The Heron Newsletter - Spring 2022

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Heron
the
A newsletter from the Islands Trust Conservancy, protecting islands in the Salish Sea | islandstrust.bc.ca/conservancyspring 2022
Conservation  
Legacy Leaders 
p. 8
2022 Field Season and  
Species at Risk Gathering – What’s 
Next 
 p. 6
For links and additional media, visit the Heron newsletter online. 
www. islandstrust.bc.ca/conservancy/heron-newsletter/
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Celebrating 
the newest protected places 
on the islands
Moss Mountain p.2
Woodpecker Forest p.4 
Moss Mountain Covenant on Salt Spring Island
Inset: Woodpecker Forest Nature Reserve, SDAY,ES/North Pender Island Photos: C. Smith

2

Thanks to the actions taken by islander Gay Young 45.4 ha 
(112.2 acres – approximately the size of 10 BC Place Arenas) 
of land has now been protected on Salt Spring Island along 
the Sansum Narrows. It provides a critical wildlife corridor 
linkage between Stoney Hill Regional Park on Vancouver 
Island and Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park and Mill Farm 
Regional Park Reserve on Salt Spring Island. Gay (with the 
support of her family) placed a conservation covenant on this 
property with the Islands Trust Conservancy.   
“Given the current climate crisis it 
seemed like a great way to contribute,” 
says Gay Young. “It was a family 
decision between me and my three 
children. We felt the land needed to  
be protected forever.” 
When asked what they wanted to protect most she answered 
– the trees. “We had 112 acres of mature trees. I don’t want 
them to be destroyed – they are so important and are doing 
a great service for us as carbon sinks. It was my job to 
protect t hem.’ 
The covenant area contains a wide range of ecosystems 
including mature forests, seasonal creeks, wetlands, mossy 
bluffs, prairie oak, arbutus woodlands, and rocky shoreline. 
It protects nine provincially listed ecosystems and three 
documented species at risk of extinction - including the 
Endangered Little Brown Bat, which was detected during 
summer bat surveys in 2021. 
“Conserving land to protect cultural heritage and 
ecosystems is a way that individuals can take direct action to 
help stem the loss of biodiversity and bolster resilience in the 
face of climate change ,” says Kate-Louise Stamford, Chair, 
ITC Board. feather-alt
Gay Young at Moss Mountain Covenant photo: C. Smith
Moss Mountain  
Covenant
Protecting 45 hectares on Salt Spring Island
Acknowledgement
Islands Trust Conservancy acknowledges that we work within the treaty lands and territories of the BOK
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K’ómoks, L
ək ̓ʷəŋən, Lyackson, MÁLEXEL
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, Qualicum, Quw’utsun Tribes, scəẃaθən məsteyəxʷ, Scia’new, 
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ilwətaʔɬ, SEMYOME, shíshálh, Swwú7mesh, Snaw-naw-as, Snuneymuxw, Spune’luxutth, ST/ÁUT W̲, 
Stz’uminus, ɬəʔamɛn, toq qaymɩxʷ, Ts’uubaa-asatx, Wei Wai Kum, We Wai Kai, W̲JOL
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P, W̲SIK̲EM, 
Xelált xw, Xwémalhkwu/
ʔop qaymɩxʷ, and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm. 
Drum detail. photo: l. wilcox
3

Thanks to the ongoing generosity of islanders Peter Paré  
and Lisa Baile, an additional 3.63 ha 

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