Nature Sanctuaries

Historical photo of Gowlland Point (Davy Rippner) In 1994 members of the Pender Islands Conservancy Association became aware that the Atkins family—owners of an ecologically valuable piece of land adjoining the popular Medicine Beach, and the tidal marsh behind it—were putting the property up for sale. The Conservancy was instrumental in raising $533,997, which included a $127,000 donation from the Atkins family, enabling the property to be purchased. In 1995 the Conservancy

By Dr. Pamela Wright Forest Wetland Nature Reserve, North Pender Island BC Conservation of terrestrial and marine ecosystems is important to protect wildlife and their habitats, to provide clean water and air, to protect watersheds and soil, to buffer against natural disasters, to fight climate change, to support local communities through sustainable livelihoods and tourism, and for many more reasons. We often hear the question: How much do we need to protect? The answer is c

By the light of the Snow Moon, a whispered series of soft whistles echoed through the misty forest, just louder than the sound of water flowing over the falls of Shingle Creek on North Pender Island. This was the call of a Northern Saw-whet owl (Aegolius acadicus) – a tiny owl no bigger than a robin. These tiny forest dwellers are increasingly rare on Pender thanks to the loss of intact, old forests with large standing dead trees, or snags, containing woodpecker holes they ne

Along a shaded north-facing slope on Pender Island, big-leaf maple seedlings and saplings emerge from the understorey and recruit into the canopy in gaps formed by fallen trees; the beginning of old-growth forest structure is re-emerging from this heavily harvested landscape of the past century. The land slopes steeply up toward a dry ridge of arbutus and Garry oak. Along the way, a perched wetland collects water and sprouts skunk cabbage from its saturated soils. This precio

Imagine a place where sun-drenched Garry Oak meadows border moist, shady seeps, all perched above steep rocky cliffs overlooking the Salish Sea. Imagine a cool, mossy forest where ghost pipe emerges from the carpet of green and oceanspray, red huckleberry, salal and Oregon grape fill the forest floor. Where over 60 species of plants, birds and mammals find a home, providing shelter, food and space to grow and roam. Now imagine knowing that this place has been protected foreve

Introducing Vulture Ridge Nature Reserve and Osprey Ridge Nature Reserve: Two new nature sanctuaries on S,DÁYES, Pender Island! We are excited to announce that two new Nature Reserves have been established on S,DÁYES (Pender Island), protecting an additional 46 acres (19 ha) of diverse, mature forest and enhancing connections with existing protected lands. Vulture Ridge Nature Reserve lies on the north-facing slope along Clam Bay Road, supports forest wetlands, diverse microc

The Role of Conservation Land Trusts in a Landscape of Development The Pender Islands Conservancy was established as a Land Trust 31 years ago in response to increasing human development and associated loss of ecosystems in our community. Across Canada, Land Trusts exist to protect private land in perpetuity through donation, acquisition or conservation agreements. Our founders enshrined in the Pender Islands Conservancy’s Constitution the mandate to “preserve and protect lan

Together, the Pender Islands Conservancy, Raincoast Conservation Foundation, and our conservation community have permanently protected KELÁ_EKE Kingfisher Forest. Image by Les Peterson In just over 12 months, the Pender Conservancy and Raincoast Conservation Foundation have raised $2.18 million to purchase and permanently protect the 45 acre KELÁ_EKE Kingfisher Forest on S,DÁYES (Pender Island). The closing of this campaign comes just over a year after our collective effort t

Image by Alex Harris It has been less than a year since we launched our campaign to permanently protect KELÁ_EKE Kingfisher Forest and together we have already raised over $2 million. As we enter the final days of our fundraising campaign, we have been reflecting on all that has happened over the last year. We are overwhelmed by the incredible support of our conservation community, from Pender Island to Halifax, from British Columbia to Switzerland, and beyond! On the ground,

Dr. Pamela Wright Maintaining or restoring connectivity for species and ecosystems is key to saving biodiversity. We often think of connectivity across geographies, like grey whales migrating from wintering grounds in Baja, Mexico, to summer feeding grounds in the Arctic. However, vertical connectivity is also crucial at large and small scales. Large Scale: Elevational and Latitudinal Connectivity Over large spatial scales, vertical connectivity is expressed as cross-elevatio

Historical photo of Gowlland Point (Davy Rippner) The campaign to protect Brooks Point succeeded because of a combination of a generous land donation by the Brooks family, tireless fundraising efforts led by volunteers with Friends of Brooks Point and supported by the Pender Conservancy, a huge response by local donors, contributions by the CRD, and a federal government grant for the protection of species at risk. The snake Sharp-tailed snake at Gowlland Point (Paul Petrie) T

By Shauna Doll and Dr. Erin O’Brien Without protection, this forest will become a residential suburb. Image by Alex Harris When the Pender Islands Conservancy and Raincoast Conservation Foundation made the decision to purchase what is now known as KELÁ_EKE Kingfisher Forest, we had to act fast. Since the 1950’s when it was last logged, the land had mostly been left alone. However, in late 2021 rumblings began rippling through the Pender Island community: plans to transform t

Photo by Pam Wright Antje Anne and Barb, two longtime Pender residents, are encouraging old and new Pender Islanders to donate to the matching campaign to protect Kingfisher Forest. They’ve participated in previous conservation purchases like Brooks Point and S,DÁYES Flycatcher Forest and have jumped in once again. When asked why, Antje Anne said “It’s part of the island’s culture to want to keep these big areas for the future”. “We enjoy these beautiful and important places

By Shauna Doll, Gulf Islands Forest Project Coordinator, Raincoast Conservation Trees to Seas EcoFair provided opportunities for education and building community connections and in the process raised $15,000 toward the protection of KELÁ_EKE Kingfisher Forest. Hannah Stoakes at the Meadow Making Workshop Photo by Kelly Irving After a record-breaking 100-day drought in the Salish Sea region, the morning of October 22nd dawned to the welcome sound of a light rain, the perfect b

Belted kingfishers are the only species of kingfisher found in Canada. Living at the interface between land and water, these iconic blue birds symbolize the interconnectedness of all ecosystems surrounding the Salish Sea. Photo by: Oliver Tweedie By: Dr. Erin O’Brien, Avian Biologist, Pender Islands Conservancy Association Near the top of the cutbank that slopes down to the shoreline of KELÁ_EKE Kingfisher Forest are several excavated holes burrowed into the bank. These burro

Last year, the Pender Island Conservancy and Raincoast purchased a 13-acre property on S,DÁYES or Pender Island. Now, we are seeking public input to inform the management and restoration plan for this property as a first step in developing the stewardship ethos that will govern this forest for generations. This beautiful place is unique in that it supports several ecologically important features in a relatively small area. The wetland is an oasis for Pacific chorus frogs and

The Pender Islands Conservancy and Raincoast Conservation Foundation are thrilled to announce that our purchase of the S,DAYES Flycatcher Forest is complete and Pender has a beautiful new nature Sanctuary. Heartfelt thanks to our many donors from Pender Island and all across the country who made this a dream come true. We will be busy over the next few months doing restoration work and developing our management plan. Until these are complete we are asking that the public no

S,DÁYES Flycatcher Forest will be permanently protected to become the old-growth habitat of the future. Photo: Alex Harris | Raincoast Conservation Foundation Thursday, February 18, 2021 We are excited to announce that together with Raincoast Conservation Foundation, we have raised the funds required to purchase and permanently protect S,DÁYES Flycatcher Forest on North Pender Island! It was just in November that we officially submitted an offer to purchase this 13 acre prope

We are now only $12,000 away from unlocking the $50,000 gift Dec. 10, 2020 On December 1st Pender Islands Conservancy and Raincoast Conservation Foundation announced a match funding campaign in support of protecting S,DÁYES Flycatcher Forest on North Pender Island: we will be gifted $50,000 if we can raise the same amount with individual donations. We are now only $12,000 away from unlocking this $50,000! Can you help bring us to this goal? We are inviting you to learn more:

Photo by Alex Harris The Pender Islands Conservancy and Raincoast Conservation Foundation are partnering in an exciting campaign to purchase 13 acre property on North Pender Island as part of a larger effort entitled “Forests for the Future,” aimed at helping to protect the threatened habitats of the Coastal Douglas-fir forests. This beautiful property is unique in that it supports several ecologically important features in a relatively small area. The wetland is an oasis for