Lək̓ ʷəŋən, METULIYE/Victoria, B.C. — Islands Trust Conservancy recognizes 35 years as a conservation land trust focused on preserving and protecting over 450 islands in the Salish Sea.
Since 1990, Islands Trust Conservancy has worked closely with landholders and communities throughout the Islands Trust Area to protect places they care about. To date, through generous donations, Islands Trust Conservancy has protected 115 properties — 34 nature reserves and 81 conservation covenants — totalling more than 1,385 hectares of ecologically and culturally significant land on islands in the Salish Sea.
At the end of 2024, two new conservation covenants were registered: the Larmour Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program Conservation Covenant on Salt Spring Island, and the Koontz Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program Conservation Covenant on Gabriola Island. Both of these covenants protect a diversity of important species including the Blue-listed Northern Red-legged Frog, the Blue-listed Common Nighthawk, and numerous plants and insects.
To protect donated places and the species that rely on them for the long term, Islands Trust Conservancy regularly monitors its properties and undertakes management, restoration, and research. This year, Islands Trust Conservancy will add a new position, in the role of Team Lead – Protected Area Management to provide additional support to the property management specialists that monitor and care for donated nature reserves and conservation covenants.
The Conservancy accomplishes its work through positive partnerships. Looking ahead, Islands Trust Conservancy is prioritizing relationship-building and engagement with First Nations around land stewardship and conservation on the islands.
“Over the past three decades, Islands Trust Conservancy has been committed to creating a network of protected areas that preserve the unique nature of the islands in the Salish Sea,” says Lisa Gauvreau, Chair of the Islands Trust Conservancy Board. “This region is unlike anywhere else in the world and people cherish it for many different reasons. We are committed to working together to ensure its protection for current and future generations.”
Celebrate Islands Trust Conservancy’s 35th anniversary by contributing stories, favourite memories, and positive words for the Journal through the survey: www.surveymonkey.com/r/ITC35th. Islands Trust Conservancy will celebrate its 35th anniversary through various initiatives, including features in its Spring, Summer, and Fall Heron newsletters, a celebration at the Islands Trust Council meeting on Salt Spring Island from June 17–19, 2025, and the launch of a new blog on the ITC website, titled the Islands Trust Conservancy Journal.
Islands Trust Conservancy also welcomes support in many forms –gifts of land, conservation covenants, gifts through your will (bequests), gifts of stock, insurance, RRSP/RRIF, and cash. To learn how to support this important work visit: islandstrust.bc.ca/conservancy/how-you-can-help/planning-your-legacy/.
To take a virtual tour of the properties protected by Islands Trust Conservancy visit: islandstrust.bc.ca/conservancy/protected-places/.
About Islands Trust Conservancy
Islands Trust Conservancy is a conservation land trust and part of Islands Trust. Within the Islands Trust Area, it acquires and directly protects significant ecological lands as nature reserves and works with private landholders to protect ecologically valuable lands through conservation covenants. Since 1990, Islands Trust Conservancy has protected more than 1,385 hectares of island ecosystems. This success is thanks to the vision, support, and generosity of donors and partners, and the passion and dedication of its staff and Board of Trustees. Learn more online: islandstrust.bc.ca/conservancy. Subscribe to regular emails and the Heron newsletter: islandstrust.bc.ca/subscribe/.
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Quick Facts
- Islands Trust Conservancy (ITC) protects natural landscapes across the Islands Trust Area. The support of landholders and partners has helped to protect more than 1,385 hectares of land within 34 nature reserves and 81 conservation covenants on islands in the Salish Sea.
- More than 65% of land on islands in the Salish Sea is privately held meaning that individual, voluntary conservation actions are critical to protecting biodiversity and addressing impacts from climate change in the region.
- A conservation covenant is an agreement that is registered on a land title to protect natural features on privately held land. It is designed to be perpetual and binds current and future landholders.
- The Islands Trust Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program (NAPTEP) offers a 65% property tax reduction on the covenanted portion of land when landholders place a NAPTEP covenant on their land with Islands Trust Conservancy.
- C. is the most biologically-diverse province in Canada – but it is also a hotspot for biodiversity loss. More than 100 species listed in the federal Species at Risk Act as being at risk of extinction are found in the Islands Trust Area. Protecting habitat is one of the best ways to prevent at-risk species from becoming extinct, and aid in the recovery of those currently at risk.
Media Assets
Media has been made available for download to support this news release. You can access these assets here.
Please only use the images identified in the Islands Trust Conservancy Media Assets gallery in support of this news release with credit to appropriate authors (in the file name).
Contact
For all media enquiries please contact Micaela Yawney, Communications Specialist,
Islands Trust Conservancy, 250-405-5183, myawney@islandstrust.bc.ca.