November 2021 eNews
In 2021, The Nature Trust of BC is celebrating our 50th year of land conservation.

We are thrilled to report the purchase of two additional properties this year - Kamloops Lake and the Shoal Creek Estuary. This brings our total to six property purchases this year!

With your help we will close more before the end of 2021.
Property Protected on Kamloops Lake

Nestled on the north banks of Kamloops Lake, adjacent to the Dewdrop-Rosseau Creek Wildlife Management Area, lies the 19-acre property of Kamloops Lake – Rosseau Creek. Due to its remoteness, this parcel is unserviced, undeveloped and is considered accessible only by boat. Rosseau Creek crosses the property from northeast to southwest flowing into the lake and creating a riparian gully through the property.

The rare grassland ecosystem on this parcel of land provides a stunning setting to discover Bighorn Sheep and Mule Deer as they venture down from the hills to forage for a meal during the winter season. Other endangered species live here as well. It’s not unheard of to also come across American Badgers, Lewis’s Woodpecker and the tiny but fierce Flammulated Owls while venturing in this area.
A Win for Wildlife at Shoal Creek

Thanks to your support, The Nature Trust BC is thrilled to announce the completion of the first phase of this two phase project! We are now working on securing the second phase of the Shoal Creek property, which will double the size of this conservation complex. We need to raise $200,000 by April 14, 2022 to complete the second phase of this project.

Biodiversity flourishes in estuaries, the areas where fresh water from rivers and streams collide with the ocean’s salt water tides. Estuaries comprise only about 3% of BC’s coast but support 80% of all fish and wildlife in the province. For this reason the 320 acre Shoal Creek Estuary, neighbouring the Fulmore Creek Estuary, has a rich diversity of plant and animal species.

From its sea level tidal flats, to rising steep mountain slopes, to the overhead Pacific Flyway, this land parcel supports a variety of wildlife and plants. Millions of birds, including the Marbled Murrelet and Brandt’s Cormorant, stopover each year on their migration journey along the Pacific which means this route holds international importance. However the most rare and vulnerable species that need to be protected in the estuary are the plant communities – many of which only occur in temperate estuaries. These include Tufted Hairgrass, American Glasswort, Sea-Milkwort and Lyngbye’s Sedge.
Notes from the Field: Haida Gwaii
Join the Enhancing Estuary Resilience team as they travel to Haida Gwaii to monitor the Kumdis River and Naden River Estuaries. Along the way they encounter epic landscapes and wildlife as they travel through this storied archipelago.

Conservation Champions: MapleCross
Thousands of acres and more than 30 environmentally sensitive land acquisitions in eight provinces have been conserved, restored and maintained thanks to the generosity of Dr. Jan Oudenes and Dr. Isobel Ralston’s MapleCross Fund. While they take their commitment to land conservation seriously, our Conversation on Conservation was light-hearted and sparked with laughter.

Jan and Isobel established the MapleCross fund in 2017 after retiring from their science-based business careers. Both admit that their land conservancy work takes up a lot of their time in retirement. In pre-COVID times they travelled the world. Now to relax, Jan is learning to play the piano while Isobel paints. Her work, which has been included in several group exhibitions, interprets nature in vibrant colours.

Do you love the work of
The Nature Trust BC?
The very best way to support The Nature Trust is to become a member of our Arbutus Circle by making monthly donations.