2019 Community Stewardship Nominee Profile – Thetis Island Nature Conservancy Society

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Sustaining the Islands – Community Stewardship Awards Program 
 
 
 
2019 Nominee Profile 
 
Thetis Island Nature Conservancy Society 
 
Category:  Organization 
 
Project:  Land acquisition and conservation efforts Fairyslipper Forest Nature Reserve  
 
Nominator(s):    Tatiana Nemchin  
 
Project Description
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The Thetis Island Nature Conservancy Society (ThINC) was nominated for the land acquisition 
and conservation efforts it has completed over the past seven years, and especially for the 
protection of the Fairyslipper Forest Nature Reserve. ThINC is the first conservation organization 
on Thetis Island, which is almost entirely privately owned.  
 
Fairyslipper Forest Nature Reserve is 41 acres of Douglas-fir and Arbutus forest, named for the 
beautiful Fairyslipper Orchid (Calypso bulbosa) which blooms there in the spring. In January 
2018, ThINC completed the purchase of the Reserve with support from 140 Thetis Islanders, 
along with Islands Trust Conservancy, the Cowichan Community Land Trust, Sitka Foundation, 
the Gosling Foundation and the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Penelakut 
representatives are participating with ThINC and the ITC in developing the management plans 
for nature reserves on Thetis Island.  
 
ThINC has delivered nature education programs to hundreds of Thetis Islanders and members of 
the general public. ThINC operates a Nature House during the summer months, staffed by 
summer students and volunteers,  The Nature House had over 800 visits in 2018.  
 
ThINC runs a number of stewardship citizen science-based programs including a Community Bat 
Program, a Western Screech Owl Nest Box Program, Forage Fish Monitoring and Species at Risk 
Watch. ThINC has actively promoted conservation covenants and other conservation tools on 
private land. All programs and land acquisitions are funded by private donations, grants from 
various governmental and non-governmental organizations and foundations, and by program 
fees.  
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 Information based nominee’s submission to 2019 Islands Trust Community Stewardship Award program.

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