Gambier Island’s Mt. Artaban is noted for its significant natural values, its challenging hikes and its awe-inspiring views. The prospect of protecting this special place has finally been realized. At the end of May 2008, Gambier Island’s first protected area network came into being with the transfer of 107 hectares from the Province of British Columbia to the Islands Trust Fund through the provincial Free Crown Grant program. The new Mount Artaban Nature Reserve, when combined with neighbouring local, regional and provincial parks, creates a continuous protected area of 525 hectares – 25% larger than Vancouver’s Stanley Park.

Visible from the Sea-to-Sky Highway, the Mount Artaban Nature Reserve protects old-growth trees, a wetland, and several at-risk plant communities. The water flowing from this pristine mountain provides clean drinking water for the surrounding communities and feeds aquatic habitats below. Bald eagles are often seen in the skies above the new reserve, and Steller’s Jays, Rufous Hummingbirds and Blue Grouse inhabit the forest.

The new Mount Artaban Nature Reserve and adjoining protected areas offer an exhilarating hiking experience. Island residents and visitors can enjoy trails that extend from the head of Long Bay and the Brigade Bay waterfronts to Mount Artaban’s peak. The trail system also extends south through the Halkett Bay Provincial Marine Park and can be accessed from the landing dock at the Marine Park or from the Halkett Bay government dock at Camp Fircom.

To satisfy the province’s conditions for the transfer, the Gambier Island Conservancy partnered with the Islands Trust Fund to fundraise over $40,000 to cover the costs of the land survey and a management plan. In addition to the support of the Islands Trust Fund, the Gambier Island Conservancy, the Sunshine Coast Regional District, and the Squamish Nation, over 80 contributions were made by private individuals, businesses and community groups.

The Islands Trust Fund and the Gambier Island Conservancy will work with the Gambier Island community to develop a management plan for the property. This plan will define short and long-term management goals for this new nature reserve, including public access. As one of Howe Sound’s most notable landmarks, this highly visible and environmentally important section of Gambier Island’s Crown Land will remain protected for future generations.


View from Mount Artaban east towards the Sea-to-Sky Highway (photo by P.Scholefield)

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Mount Artaban Nature Reserve Fundraising
a Huge Success

The Gambier Island Conservancy's fundraising project to cover the expenses related to the free crown land grant from the Province of BC has been a huge success. The goal to raise $42,000 was met and by the end of November, 2007 was exceeded by $5,250. Many in-kind contributions helped keep costs down.

The funds raised are being used by the Islands Trust Fund to cover the cost of the required land survey and the development of a management plan for the reserve area. Excess funds will go toward maintenance expenses of the nature reserve.

The Land Survey of this 107-hectare parcel of land was completed by Penonzek Land Surveyors in October at a cost of $29,180. The survey has been accepted by the Land Title & Survey Authority of British Columbia.

With the acceptance of the survey, Islands Trust can now initiate the land transfer from the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands to the Islands Trust Fund. The Islands Trust Fund will oversee the creation of a management plan for the Mount Artaban Nature Reserve. This plan will be drawn up with public consultation and will address issues such as environmental protection, access, on-going maintenance and monitoring of the area.

The Islands Trust Council selected the Gambier Island Conservancy for a 2007 Community Stewardship Award in recognition of its fundraising to acquire and protect the Mount Artaban Nature Reserve.

A very heartfelt thank you to the many individuals, Associations, Corporations, Foundations and Governments who made this effort such a success. In total, the Gambier Island Conservancy received 91 donations.

A special vote of thanks to Glen and Kathleen Hafey for organizing a fundraising concert featuring Shane Philips as guest performer during the summer of 2007. This concert made a significant contribution to the Mount Artaban Nature Reserve.

Association Donors: Gambier Island Community Association, Gambier Island Conservancy and the Halkett Bay Owners Association.

Corporate Donors: Fraser River Mechanical Inc., Howe Sound Pulp and Paper, Pacific Works Diving Ltd, Penonzek Land Surveyors Ltd, and Sewell's Landing Inc. with donations-in-kind coming from Gambier Island Water Taxi, Jim Green, and Rick Gustavson.

Foundation Donors: Harry A. & Rose Getz Foundation, Joan Ford Charitable Foundation and Sunshine Coast Community Foundation.

Government Donors: Islands Trust and Sunshine Coast Regional District.

A commemorative plaque with donor names and a map is currently being designed and will hang in the Gambier Island Community Centre at New Brighton. It is planned to post copies of this plaque outdoors at community access points in the vicinity of the nature reserve.

A few years ago, the Gambier Island Conservancy created a Land Trust Fund specifically for acquisition of property for conservation. Donations and bequests to the Gambier Island Conservancy are gratefully received and added to this fund.

Or for more information call Peter Scholefield at 604-913-9090 or Wolf Wiedemann at 604-886-8901.

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Stewardship Award for Mt Artaban
Nature Reserve

The Islands Trust Council has selected the Gambier Island Conservancy for a Community Stewardship Award in recognition of its fundraising to acquire and protect Mount Artaban as a nature reserve. The award in the group category will be presented at a Gambier Island local trust committee meeting later this year.

The Island-wide response to this project has been truly inspiring with significant contributions from many private individuals, businesses, governments and community groups. The Gambier Island Conservancy wishes to thank everyone for their generous donations and in-kind contributions. It is planned to place a commemorative plaque of donor names in the Gambier Island Community Centre excluding those who wish to remain anonymous.

To date, the Gambier Island Conservancy has raised more than $42,000 towards the protection of Mount Artaban. The money raised so far will pay for a management plan and a Land Act survey which are necessary to create the new nature reserve.

The 107-hectare parcel of crown land on the north east side of Mt Artaban including the summit has been offered to the Islands Trust as a free crown grant from the Province of BC and is valued at 1.2 million dollars. This planned reserve adjoins several other parks and reserve areas that together create a contiguous protected area of 525 hectares, - 25% larger than Stanley Park. With this land protected, it will form the first protected area network on the Island that crosses the full range of habitats, from shore up to mountain peak and back down to wetlands.

A condition of the transfer of land is that a Land Act Survey be registered by August 2007 and that it be held as a nature reserve. The survey is costly due to the remote location and extremely rugged terrain. Penonsek Land Surveyors Ltd were selected as the surveyors and started the groundwork on June 11.

In addition to the survey, funds were raised to provide a management plan to protect the environment and the public. This plan will address the on going maintenance issues and monitoring of the area. The Gambier Island Conservancy plans to continue to fundraise for improvements at the property such as trail repair and signage.

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Project to Secure the
Mount Artaban Nature Reserve

The Gambier Island Conservancy has helped select a major part of Mount Artaban Crown land for protection. The Islands Trust Fund has successfully applied for the land, valued at $1.2 M, from the Province of B.C. for a nature reserve. Now the Conservancy is seeking at least $30,000 in donations towards the costs required to complete the acquisition, improve safety and access to the land, and institute the terms of protection.

The condition of the transfer of land is that a Land Act Survey be registered by August 2007 and that it be established as a nature reserve. A management plan is vital to ensure the nature reserve is maintained as a conservation area. Donated funds will be allocated to the following tasks:

• A Land Act survey must be completed in 2007.
• A management plan to be completed by the end of 2007.

A professional biologist, after consultation with user groups, will author a plan to guide conservation, access, and use of the nature reserve. This plan is vital to meet the "nature reserve" requirement of the offer and to protect public safety. Trail improvements and signage will be made to allow better public access.

For further information, please contact Peter Scholefield, President of the Gambier Island Conservancy, 604-913-9090, hpscholefield@telus.net, or his alternate Wolf Wiedemann, 604-886-8901, wolfw@uniserve.com.
You may also contact the IslandsTrust Fund at (250) 405-5186 (Toll free via Enquiry BC at 1-800-663-7867 or 604-660-2421 in the Lower Mainland), or email - itfmail@islandstrust.bc.ca.

Click here to see our Letter to donors
Click here for our Donation Form
Click here for our Membership Form
Click here for our Fundraising Brochure

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107 Hectare Free Crown Land
Nature Reserve on Gambier?

The Islands Trust Fund Board in Victoria has applied to the Provincial Government for a free Crown grant on Gambier for the purpose of creating a nature reserve. After public consultation the Trust has identified a 107 hectare parcel on the east-facing slope of Mount Artaban in its proposal. This area would create a network of protected areas connecting the existing Marine Park at Halkett Bay, the Trust Fund Board's Long Bay Wetland - Nature Reserve and the adjacent SCRD regional park at Brigade Bay.

There are, however, no guarantees that this application will be approved, as it travels through the many layers of authority. The decision to proceed with this free crown grant is expected on or before June 27, 2006.

Although no money exchanges hands for the actual land in the Free Crown Grant program, the receiving agency is required to pay for the cost of surveying the property within 90 days of accepting the offer and the subsequent development of a management plan for the nature reserve. Islands Trust has begun consulting with the community on a fund raising initiative to cover the expected costs involved.

The Gambier Island Conservancy has expressed support for this land grant and will assist the Trust Fund in the fund raising once the offer of the land is received. All donations will be tax receipted.

This important initiative will preserve a significant piece of our community. More to come!

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Gambier Island Conservancy Creates Land Trust Fund
The Gambier Island Conservancy (GIC) has recently created a Land Trust Fund for the specific purpose of acquiring land for conservation. It has become clear to many nature preservation organizations that the most effective and permanent way to protect special or sensitive areas is through the purchase of land or the receipt of land by donation.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Islands Trust Fund are excellent examples of this.

The GIC has received permission from Revenue Canada to accumulate funds in excess of the amounts normally allowed by registered charities and from the provincial government to hold land covenants in partnership with private individuals and/or public agencies.

The Conservancy is now capable of establishing a land acquisition Trust Fund specifically for the purchase and/or acquisition of property for conservation. Although no specific parcels of land have been identified as yet this is a long-term project that will position the Conservancy well in the future. Such acquisitions projects usually involve several partners with various levels of government matching community/private contributions.

This is an important beginning. The Gambier Island Conservancy gratefully acknowledges the support it has received from so many individuals who believe this Island is a very special place and encourage you to participate through the contribution of funds or land. For further information please contact GIC Treasurer, Wolf Wiedemann (604-886-8901).

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