Taken from a press release
The Nature Trust of BC, one of the province’s leading non-profit land conservation organizations, announced that 58.1-hectares of ecologically important land has been purchased for conservation on Saturna Island.
The Saturna Island-Money Creek conservation area is located on the southwest corner of Saturna adjacent to part of the Southern Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. The purchase of this property protects habitat for rare and threatened species, conserves imperiled ecosystems, increases connectivity between critically important wildlife habitats, and connects to an existing conservation complex spanning the length of the island.
The conservation area is within the moist maritime Coastal Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic subzone. This is the smallest and most at-risk zone in BC. The mild, Mediterranean-like climate allows for rich and rare flora and fauna to survive. The rain shadow of Vancouver Island and Olympic Mountains creates optimal conditions for multiple rare ecological communities. It includes mature and young forest, mixed woodland, riparian areas and pocket wetlands crucial for at-risk species.
The hills of the Saturna Island–Money Creek conservation area are home to a variety of wildlife and plant species, with some currently listed under Canada’s Species at Risk Act. The distinctive and threatened Barn Swallow and Northern Red-legged frog have been observed in the area.
Due to increased fragmentation from roadways, agriculture, forest harvesting and development, the connectivity of ecosystems in BC is dwindling. Fragmentation limits the ability of species to shift and adapt their distributions in response to the changing climate. Conserving this property will increase connectivity within this rare biogeoclimatic zone and expand protected habitat for plants and wildlife that depend on this land, thereby increasing their resilience in the future.
The Southern Gulf Islands are a retreat for locals and tourists who seek refuge in the quiet, natural wonders of the islands. The connectivity of the multiple parcels of conservation land on Saturna will protect coniferous forest ecosystems, at-risk species but also provide space for people to connect with nature.
The Nature Trust of BC shares this announcement in memory of Patrick and Hilary Oswald, an inspirational couple who served their community by working tirelessly for The Nature Trust and other charities.
Over the past 50 years, The Trust has acquired and cared for over 72,000ha. of BC’s most critical natural habitat for vulnerable wildlife and plants.
This acquisition has been made possible by Jane McLennan, Grayross Foundation and other donors. The Money Family, who owned the land for over 70 years, generously donated to this project and to The Trust. This project was undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada through the federal Department of Environment and Climate Change.