Islanders invited to help save special Salt Spring lands

Gulf Islands Driftwood
Tuesday, December 21, 1999

By Sheila Harrington

After numerous meetings about the lands now in the hands of the newly formed Texada Land Corporation, a coalition of citizens and non-profit conservancies has decided to start taking donations in order to initiate appraisals so that we can purchase lands, covenants or rights to these ecological gems.

We invite all those who can do it to join with us in donating toward the cost of these appraisals so that we can begin to negotiate on these special Salt Spring lands.

Much of the 4,500 acres (1,800 hectares) are now at risk of habitat and other forest cover loss as the new owners state their intent is to cut between 50 and 60 per cent of the marketable timber on the land.

With the exception of some buffers around creeks and old growth areas, this clearcutting of second growth timber is mostly on Texada’s lands which are currently without any forestry restrictions.

The lands include Mount Tuam, much of the southwest side of the Fulford Valley, virtually all of the Burgoyne Bay area, and some of the Mount Maxwell watershed.

Several groups have been meeting in recent weeks. Some have been trying to prioritize areas needing protection; some have met with the developers or their representatives to try to negotiate principles on cutting; and some have met to discuss direct actions.

At this stage, we do have one way of moving ahead — we can have appraisals done and determine which lands we need to acquire or purchase the rights to in order to halt this fast-paced logging.

TLC — The Land Conservancy has agreed to spearhead a coalition of non-profit land trust groups who will all be a part of this important effort to preserve or move these already classified, ecologically sensitive areas into sustainable community land uses, including parks and community forest areas.

Other groups involved or interested in this effort include Salt Spring Island Conservancy, Salt Spring Island Water Preservation Society, Islands Trust Fund and The Nature Conservancy of Canada. Government agencies which may help over time include the Georgia Basin Ecosystem Initiative, Salt Spring Parks, Arts and Recreation Commission, Capital Regional Parks, BC Parks and Parks Canada.

With this kind of interest, we are sure to start the millennium here on Salt Spring with a positive community spirit and some wonderful lands and parks for us all to use and enjoy.

The time to act is now, so send your tax deductible donations to The Land Conservancy of B.C. earmarked “Salt Spring Lands.”

The Land Conservancy’s address is 5793 Old West Saanich Road, Victoria, B.C. V8X 3X3. Or you can drop off your cheques at the Salt Spring Conservancy Office, 204-338 Lower Ganges Road, or the Land Trust Alliance, at 205-338 Lower Ganges Road, Salt Spring Island. (The offices are above Dagwood’s in Upper Ganges Centre.)

Let's end our year with a tithing for our own special home place.

A fundraiser with phone number and more information will be announced shortly.

Thanks for your help!

The writer is a Salt Spring resident, executive director of The Land Trust Alliance of B.C., and involved with other groups and individuals trying to purchase some of the Texada lands.

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