With funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and the Wilson 5 Foundation, the B.C. Parks Foundation has purchased 200 acres of land in Central Saanich and Sooke that it plans to protect from future development.
The 34-acre Central Saanich parcel sits next to Gowlland Tod Park, near Brentwood Bay. A vital habitat for at-risk species, including the olive-sided flycatcher, red-legged frog and Pacific sideband snail, it is also home to Hazlitt Creek – a major tributary of Millstream Creek.
"For me, conservation isn't just about setting land aside; it's about building a relationship with nature," said Michael Bocking, who partially donated this land through ECCC's Ecological Gifts Program, in a news release. “When people experience these landscapes firsthand – walking among the towering douglas firs or listening to birdsong by a clear, flowing stream – they begin to understand the intrinsic value of these spaces.”
The plot also connects Gowlland Tod and Hazlitt Creek Municipal Nature parks.
“It's a lifeline for the region's diverse flora and fauna," added Bocking. "With over 90 per cent of Hazlitt Creek ... now preserved within parkland, we’ve secured an uninterrupted corridor for wildlife and the natural flow of ecosystems.”
Located near East Sooke Park, the 169-acre Sooke parcel boasts mature- and old-growth forests, four streams and a number of endangered species, including the little brown myotis, ancient murrelet and great blue heron.
“[This] announcement highlights our commitment to protecting these ecosystems from the ongoing threats of climate change and habitat loss," said Steven Guilbeault, Canada's minister of environment and climate change. "Supporting collaborative efforts like this is one step closer to protecting and preserving these remarkable lands for future generations.”
