One of the most threatened areas in British Columbia situated in the Coastal Douglas-fir (CDF) biogeoclimatic zone on Salt Spring Island is now protected, Environment Minister Terry Lake and The Nature Trust of British Columbia announced today.

Along with the surrounding parks and ecological reserve, this property protects the largest stand of Garry oak woodland in Canada. The area is home to an abundance of birds including great blue herons, as well as bats, butterflies, reptiles and amphibians.

Known as Salt Spring Island's Mount Maxwell and Burgoyne Bay protected areas, BC Parks and The Nature Trust partnered in a joint agreement where BC Parks provided $310,000 toward The Nature Trust's purchase of a privately owned 22.3-hectare waterfront property. The land has been leased back to BC Parks to be included in the Mount Maxwell Ecological Reserve. This transaction completes land conservation efforts spanning more than a decade in the Burgoyne Bay/Mount Maxwell area.

The CDF biogeoclimatic zone applies to less than one-half of one per cent of the provincial land base. Almost half has been converted for human use such as residential development, roads, industry and agriculture. All known ecosystems within this zone are listed by B.C.'s Conservation Data Centre as being endangered, threatened or of "special concern".

The Nature Trust acknowledges that this conservation achievement was not only a collaborative process with BC Parks, it was also made possible through the generosity and support of the private property owner, individual donors and the Government of Canada through the Natural Areas Conservation Program as facilitated by the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

BC Parks provided funds from the Pacific Marine Heritage Legacy Trust account, a fund set up to acquire lands in the Gulf Islands north of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve.

Quotes:

Linda Hannah, B.C. regional vice-president of the Nature Conservancy of Canada -

"We are so pleased to see this project come to fruition. Protecting a large tract of Coastal Douglas-fir forest is an incredible win in the conservation community's efforts to conserve B.C.'s most imperilled habitats."

Quick Facts:

• There are about 760 meters of shoreline along Burgoyne Bay. The total contiguous protected area is 1,168 hectares, which includes 9.2 kilometres of continuous protected shoreline.
• Ecological Reserves are areas in British Columbia selected to preserve representative and special natural ecosystems, plant and animal species, features, and phenomena.
• Ecological Reserves provide the highest level of protection for the maintenance of physical and biological diversity while allowing for research and educational activities.

Learn More:

Mount Maxwell Ecological Reserve: www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/eco_reserve/mtmaxwell_er.html

The Nature Trust of British Columbia: www.naturetrust.bc.ca

Nature Conservancy of Canada: www.natureconservancy.ca

B.C. Conservation Data Centre: www.env.gov.bc.ca/cdc/

B.C.'s coastal parks -view the Great Ranger Experience: B.C.'s Marine Parks video: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL98F546CAAFA58723

BC Parks' park bench challenge: http://bit.ly/j9emfc

Media Contacts:

Suntanu Dalal
Communications
Ministry of Environment
250 387-9745

Doug Walker
President and CEO
The Nature Trust of B.C.
604 230-1400