Download Protecting British Columbia`s Wild Coast

It’s understandable why people are drawn to the mild
climate and scenic beauty of BC’s south coast. Yet this
popularity has also created the most heavily impacted
region in the province. Coastal Douglas-fir forests
and wetlands have become an endangered rarity
and the shoreline has been altered through industry,
residential developments and recreation. Elsewhere,
coastal BC is increasingly threatened by high-risk
resource development both in the ocean and on land.
British Columbia Region
Despite the pressures, the West Coast continues to
sustain a great diversity of species, as well as the
natural systems that clean our air and water and
support the human communities that thrive here.
West Coast Program
#200 – 825 Broughton Street
Victoria, BC V8W 1E5
1.888.404.8428
www.natureconservancy.ca/bc
Charitable registration number
119246544RR0001
Protecting
British Columbia’s
Wild Coast
© NCC
© Bill Pennell
We must work together to protect the nature and
beauty of BC’s West Coast. With your participation, we
can build a lasting natural legacy in British Columbia.
© NCC
British Columbia’s West Coast is one the most
biologically productive regions on Earth.
Encompassing over 25,000 kilometres of coastline,
the region’s abundant marine life, lush forests and
dramatic mountains are celebrated around the world.
© Tim Ennis / NCC
© Tim Ennis / NCC
A Place Worth Protecting
West Coast Program
The Nature Conservancy of Canada seeks a balance
between conservation and other land uses.
On the West Coast we
are proud to partner with
many First Nations in
whose territories we work.
From the Heiltsuk and
Wuikinuxv on the Central
Coast, to the many Coast
Salish nations in the
Salish Sea, we are learning
from and collaborating
with these indigenous
communities.
• We work directly and cooperatively with landowners
to conserve their ecologically-sensitive lands,
through purchase, donation and/or conservation
agreements.
• We develop management plans to care for the land
over the long term. These plans can include annual
monitoring, restoration and ongoing stewardship
activities.
• We create and share science-based, peer-reviewed
regional conservation blueprints that identify
the most important areas in which to focus our
conservation efforts.
© Tim Ennis / NCC
• We support a working landscape approach to
conservation, where resource use and habitat
protection can coexist.
© Andrew MacDougall
• We work with a wide variety of stakeholders to
ensure mutually beneficial outcomes for land
conservation opportunities.
© Kevin Clark
• We support local groups in grassroots efforts to
protect important spaces in their own backyard.
Please Join Us!
We want to grow the number of individuals and
businesses who share our vision of conserving the
rich natural heritage of the West Coast. Help protect a
landscape that you care about!
© Tim Ennis / NCC
Finding a Balance
© NCC
Partnership is at the core of the Nature Conservancy
of Canada’s work. Our collaborative approach to
land conservation allows us to develop partnerships
and engage with individuals and families across
the country, as well as other conservation groups,
corporations, local businesses, First Nations
communitites, foundations, universities and
governments at all levels.
© Tim Ennis/NCC
© NCC
Working in Partnership
By donating to the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s
work on the West Coast, you will be helping to ensure
the very special nature of this region will continue to
thrive well into the future.
Get involved today!
“Our wonderful wild world is
steadily shrinking. The Nature
Conservancy of Canada is our
best chance to preserve natural
habitat for creatures large
and small.”
~ Harm P. Gross, President,
NEXT Environmental Inc.
Contact us to find out how you can help protect
the natural heritage of BC’s West Coast:
“The Nature Conservancy
of Canada’s commitment to
supporting academic science
and on-the-ground research is
key to preventing biodiversity
loss in Canada. It is rewarding
to see the results of my
studies directly inform NCC’s
stewardship of some of our
greatest natural treasures.”
~ Andrew MacDougall,
research scientist and professor,
University of Guelph
• The Nature Conservancy of Canada is consistently
recognized as Canada’s top environmental charity.
• 250.479.3191 or 1.888.404.8428
• [email protected]
• www.natureconservancy.ca/bc
Did you know…
• Upwards of 85 percent of our funds go to direct
program costs.
(MoneySense Magazine’s Charity 100, A/A+ rating, 2010-2014;
Charity Intelligence Top 10; National Financial Post, A grade)
• We safeguard the long-term protection of our
conservation lands through a stewardship
endowment fund.
• Founded in 1962, the Nature Conservancy
of Canada works from coast to coast,
in every province.
• You may choose to direct your gift to advance the
West Coast program area.
For Nature, For Now, Forever
The Nature Conservancy of Canada focuses its work in high-priority conservation areas across the
country that have been identified through our science-based planning initiatives. On the West Coast
we work from southern Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland all the way north to Haida Gwaii.
© Tim Ennis / NCC
© Tim Ennis / NCC
british
columbia
Haida
Gwaii
Haida Gwaii | Called “Galapagos of the
North” for the incredible diversity of unique
species and ecosystems found on these
islands, Haida Gwaii’s rare natural heritage
is an important conservation priority.
Bella Coola
Central Coast
Rainforest
Central Coast Rainforest |
Popularly known as the Great Bear
Rainforest, this global biological
treasure contains critical biodiversity
hot spots. Working to protect
estuaries along the Central Coast is
our conservation priority in this area.
© Tim Ennis / NCC
Tatlayoko Valley | This spectacular
valley links the rainforests of the Pacific
Coast and the dry grasslands of the
Central Interior. Conserving Tatlayoko’s
undeveloped nature, and the plants and
animals that rely on it, is essential.
© Tim Ennis / NCC
Kamloops
Heritage
Grasslands
Campbell
River
Salish Sea | This region is home to species
and ecosystems that are among the most
endangered in Canada, including critically
imperiled Garry oak savannah and old-growth
coastal Douglas-fir forests. As BC’s most
populated area, the Salish Sea deserves urgent
conservation action.
© Tim Ennis / NCC
Tatlayoko
Valley
South
Cariboos
Fifties
Clayoquot Sound | World-famous for its
wave-pummeled sand beaches and intact
old-growth forests, Clayoquot Sound
still faces significant pressure from high
risk activities. Here we are focused on
conserving habitat for salmon, coastal
wolves and other rare and at-risk species.
Salish
Sea
Clayoquot
Sound
Vancouver
Victoria
NCC Priority
Natural Areas
© Dave Humphries
© Tim Ennis / NCC
Williams Lake
Results you can walk (or kayak) on
Guided by Science
Our success isn’t just for the birds! We welcome visitors to many of our
conservation areas to experience the inspiring sights, smells and sounds of nature.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada applies the most up-to-date conservation
research to all aspects of our work.
Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve, Duncan
Conservation Blueprints
Once the beloved homestead of the Elkington family, this sprawling Garry oak
woodland property boasts spectacular wildflower displays each spring. Extensive
restoration efforts are reclaiming the preserve from invasive species. A native
plant nursery and ongoing engagement with the academic community makes
the preserve a living laboratory for researchers and volunteers from across
North America.
As a science-based organization, our conservation work starts with peerreviewed planning documents that ensure our projects focus on the most efficient
and strategic places for protecting BC’s threatened native species and at-risk
landscapes.
Baikie Island Nature Reserve, Campbell River
Once an industrial mud pit, the Campbell River Estuary has undergone a dramatic
transformation back into an area of rich diversity and beauty. Thanks to key
partnerships and a caring community, the lifeless shoreline and adjacent Baikie
Island has been transformed back into a thriving hub of nature. Today the Baikie
Island Nature Reserve is a world-renowned example of how swiftly a landscape can
be nurtured back to health.
For more information about visiting our sites, please first visit our website:
www.natureconservancy.ca/visitbc
Land Stewardship & Restoration
Our work does not end once a property is protected. Detailed management plans
guide our monitoring of the long-term health and resiliency of nature. Field staff
work with dedicated volunteers to tackle ongoing maintenance such as invasive
plant removal and habitat enhancement. In some cases our team undertakes
extensive restoration of degraded sites to rehabilitate the land’s natural ecology.
Research
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is proud to engage in field work, develop and
share best practices, and support external research projects as part of our mission.
The discoveries we and our partners make in the field help build our knowledge
and expertise of natural land conservation both at home and internationally.