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."
鈥淚t shows what can be achieved with community support鈥� says David Stapley, a CVLT board member who helped lead the fundraising effort. 鈥淥ur target was to raise 80 per cent of the cost through grants, with the hope the community would contribute the rest. The response was amazing!鈥�
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鈥檚 Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program subsequently provided $400,000 to take the project over the finish line.
The Government of Canada鈥檚 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.
鈥淭he Puntledge Forest is a remarkable place, rich with biodiversity and deeply valued by the community,鈥� says Andy Day, CEO of BC Parks Foundation. 鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to support this community-led campaign with our partners, and are very grateful to the passionate individuals, donors, and partners who made it possible to ensure this special forest remains intact forever.鈥�
The outpouring of community support included several 鈥渇orest angels鈥� who pledged to double-match donations between October and the end of the year. Their remarkable generosity inspired hundreds of people to chip in for a truly crowd-sourced outcome.
The Puntledge Forest surrounds the Puntledge River downstream of Comox Lake. It is at the heart of the K鈥櫭砿oks First Nation鈥檚 traditional territory. Nicole Rempel, Elected Chief Councilor for the K鈥櫭砿oks First Nation, says 鈥渢he Nation has supported this project from the beginning. Protecting the forest will positively contribute to protecting the valuable fish habitat in the Puntledge River. Protecting these pockets of high value ecosystems will help mitigate climate change and work towards reducing rising river temperatures.鈥�
The CVLT bought the timber rights from Manulife Investment Management through three separate purchase agreements beginning in 2023. The trees on the property, which is owned by BC Hydro, are now protected under a covenant that ensures they will never be logged. This means the area鈥檚 rich biodiversity can continue to mature into old growth forest for future generations. Recreational users can continue to use their favourite trails, and paddlers can continue to enjoy the river.
