salish Sea? Do they invigorate, calm or inspire you? Maybe you call one of these islands home, or perhaps you visit each summer. Either way, chances are the unique landscape has made a profound impression on you. We think you will agree, the islands sheltered between Vancouver Island and British Columbia s mainland are natural treasures, worthy of protection. From dry rocky headlands bursting with wildflowers and mountain slopes softened by lush forests, to sandstone bluffs and blue-green tidal pools sheltering vibrant sea life, these special islands hold some of the most beautiful and endangered landscapes in British Columbia. The Islands Trust Fund has a plan to protect what is special about this region, and we need your help to make it happen. Living Islands An archipelago of more than 450 islands and islets, the Islands Trust area is home to over 25,000 people. Residents and visitors alike enjoy the region s calm waters and gentle climate, which also provide sanctuary to a rich diversity of wildlife. The islands are home to a wide array of animals, including blue grouse, river otter, Pacific chorus frogs, bald eagles and black-tailed deer. An estimated two million waterfowl from more than 20 countries find shelter in the islands during their migration. More than 180 species of fish inhabit the waters of the region, feeding orcas, porpoises, seals and sea lions. Last Stronghold The ecosystems of the islands are among the most critically imperiled in B.C. More than 100 species-at-risk are found in the islands, such as the fragrant popcorn-flower, phantom orchid, Peregrine Falcon, and Sharp-tailed snake. The islands of the Strait of Georgia are within the Coastal Douglas-fir zone. Found on less than 1% of the land base of British Columbia, the Coastal Douglas-fir zone is one of the smallest of the province s fourteen ecological zones. Though small, it s of big importance in British Columbia, supporting a collection of plants and animals unique to the province, including woodlands of arbutus, Garry oak and wildflowers that are iconic to this region. Above Prickly-pear cactus bloom, Hornby Island Photo: J English Below Peregrine Falcon, species at risk. Photo: istock.com Across Camas woodland with arbutus, oceanspray and Douglas-fir. Photo: J English
2 The Islands Trust Fund s Plan for Conservation Under Pressure Naturally, people are drawn from all over the world to enjoy the mild climate and striking beauty of the islands. With over 65% of the Islands Trust area in private land ownership and more than 2.6 million people living in the surrounding areas, there is tremendous pressure to develop and change the natural landscapes on these islands. Above Fulford Valley, Salt Spring Island. Below Family celebration day at Medicine Beach Nature Sanctuary, North Pender Island. Photos: C Rikley As of 2010, 11% of the islands land base had been converted for human development, resulting in an irreversible loss of natural ecosystems and displacement of native species. A further 5% had been altered by agriculture. More than 70% of the islands forests have been modified by logging in the last 80 years. Despite this, many islands in the region still have intact natural spaces that support biodiversity. With careful planning and conservation, we can maintain what you love the natural beauty and diversity of these special islands. Protecting the Islands Future The need is clear, and the time is now. A number of conservation groups, as well as federal, provincial and local governments, are working to protect natural landscapes in the islands. Island communities are actively engaged in land conservation raising funds to purchase threatened sites and voluntarily protecting natural habitat on private property. The Islands Trust Fund is part of that effort. We are a conservation land trust working to protect the endangered landscapes and ecosystems of Canada s islands in the Salish Sea. The Islands Trust Fund offers innovative programs that empower landowners to preserve and protect special places in the islands. To date, the Islands Trust Fund protects over 1,000 hectares of natural habitat and has helped countless numbers of private landowners understand the role their land plays in the health of island ecosystems. The Islands Trust Fund envisions an island region where vibrant natural ecosystems flourish alongside healthy human communities. We believe our island communities can serve as examples to the world, demonstrating that people can live and work in harmony with the natural world. Please join us in achieving that vision.
The Islands Trust Fund s Plan for Conservation 3 A Plan for Conservation Because we have limited resources, the Islands Trust Fund and our partner organizations have to focus our conservation efforts on what s most urgently in need of protection. In 2010, the Islands Trust Fund partnered with conservation agencies and island communities to develop an approach to conservation that we could work on together. To do this, we first located and mapped the sensitive ecosystems in the islands. We identified areas with the highest biodiversity values and the ecosystems under the greatest threat. Based on that data, the Islands Trust Fund developed the 2011-2015 Regional Conservation Plan, identifying species and habitats most in need of protection and the actions we will need to take to protect these biodiversity priorities. Biodiversity Priorities Biodiversity is the variety of life. The more diverse an ecosystem is, the better it is at handling disturbance and stress. The best way to protect biodiversity and ensure species are not at risk of disappearing is to protect land that provides habitat for these species. To protect biodiversity, the 2011-2015 Regional Conservation Plan focuses the Islands Trust Fund s future conservation efforts on these priorities: Rare and fragile ecosystems such as cliffs, wetlands, old forests, woodlands, riparian, herbaceous, and freshwater ecosystems Representative ecosystems At risk species and ecosystems Nearshore zone areas such as beaches, bluffs, forage fish habitat, and kelp and eelgrass beds Islets and small islands Above Pacific chorus frog Photo: istock.com Middle Chocolate lily Photo: J English Below Valdes Island. Photo: E Keller
4 The Islands Trust Fund s Plan for Conservation Right Swamp lantern flowers brighten Wennanec Covenant, Salt Spring Island Photo: C Penn Below Pacific Sand Lance surveys on Mayne Island Photo: L Boyer 1 2 Protecting Core Conservation Areas Goal 1: Secure * core conservation areas that conserve biodiversity priorities within the Islands Trust area We are working to establish core conservation areas that will protect our region s biodiversity priorities. To establish core conservation areas, the Islands Trust Fund will secure land through land donations, bequests, and conservation covenants. To save areas with high biodiversity, the Islands Trust Fund will also engage in fundraising and outreach to secure the funds and negotiate agreements necessary to acquire property in those areas. *The Islands Trust Fund does not acquire land through expropriation Protecting Biodiversity in Working Landscapes Goal 2: Research ways biodiversity priorities can be maintained on lands outside of core conservation areas, including working landscapes Agriculture, forestry and residential development are important parts of island life, and with careful planning these activities need not harm the natural surroundings. Recognizing that not all natural areas in the islands can be preserved in core conservation areas, the Islands Trust Fund will encourage land uses that respect and maintain the health and integrity of island ecosystems.
The Islands Trust Fund s Plan for Conservation 7 3 4 5 Conserving Marine Ecosystems Goal 3: Work with partner organizations to conserve marine ecosystems and habitats Marine ecosystems make up eighty-six percent of the Islands Trust area. Often overlooked, these areas influence the health of the plants, animals, and even humans on the islands. The Islands Trust Fund will support partner organizations working on nearshore mapping and will provide information to local governments about the important shoreline habitat areas in need of protection. Encouraging Local Governments to Prioritize Biodiversity Goal 4: Work with the Islands Trust Council, local trust committees and island municipalities to implement Regional Conservation Plan goals and objectives within official community plans and land use bylaws Since development is the single largest threat to biodiversity in this region, land use regulations have a direct impact on the health of a region s ecosystems. The Islands Trust Fund will work to integrate conservation planning into the land use planning processes of the region s local government the Islands Trust. Through advocacy and education, the Islands Trust Fund will encourage the Islands Trust to develop policy, official community plans and land use bylaws that include protective measures for biodiversity. Empowering Islanders to Conserve the Islands Goal 5: Encourage islanders to get involved in conservation and steward private land by supporting conservation education and sharing information on best practices Island residents and landowners are the single biggest influence on the health of island ecosystems. The perseverance and generosity of islanders has protected thousands of hectares of land for conservation. With more than 65% of the Trust area s land base privately owned, fostering awareness of and respect for nature are key to the stewardship of the natural features on those lands. Through education and outreach, the Islands Trust Fund will continue to promote private land conservation. Above Arbutus bark Photo: J English Below Nancy and Alasdair Gordon, donors of the Mt. Trematon Nature Reserve on Lasqueti Island. Photo: L Gordon
6 The Islands Trust Fund s Plan for Conservation Right False Bay Elementary students planting trees at the Mt. Trematon Nature Reserve, Lasqueti Island. Below Islands Trust Fund, Gabriola Land & Trails Trust, and Gabriola Land Conservancy celebrating the protection of the Elder Cedar Nature Reserve. Photo: ITF 6 7 Building Strong Conservation Partners Goal 6: Support and enhance the work of conservation partners working in the Islands Trust area The determination of islanders to conserve island ecosystems is reflected in the number of island-based land trusts working in the Islands Trust area. Conservation partners working in the region are essential to the protection of species and ecosystems. The Islands Trust Fund has always worked in collaboration with conservation partners, achieving common goals and shared successes. The Islands Trust Fund will continue to support and enhance the work of conservation partners, providing networking and training opportunities, and funding for land protection projects that will benefit the region as a whole. Taking Care of What We Have Goal 7: Monitor and manage existing Islands Trust Fund core conservation areas to maintain and enhance biodiversity features The Islands Trust Fund will maintain its rigorous monitoring and property management programs, ensuring that the core conservation areas we care for continue to provide habitat for the species living there. In managing our properties, we will continue to work closely with island-based management groups and wardens, utilizing local expertise and supporting community restoration projects. These broad goals are further refined into thirty objectives that guide Islands Trust Fund and our partners as we stay on course to protect the best of what is left in our region. The full 2011-2015 Regional Conservation Plan can be found at www.islandstrustfund.bc.ca
The Islands Trust Fund s Plan for Conservation Join the Islands Trust Fund in Saving Island Ecosystems for the Future To save those ecosystems most at risk we need to be prepared to move quickly when key properties become available. We are asking those who love the islands their natural beauty, their uniqueness, their fragility to join us and our conservation partners in this effort. Invest in the future: Support Island Conservation A gift of cash or securities helps the Islands Trust Fund and its partners protect the highest-priority, at-risk land in the islands. Your donation will ensure island landscapes are permanently protected. Please support the creation of permanently protected places in the islands by donating today. Donations can be made online at: www.islandstrustfund.bc.ca or by mail to: Islands Trust Fund, 200-1627 Fort Street, Victoria, BC V8R 1H8 *Donations of cash or securities to the Islands Trust Fund are tax-deductible Leave a legacy: Make a Donation to Island Conservation in Your Will Leaving a gift to conservation in your will can give you the satisfaction of creating a significant legacy that supports your vision of a better future for your community. Great conservation successes have been achieved with the donation of cash, land, securities, life insurance, or charitable remainder trusts in a person s will. By naming the Trust Fund Board (the Islands Trust Fund s legal name) as a benefactor in your will, you will ensure an island landscape remains beautifully natural, forever. Our 100% Promise every dollar counts Every dollar of your donation to the Islands Trust Fund goes directly to conservation projects in the islands, including ecosystem protection, land acquisition and stewardship education programs. Our everyday operating expenses, from our wages and property management to our paper and pens are covered through our legislated partnership with the Islands Trust. Above Hikers in the Mount Artaban Nature Reserve, Gambier Island Photo: S Black Below Taylor s Checkerspot butterfly, endangered species in the Gulf Islands. Photo: BC CDC
8 The Islands Trust Fund s Plan for Conservation Caring for our Protected Areas We promise to protect your property in perpetuity. Part of that promise means ensuring the ecological integrity of your protected area is never lost. The Islands Trust Fund regularly monitors conservation covenants and nature reserves to ensure the natural features you worked hard to protect remain unharmed. We carry out management plans, species at-risk protection, invasive species removal, and restoration when needed. We work to ensure your legacy remains as healthy as the day you protected it. Save what you love: Permanently Protect Your Land You care for the natural features on your property today. But what happens in the future when your land is sold or passed on? Will the next owners have the same values as you? Will they continue to provide a home for the birds, plants and animals? Island landowners with a strong conservation ethic and long-term vision enlist the help of the Islands Trust Fund to create permanently protected places on the islands. The Islands Trust Fund offers a suite of options for landowners wishing to protect land, with varying tax benefits. Landowners can create a nature reserve by donating land to the Islands Trust Fund to be managed as a sanctuary in perpetuity. Landowners can also retain ownership of their land while permanently protecting it through a conservation covenant. If you ve ever thought about creating a conservation legacy with your land, we urge you to contact us to discuss the land protection services we provide. Phone: 250-405-5186 E-mail: itfmail@islandtrust.bc.ca Above Sunset at Trincomali Nature Sanctuary, Galiano Island. Photo C. Ferris Below Keough Conservation Covenant, Salt Spring Island. Photo: P Keough Across Hornby Island rock formations. Photo: J English
The Islands Trust Fund s Plan for Conservation We re preparing now so we can respond quickly when conservation opportunities arise. You can join us in the effort to protect the best of what s left in the islands. Your donation to the Islands Trust Fund can make a profound difference in the islands for native species and generations to come.
The Islands Trust Fund s Plan for Conservation Cover: Mt. Maxwell, Salt Spring Island. Photo: D Wyndham Back: Camas lily. Photo: J Ralph During the last half of the 20 th century, much of the coastal paradise of the Salish Sea had been taken up by private development. It is wonderful to see that through cooperation and a shared vision for the future, some of the last remaining areas of unspoiled nature can be preserved for future generations -Robert Bateman Internationally renowned wildlife artist and Islands Trust Area resident 200-1627 Fort Street, Victoria, BC V8R 1H8 Phone: 250-405-5186 Toll Free via Enquiry BC: 1-800-663-7867 In Vancouver: 604-660-2421 Website: www.islandstrustfund.bc.ca Email: itfmail@islandstrust.bc.ca Funding for the Regional Conservation Plan generously provided by: Islands Trust