VICTORIA — The New Democrats last August committed the province to paying more than $100 million over five years to the Sunshine Coast-based shíshálh Nation. But they kept the amount and related terms secret until well after the provincial election. …Those payments are in addition to $32 million provided to the nation for land purchases and implementation costs in an agreement signed by the previous John Horgan government in 2018. …The New Democrats initially excused the delay in making the other terms public, saying they wanted to release the agreement — honest, they did. …The ministry challenged my view that the agreement signed last year and released this year broke new ground with commitments to negotiate Aboriginal title and also to negotiate “exclusive decision-making” with the shíshálh nation. …It was about providing enough time to, you know, start a proper conversation with anyone gullible enough to trust this government on such matters.

A non-profit organization focussed on conservation is trying to raise $294,000 in order to purchase and protect a section of forest along the Xwe´sam (Salmon) River, near Sayward. The Nature Trust of British Columbia is specifically trying to purchase more than 105.6 acres (42.7 hectares) of floodplain forest with some old-growth trees on the land. “The risk of losing towering Sitka spruce, grand fir, western redcedar and Douglas-fir in this floodplain forest to development is real and the need to purchase and protect this vital habitat is urgent,” says Dr. Jasper Lament, CEO of the Nature Trust of BC. …If they are able to raise the necessary funds, the Nature Trust will be able to expand upon the previously purchased Salmon River Estuary Conservation Complex, which would grow the conservation complex to 1,037.8 acres (420 hectares).

Recently there has been discussion about upcoming forest harvesting plans on Tree Farm Licence 47 on Quadra Island. This area is within the unceded and core territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, who approves all forest management activities on the TFL. The Nation and Mosaic Forest Management have worked closely to develop a constructive relationship based on the recognition that as title holder, We Wai Kai has the right to ensure that resources on Quadra Island are being managed consistent with their conservation values and their right to benefit economically from resource extraction on their title lands. The Nation’s logging company, Way Key, is conducting all harvesting on the TFL on Quadra. Both We Wai Kai and Mosaic recognize there is interest in future harvesting activities. We also know that Islanders want a map that identifies where the old growth is (as part of a spatially explicit strategy) before harvesting occurs. 

The 100 hectares that make up the Puntledge Forest have officially been protected, after a successful fundraising campaign over the past year by the Comox Valley Land Trust. The forest, which also encompasses mature trees, wetlands, trails and the Puntledge River, is a community favourite. The forest was at risk of being logged before the CVLT began acquiring it in 2023. Now, with the final 37 hectares acquired a release from CVLT says “this beloved place is protected forever.” …Since last summer, almost $500,000 was raised from 635 donors. During the same time CVLT was pursuing $1.5 million in grants from four agencies and foundations. BC Hydro’s Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program subsequently provided $400,000 to take the project over the finish line. The Government of Canada’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program – Land Trusts Conservation Fund provided $350,000, and the Sitka Foundation and an anonymous foundation each provided $200,000. The biggest single donor was BC Parks Foundation, which provided $700,000 in conjunction with the Wilson 5 Foundation.