Since 1990 we have succeeded in protecting 113 properties, which in turn protect more than 1,375+ hectares (approx. 3,400 acres) of land through conservation covenants and nature reserves.

While significant, the numbers only tell part of our impact story.

Other important milestones have included successfully launching the NAPTEP (Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program) to incentivize private landowner conservation protection and the creation of the Opportunity Fund to help support our conservation partners in our efforts to protect land on the Islands.

Below, we highlight other key conservation goals in our first 30 years on the Islands:

We preserve and protect the Islands by:

• Working with landholders to support voluntary land protection. We create nature reserves and place conservation covenants on land across the Islands in the Salish Sea. Read more about ways to protect land with us
• Working with Island communities and conservation partners to monitor and restore sensitive ecosystems and habitat for species-at-risk.
• Providing strategic funds to conservation partners. We value our partners and know we cannot achieve our mission alone. Read more about ways we support local conservancies and land trusts
• Identifying priority areas across the Islands Trust Area to ensure we maximize our impact in addressing the biodiversity and climate crises. We use the best available data to inform conservation action. Read more about our biodiversity priorities and conservation planning
• Committing to Reconciliation. We seek to build relationships with First Nations to identify areas of significance for protection and to incorporate traditional knowledge and stewardship into land management practices. We strive to continue to find betters ways of working closely with First Nations to ensure that conservation reflects Indigenous ways of knowing, cultural history and heritage, sustainability and stewardship, and management. Read more about our commitment and reconciliation declaration.

In addition to protecting land we also:

• Provide visitor access to nature reserves wherever possible to enhance the island community lifestyle with dedicated green spaces close at hand–we know this to be of benefit not only for physical fitness but also mental health.
• Conduct monitoring and restoration activities across 34 nature reserves
• Engage 80+ private landowners in stewardship education
• Run a Species at Risk Program to increase collaboration in recovery efforts for species and ecosystems at risk across the Islands
• Support climate action by managing land to better mitigate climate impacts. The Climate Projections Report for Islands Trust Area provides insight to all those with an interest in building resilience–ecological or otherwise–in the region.
• Support science by working with scientists, academic institutions, First Nations and community partners to support projects on protected areas under our care. The Regional Conservation Plan 2018 – 2027 spells out conservation goals, and research priorities.