Salt Spring LTC Regular Meeting Agenda Addendum

Extracted text (beginning)

Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee
 
Regular Meeting Addendum
 

Date:Thursday, February 13, 2025
Time:9:30 a.m.
Location:Meaden Hall
120 Blain Road, Salt Spring Island, BC
Pages
17.REPORTS
17.4Islands Trust Conservancy Reports
17.4.1Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program (NAPTEP)
application
2
Staff Memo

  MEMORANDUM 
Islands Trust Conservancy Memorandum 1 
File No.: SS-NAP-2024.1 
DATE OF 
MEETING: 
February 13, 2025 
TO: Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 
FROM: Islands Trust Conservancy 
COPY:  
SUBJECT: Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program (NAPTEP) application information 
item 
PURPOSE 
The Islands Trust Conservancy has received a Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program 
(NAPTEP) application from Dr Tara Martin, to donate a covenant on approximately 1 ha on Salt 
Spring Island, to protect woodlands and herbaceous habitats, maturing dry Douglas-fir forest with 
large veteran trees, and rare and at-risk species and ecosystems. As per NAPTEP policy, the Salt 
Spring Island Local Trust Committee is being advised of this application as an information item. 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
At its November 19
th
, 2024 meeting, the Islands Trust Conservancy Board accepted a conservation proposal 
from landholder Tara Martin, to negotiate a Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program (NAPTEP) 
conservation covenant on a portion of a property on southeast Salt Spring Island (1261 Isabella Point Road). 
The proposed NAPTEP covenant would protect approximately 1 ha of undeveloped steep, rocky, oak 
meadow ecosystem with scattered Douglas-fir, oak, and arbutus trees including some very large veteran 
trees. All plant communities identified on the property are considered at-risk. There are numerous species 
of cultural significance and confirmed species-at-risk include Common Sharp-tailed Snake, Common 
Nighthawk, and Band-tailed Pigeon. The property is in close proximity to existing protected areas, further 
increasing its conservation value. The landholder is a recognized expert in ecocultural restoration of oak 
meadows and has initiated restoration and stewardship activities within the proposed covenant area, 
including fencing to exclude deer, invasive species removal, and seeding native species. 
 
Protection of this property is a high conservation priority, despite its small size, because of presence of 
species and habitats at risk, rare and sensitive ecosystems, and close proximity to other protected areas (Mt 
Tuam Ecological Reserve, Lumley Road Nature Reserve). ITC’s Regional Conservation Plan places a High 
priority for Sensitive Ecosystems protection on Salt Spring Island, and a Very High overall priority for 
protection in the Salt Spring Island Local Trust Area.  The Islands Trust Conservancy Board currently 
holds 12 NAPTEP covenants in the Salt Spring Island Local Trust Area, and 14 conservation 
covenants that are not part of NAPTEP (all on Salt Spring Island).   
 
Property Information:  
Address: 1261 

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