June 3, 2022 - Islands Trust Conservancy contributes funds to protect KELÁ_EKE Kingfisher Forest on SDȺY¸ES/North Pender Island

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Protecting Islands in the Salish Sea  
 
 
 
 
 
News Release  
 
June 3, 2022 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
 
Islands Trust Conservancy contributes funds to protect KELÁ_EKE Kingfisher Forest on SDȺY ̧ES/North Pender Island 
 
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 ʷəŋən, METULIYE/Victoria, B.C.   With one week left to double the impact of donations made to the protection of 
KELÁ_EKE Kingfisher Forest, Islands Trust Conservancy has shown their support.  
 
With just seven days left to raise an additional $100,000 to meet their $200,000 fundraising target, Islands Trust 
Conservancy has announced an Opportunity Fund grant of $5,000 to help Raincoast Conservation Foundation and the 
Pender Islands Conservancy Association protect 18 hectares (44.5 acres) of land known as KELÁ_EKE Kingfisher Forest 
on North Pender Island. Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor and the Sitka Foundation this donation will 
be matched, making it a $10,000 contribution towards the protection of this forest. 
 
“Supporting community-based conservation efforts is vital if we are to reduce biodiversity loss on the islands in the 
Salish Sea,” says Kate-Louise Stamford, Chair of the Islands Trust Conservancy Board. “More than 200 individuals have 
contributed to Islands Trust Conservancy’s Opportunity Fund since it was started in 2005. This generosity allows us to 
support campaigns on the islands when it is needed most.” 
 
“This $5,000 contribution is a welcome gift that will certainly help us to meet our fundraising goal. What's more, it is a 
demonstration of Islands Trust Conservancy’s support of the protection of KELÁ_EKE Kingfisher Forest. Islands Trust 
Conservancy is a regional land trust focused on safeguarding the lands and waters of the Salish Sea. It is staffed by 
biologists who intimately know and understand the condition of Coastal Douglas-fir forests and associated habitats. To 
have their support is more than a financial milestone, it is a recognition of the ecological value of this 45 acre habitat at 
the edge of the Salish Sea.” - Shauna Doll, Gulf Islands Forest Project Coordinator, Raincoast Conservation Foundation.   
  
Since launching this matching campaign, Raincoast Conservation Foundation and the Pender Islands Conservancy 
Association have raised nearly $90,000 in donations from individuals and small businesses, mostly based around the 
Salish Sea.  
 
“Islands Trust Conservancy has been a long-time supporter of ecosystem conservation on Pender Island, most notably 
through their commitment to land protection via conservation covenants and nature reserves. As a co-manager on 
many of these protected lands in our community, the Pender Islands Conservancy has enjoyed a strong and 
collaborative working relationship with Islands Trust Conservancy that has spanned decades. We are grateful for 
Islands Trust Conservancy’s support for our efforts to protect KELÁ_EKE Kingfisher Forest as it symbolizes our 
continuing shared commitment to the protection of Coastal Douglas-fir ec

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