Islands Trust Conservancy Board regular meeting, January 25, 2022

[0:00:00] Trustee Stamford: thank everybody for joining the Islands Trust Conservancy Board meeting. My name is Kate Louise

[0:00:06] Trustee Stamford: Stanford and I'm chair of the Conservancy Board, at least for the next few minutes. We're about

[0:00:13] Trustee Stamford: to go into an election. I want to begin the meeting by acknowledging that we are gathering

[0:00:18] Trustee Stamford: today virtually from locations across the treaty and unceded territories of the Coast Salish people

[0:00:25] Trustee Stamford: people and attendees are welcome to put in their acknowledgements from where they're from

[0:00:32] Trustee Stamford: in the chat function. I'm joined today by Sue Ellen Fast of Bowen Island and she is an

[0:00:42] Trustee Stamford: island's trustee as well as a Bowen Island municipal councillor. Doug Fenton is from Thetis

[0:00:49] Trustee Stamford: Island. He's a trustee, an elected member of the board and we have appointees from the Minister

[0:00:55] Trustee Stamford: of Municipal Affairs, Linda Adams from Salt Spring and from Galliano, Risa Smith. This meeting is

[0:01:02] Trustee Stamford: being conducted electronically and the regular portion of the meeting is open to the public to

[0:01:07] Trustee Stamford: attend as witnesses. There will be a time at the end of the agenda for public to speak or ask

[0:01:13] Trustee Stamford: questions. Staff members joining us today on Zoom are Kate Emmons is our Islands Trust Conservancy

[0:01:21] Trustee Stamford: manager. Nulam Refi is our property management specialist. Gemma Green is our covenant management

[0:01:28] Trustee Stamford: and outreach specialist. Catherine Martel is our ecosystems protection specialist.

[0:01:35] Trustee Stamford: Coraline Strachan is our administrative assistant and minute taker. Carla Funk is our acting

[0:01:41] Trustee Stamford: fundraising specialist. And Wendy Tyrell is the species at risk coordinator. This is the meeting

[0:01:48] Trustee Stamford: of it's an official uh form of the islands trust conservancy then we make decisions about land

[0:01:55] Trustee Stamford: management and securement as well as conservation planning and related outreach fundraising and

[0:02:00] Trustee Stamford: communications so i'd like to call this meeting to order and we have some adjustments to the agenda

[0:02:08] Trustee Stamford: agenda uh we're going to add in um we're going to do 2.1 we'll do the election um so that's the

[0:02:20] Trustee Stamford: election of um the chair and vice chair and then um also in the regular meeting is 6.1.5

[0:02:30] Trustee Stamford: board training approval and then we're going to add 8.1 board member updates and is there any

[0:02:43] Trustee Stamford: other adjustments that i've missed or people would like to add seeing or hearing none

[0:02:53] Trustee Stamford: um we'll approve the agenda as amended by consent and then i'd like to hand over the

[0:03:02] Trustee Stamford: the reins to manager Emmings.

[0:03:09] Trustee Stamford (probable): Thank you, Chair Stamford.

[0:03:12] Trustee Stamford (probable): So every year at the beginning of the year,

[0:03:15] Trustee Stamford (probable): the Islands Trust Conservancy Board is required

[0:03:17] Trustee Stamford (probable): to elect its chair and vice chair.

[0:03:21] Trustee Stamford (probable): As this is the first meeting of the board in 2022,

[0:03:25] Trustee Stamford (probable): I'm going to be running the election for those positions.

[0:03:29] Trustee Stamford (probable): So the way that it works is that there will be a call

[0:03:33] Trustee Stamford (probable): for nominations for each of the positions one at a time. I will call for nominations three times.

[0:03:42] Trustee Stamford (probable): For people to be nominated we need a nominator and then somebody to second the nomination and

[0:03:49] Trustee Stamford (probable): then I will check with the nominee to see that they are willing to stand for election.

[0:03:54] Trustee Stamford (probable): And then depending on how many folks we get who would like to be put forward for those positions

[0:04:00] Trustee Stamford (probable): we will either hold an election or if only if we don't get more than one person standing for each

[0:04:06] Trustee Stamford (probable): position there is the opportunity to elect by acclamation. So before I move into that are there

[0:04:15] Trustee Stamford (probable): any questions about the election process or the the way that these are run at the beginning of

[0:04:19] Trustee Stamford (probable): the year? Well hearing no questions I will move forward and begin with the election of the chair

[0:04:31] Trustee Stamford (probable): chair position. So first of all, I'd like to call for nominations for the chair position for the

[0:04:37] Trustee Stamford (probable): Island Stress Conservancy Board. Trustee Fast.

[0:04:41] Trustee Fast: I nominate Kate Louise Stamford to continue.

[0:04:44] Trustee Fast: Thank you.

[0:04:46] Trustee Stamford (probable): Do we have anyone seconding that resolution or that nomination or other?

[0:04:52] Trustee Stamford (probable): I second it. Okay. All right. Let's go with Trustee Smith for that. Coraline.

[0:04:58] Trustee Stamford (probable): um and trustee stamford are you willing to stand for election of chair i'd be honored

[0:05:05] Trustee Stamford (probable): all

[0:05:07] Voice 4: right um

[0:05:08] Trustee Stamford (probable): so i'm going to call for nominations again for the position of chair

[0:05:12] Trustee Stamford (probable): and then a call for a third time for any nominations for the position of chair of

[0:05:24] Trustee Stamford (probable): the allen's trust conservancy board while hearing no further nominations um trustee stamford is

[0:05:35] Trustee Stamford (probable): is declared by acclamation as the chair of the Allen's Trust Conservancy Board. Congratulations.

[0:05:40] Trustee Stamford (probable): Thank you. All right. Well, I'm glad that this is going along in an orderly fashion. I'm going to

[0:05:50] Trustee Stamford (probable): move into the vice chair position. So I'm going to call for the first set of nominations for the

[0:05:57] Trustee Stamford (probable): position of vice chair of the Allen's Trust Conservancy Board. Trustee Stamford, or Chair

[0:06:04] Trustee Stamford (probable): chair Stanford.

[0:06:06] Trustee Stamford: I nominate trustee fast as vice chair for the upcoming term.

[0:06:12] Trustee Stamford (probable): Um, so I'm going

[0:06:13] Trustee Stamford (probable): to look and see if we have any seconders for that nomination. All right. Trustee Adams. Uh,

[0:06:23] Trustee Stamford (probable): and then I'm going to just inquire if trustee fast is willing to stand for the position of

[0:06:28] Trustee Stamford (probable): vice chair. All right. Agreement there. Um, so I'm going to call for a second time for, um,

[0:06:36] Trustee Stamford (probable): nominations from the floor for the position of vice chair and then for a third time uh for

[0:06:44] Trustee Stamford (probable): nominations for the position of vice chair and hearing none i am going to declare that um

[0:06:53] Trustee Stamford (probable): trustee fast is elected as vice chair of the honest trust conservancy board

[0:06:58] Trustee Fast: happy to thank you happy to fill

[0:07:00] Trustee Fast: in for our able chair and

[0:07:02] Trustee Stamford (probable): then i'm very happy to pass the reins

[0:07:05] Trustee Stamford (probable): back over to chair stamford for the rest of the meeting thank you so

[0:07:10] Trustee Stamford: our first order of business

[0:07:11] Trustee Stamford: is to close the regular meeting and move into our in-camera agenda so um if someone could um if i

[0:07:21] Trustee Stamford: could get trustee fast unless anybody else has a burning desire to read out the motion to close the

[0:07:27] Trustee Stamford: meeting i'd like to close the meeting okay

[0:07:30] Trustee Fast: i'd be happy to move that the meeting be closed to the

[0:07:33] Trustee Fast: the public in accordance with the community charter part four division three section 91e

[0:07:38] Trustee Fast: the acquisition disposition or expropriation of land or improvements if the board considers that

[0:07:44] Trustee Fast: disclosure could be reasonably expected to harm the interests of the island stress conservancy

[0:07:48] Trustee Fast: board and k negotiations and related discussion recording in progress so

[0:07:54] Voice 13: if i'm going too fast

[0:07:55] Voice 13: just tell me to slow down oh i

[0:08:00] Trustee Fast: see the recording button is still going shall i continue uh yes

[0:08:06] Trustee Stamford (probable): Yes, please do.

[0:08:07] Trustee Fast: K, negotiations and related discussions

[0:08:10] Trustee Fast: respecting a proposed provision of a service

[0:08:12] Trustee Fast: that are at their preliminary stages

[0:08:13] Trustee Fast: and that in the view of the board

[0:08:15] Trustee Fast: could reasonably be expected to harm the interests

[0:08:18] Trustee Fast: of the Islands Trust Conservancy

[0:08:19] Trustee Fast: if they were held in public

[0:08:20] Trustee Fast: and that staff be invited to remain in the meeting.

[0:08:26] Voice 13: I second.

[0:08:29] Voice 13: All those in favor?

[0:08:33] Trustee Stamford: Aye.

[0:08:33] Voice 13: Aye.

[0:08:35] Trustee Stamford: And that passes.

[0:08:36] Trustee Stamford: Thank you very much.

[0:08:38] Trustee Stamford: Okay, so I'm calling the in-camera meeting to order.

[0:08:45] Trustee Stamford: Oh,

[0:08:46] Voice 13: do we know who that is?

[0:31:59] Voice 13: Hi, everyone. Sue Ellen,

[0:32:04] Trustee Stamford: just to let you know, I've got my daughter at my dad's. I'm at my dad's.

[0:32:12] Trustee Stamford: And I think everything's okay. We're just assuming she has COVID. But I might have to run out because

[0:32:21] Trustee Stamford: I'm trying to reach my father and just let him know he's not here right now. And then my husband's

[0:32:26] Trustee Stamford: going to come in. So I'm going to be in and out. I just want to let everybody know where they need

[0:32:32] Trustee Stamford: to be and then we'll get it out of here um so that's where i'm at today call on me

[0:32:44] Trustee Stamford: you just never know how the day's gonna end

[0:32:47] Trustee Stamford (probable): um corlin as we move into uh the regular part of

[0:32:52] Trustee Stamford (probable): the agenda i'm going to ask that you stop sharing the um the screen that says we're out for lunch

[0:32:58] Trustee Stamford (probable): I can't share the board package until until I until you do that there

[0:33:14] Voice 13: we go good afternoon

[0:33:21] Trustee Stamford: everyone so I'd like to move into our regular meeting agenda do we have any further additions

[0:33:31] Trustee Stamford: other than what we discussed earlier this morning seeing nothing new we've already approved this

[0:33:41] Trustee Stamford: agenda. So we're going to look at the minutes of November 23rd. Were there any questions arising

[0:33:58] Trustee Stamford: or any edits of significance? Seeing no hands, I'd like to accept these minutes as presented by

[0:34:10] Trustee Stamford: consent. And if that's okay with the board, we can move on. There were no minutes or resolutions

[0:34:18] Trustee Stamford: without meeting. So our follow-up action list starts on page 11.

[0:34:25] Trustee Stamford (probable): So just before we move into

[0:34:27] Trustee Stamford (probable): the follow-up action list, do the rise and report from the main camera.

[0:34:32] Trustee Stamford: I don't have it on here. Oh,

[0:34:33] Trustee Stamford: right at the top. Hey,

[0:34:35] Trustee Stamford: ahead of me.

[0:34:37] Trustee Stamford (probable): So the rise and report from the November 23rd meeting was

[0:34:41] Trustee Stamford (probable): that Chair Stamford reported that at the November 23rd 2021 ITC board closed meeting,

[0:34:50] Trustee Stamford (probable): The Island Stress Conservancy Board authorized the chair to sign a covenant with Douglas Hopwood and Christine Ferris of Liskety Island and directed staff to register the covenant subject to approval of the Agricultural Land Commission.

[0:35:01] Trustee Stamford (probable): And we're just knowing that for the public record.

[0:35:04] Trustee Stamford: So now we're looking at the follow-up action list starting on page 11.

[0:35:14] Trustee Stamford (probable): So I'm not going to go through these items.

[0:35:16] Trustee Stamford (probable): I will just note that at our next meeting, we may bring forward some suggestions for items to remove from the follow-up action list, but it's dependent a little bit on the direction the board takes in the next report item.

[0:35:30] Trustee Stamford: Okay.

[0:35:31] Trustee Stamford (probable): And I'm happy to take questions if there are any.

[0:35:34] Trustee Stamford: Any other questions for the follow-up action list?

[0:35:39] Trustee Stamford: Not seeing any, let's move on to business.

[0:35:43] Trustee Stamford: our first item is Request for Decision for ITC Work Planning.

[0:35:52] Trustee Stamford (probable): I'm happy to introduce this item and for board discussion.

[0:35:56] Trustee Stamford (probable): This was a very hard resolution to suggest to the board

[0:36:02] Trustee Stamford (probable): and also one that staff took a fair bit of time

[0:36:05] Trustee Stamford (probable): to contemplate.

[0:36:08] Trustee Stamford (probable): At its board meeting in November,

[0:36:09] Trustee Stamford (probable): the board received a briefing from staff

[0:36:12] Trustee Stamford (probable): just about workloads and the fact that many of the projects that we had been undertaking,

[0:36:19] Trustee Stamford (probable): while wonderful and supportive of the ITC mandate, were also putting pressure on staff time,

[0:36:25] Trustee Stamford (probable): and we were starting to feel the impacts of that pressure. And so the board, actually staff

[0:36:32] Trustee Stamford (probable): mentioned that the board could expect at this board meeting a conversation about work planning

[0:36:37] Trustee Stamford (probable): for the 2022-23 fiscal year and some requests for direction. So, I have attached to this

[0:36:50] Trustee Stamford (probable): request for decision just the briefing that the board did receive. Just to summarize that again,

[0:36:57] Trustee Stamford (probable): what we're starting to see is a period of growth at the ITC that is, I hope, starting to stabilize

[0:37:05] Trustee Stamford (probable): a little bit. We've seen addition of several staff positions, including our covenant and

[0:37:11] Trustee Stamford (probable): outreach specialist position, covenant management outreach specialist position, our species

[0:37:15] Trustee Stamford (probable): at risk position. We are looking at an increase in terms of our communications and fundraising

[0:37:20] Trustee Stamford (probable): capacity to add a part-time fundraising or fund development specialist. And we also have

[0:37:28] Trustee Stamford (probable): added a position of a co-op student to help with some of our property management work

[0:37:32] Trustee Stamford (probable): work over the summers. All these additions have been great. And, and we've also had an influx of

[0:37:40] Trustee Stamford (probable): funding for property management in particular, but also to assist us with some conservation

[0:37:45] Trustee Stamford (probable): proposals and land securement. But I will say that we are sort of at a period where we're

[0:37:52] Trustee Stamford (probable): realizing that we don't have the systems currently in place to support the work that's, that is being

[0:38:00] Trustee Stamford (probable): generated by these additional positions and none of these things are exciting and fun to talk about

[0:38:05] Trustee Stamford (probable): but they're things like databases that help us to manage our properties contact relationship

[0:38:11] Trustee Stamford (probable): management systems that help us to manage relationships with landowners and also with

[0:38:16] Trustee Stamford (probable): folks inquiring about land donations and fund donations and things like that we also need to

[0:38:24] Trustee Stamford (probable): put some time into looking through the revisions to the website and trying to work through processes

[0:38:29] Trustee Stamford (probable): processes of how a typical person might approach the website and make sure that our information is apparent and available and easily accessible by the public.

[0:38:38] Trustee Stamford (probable): So all these pieces are bits of work that increase the efficiencies of staff and allow us to do our work well.

[0:38:47] Trustee Stamford (probable): um the other part of the work that we are doing um as we move forward we're we're beginning to

[0:38:53] Trustee Stamford (probable): understand the importance of incorporating topics like climate change and reconciliation into the

[0:39:00] Trustee Stamford (probable): work we do and while these have been touched on and have always been in mind in the past the the

[0:39:07] Trustee Stamford (probable): level of work and the quality of work that i think we need to do in those two topic areas going

[0:39:12] Trustee Stamford (probable): going forward is fairly robust.

[0:39:15] Trustee Stamford (probable): And I think to get it going is going to require

[0:39:18] Trustee Stamford (probable): some special attention,

[0:39:20] Trustee Stamford (probable): at least over the course of the next year.

[0:39:22] Trustee Stamford (probable): So the board has directed staff

[0:39:24] Trustee Stamford (probable): to develop a reconciliation action plan.

[0:39:26] Trustee Stamford (probable): We haven't had a chance to really touch that.

[0:39:29] Trustee Stamford (probable): We've done some preliminary work,

[0:39:31] Trustee Stamford (probable): but it's really still just sitting

[0:39:34] Trustee Stamford (probable): and has been sitting on work programs

[0:39:35] Trustee Stamford (probable): for the last two years.

[0:39:37] Trustee Stamford (probable): And the same with the climate change project,

[0:39:41] Trustee Stamford (probable): which has been delayed and delayed and delayed and we really would like to to dig into it over

[0:39:47] Trustee Stamford (probable): the course of this next year so it's it's an interesting conversation to have because I think

[0:39:54] Trustee Stamford (probable): it can appear like we were trying to say no and to stop the progress of some of the conservation

[0:40:01] Trustee Stamford (probable): work that we're doing but I think in fact what staff are suggesting is that we we take a pause

[0:40:07] Trustee Stamford (probable): a time-limited pause, that allows us to get back up to speed on some of these things I've just

[0:40:14] Trustee Stamford (probable): described so that we can increase our efficiency and feel like we are doing a good job as staff

[0:40:20] Trustee Stamford (probable): when we approach conservation proposals and the property management work that we do.

[0:40:28] Trustee Stamford (probable): So to get into the nitty-gritty, the pieces that staff are suggesting that we work on and focus

[0:40:37] Trustee Stamford (probable): our work on over the the next little while um the resolution before you is that proposed is that we

[0:40:44] Trustee Stamford (probable): focus our work on the climate change project that we focus our work on land management and targeted

[0:40:49] Trustee Stamford (probable): outreach components that are particularly related to the species at risk program because we have

[0:40:54] Trustee Stamford (probable): staff support there dedicated staff support there and funds to support that project

[0:41:00] Trustee Stamford (probable): um that we also focus work on the development of a reconciliation action plan

[0:41:04] Trustee Stamford (probable): plan, and that we focus work on administrative needs like policy updates, review of staff

[0:41:12] Trustee Stamford (probable): roles and job descriptions, updates to internal databases and review of the website and our

[0:41:21] Trustee Stamford (probable): technology that we use in the field, which is also a bit kludgy for lack of a better

[0:41:27] Trustee Stamford (probable): word.

[0:41:27] Trustee Stamford (probable): So that's where staff feel our best effort over the next year could be focused in order

[0:41:33] Trustee Stamford (probable): to deliver the the services that we deliver better in order to focus on that we are combining the

[0:41:41] Trustee Stamford (probable): request um the recommendation with this request to delay certain work items for this um fiscally

[0:41:48] Trustee Stamford (probable): and this fiscal year and that we would pick them up again in the 23-24 fiscal year and those items

[0:41:55] Trustee Stamford (probable): are revision of property management plans on lands that already have property management plans that

[0:42:01] Trustee Stamford (probable): are just are due for a revision um delay of monitoring of lands that are protected by other

[0:42:09] Trustee Stamford (probable): conservation agencies already so we hold several conservation covenants on nature reserves that

[0:42:13] Trustee Stamford (probable): are owned by for example the salt spring island conservancy um and we're suggesting that we those

[0:42:19] Trustee Stamford (probable): are fairly low risk properties and we not monitor them over the course of this year um that we also

[0:42:25] Trustee Stamford (probable): look at our other covenant areas and evaluate whether there are some that might be low risk

[0:42:32] Trustee Stamford (probable): to covenant breach that we might also delay for a year and that staff have the authority to go

[0:42:37] Trustee Stamford (probable): through that process. That we also delay outreach and communications that are generated for to new

[0:42:44] Trustee Stamford (probable): conservation proposals so that we not do things like promote the NAPTEP program and promote

[0:42:50] Trustee Stamford (probable): promote conservation programs on islands, at least for this coming year, that we work

[0:42:57] Trustee Stamford (probable): on conservation proposals for lands, that we delay work on conservation proposals for

[0:43:02] Trustee Stamford (probable): lands that are not considered high priority for conservation within our regional conservation

[0:43:07] Trustee Stamford (probable): plan, and include in that any properties that are under eight hectares in size, so that

[0:43:14] Trustee Stamford (probable): if we do move forward with conservation proposals, that they be large and really significant,

[0:43:18] Trustee Stamford (probable): second, and that we look at placing, not placing covenants on Islands Trust Conservancy nature

[0:43:24] Trustee Stamford (probable): reserves at least in the coming year.

[0:43:28] Trustee Stamford (probable): So those are the recommendations from staff and I'm happy to take questions.

[0:43:33] Trustee Stamford (probable): Again I want to emphasize that this isn't an effort of staff to not do the work that

[0:43:38] Trustee Stamford (probable): we all feel very passionate about.

[0:43:40] Trustee Stamford (probable): It's a desire for us to start to up the quality of the work that we're doing and to start

[0:43:45] Trustee Stamford (probable): to feel like we're doing the work efficiently in terms of the internal systems that we have in

[0:43:49] Trustee Stamford (probable): place. So I'm happy to take questions. Obviously, this is a big topic and probably one that we may

[0:43:56] Trustee Stamford (probable): want to discuss. Risa, would you

[0:43:59] Trustee Stamford: like to start?

[0:44:04] Trustee Smith: Okay. Thanks, Kate, for all of that, because

[0:44:09] Trustee Smith: we know you're overworked and you can't do it all. I just have one question about this

[0:44:15] Trustee Smith: This outreach and communications, you know, just not putting enough, not as much emphasis on it.

[0:44:24] Trustee Smith: It's occurred to me because I've heard a lot of people talk about this, at least on my island, that there's going to be a lot more NAPTEC requests because of the increase in property values that we've all experienced on all of the Gulf Islands.

[0:44:40] Trustee Smith: And so some people are feeling that they won't be able to live here and they have large properties and they'll want to put covenants on them to get the tax reduction.

[0:44:50] Trustee Smith: So I'm just wondering how, if you've foreseen that as something that's going to come up and could be a lot of work and won't fit into these priorities.

[0:45:06] Trustee Stamford (probable): Yeah, I think, yeah.

[0:45:08] Trustee Smith: yeah

[0:45:08] Trustee Stamford (probable): um for me going forward i think from a communication standpoint it's not that we are

[0:45:15] Trustee Stamford (probable): not interested in doing these proposals and taking these applications it's that we're going to take a

[0:45:21] Trustee Stamford (probable): pause in this time frame and we will be considering those types of applications at a later date

[0:45:27] Trustee Stamford (probable): staff i think do have the capacity to have the preliminary conversations with landowners and if

[0:45:33] Trustee Stamford (probable): If it was the property of the century, you know, if it was a really high priority property that was at risk of development or that where there was a risk of sale or something like that that was coming up, I think we would bring that to the attention of the board and it would require a more fulsome conversation.

[0:45:51] Trustee Stamford (probable): conversation um but we often get smaller applications you know um our our minimum size

[0:45:58] Trustee Stamford (probable): at the moment is two hectares which you know is not insignificant but it's not it's not the 50

[0:46:05] Trustee Stamford (probable): acre property um that might be the gem of of conservation either um and so for those i think

[0:46:12] Trustee Stamford (probable): the the risk of loss is lower and the the possibilities um of focusing other work during

[0:46:19] Trustee Stamford (probable): a process of delay is the the cost benefit or the the weighing of those two things in my view um

[0:46:27] Trustee Stamford (probable): slants us towards delaying those um to a future date thank you

[0:46:33] Trustee Stamford: uh trustee fast um

[0:46:36] Trustee Fast: thank you chair

[0:46:37] Trustee Fast: i'm um uh i'm in support of these uh recommendations um before i start i just wanted

[0:46:45] Trustee Fast: to say my understanding is that that a rise in uh property assessment doesn't necessarily need

[0:46:52] Trustee Fast: lead to a rise in taxes it's especially if your neighbors have had the same rise it's based on the

[0:46:58] Trustee Fast: average and uh so and i'm speaking as somebody on bowen island where we have no nap tap uh covenants

[0:47:07] Trustee Fast: And, uh, even though we have the power now to do those, um, I, uh, I wanted to mention

[0:47:16] Trustee Fast: a couple of things.

[0:47:16] Trustee Fast: One is just as a, uh, a new trustee in the previous term, I think I met, um, uh, Jennifer

[0:47:23] Trustee Fast: Eliason, the former manager of the Islands Trust Conservancy about twice.

[0:47:28] Trustee Fast: And then she was, uh, gone acting in another position or, or seconded anyway, Kate became

[0:47:34] Trustee Fast: I became the acting manager and it kind of, the position and the management of the work kind of, it seems to me, is ripe for some review and maintenance and update, especially with the good data management tools and things that are available now.

[0:47:54] Trustee Fast: And with the growth that's recently happened and the changes, including COVID and the demand that's come in applications that we see also on the planning side for changes in living on the islands and people's dreams for the islands and actions on the islands.

[0:48:15] Trustee Fast: And anyway, so I just wanted to say I support this.

[0:48:19] Trustee Fast: I think speaking as somebody who was in a meeting last night on Bowen Island about our

[0:48:26] Trustee Fast: overflowing sewage treatment plant, you don't want to delay maintenance and looking at your

[0:48:31] Trustee Fast: systems too long or else you can't respond.

[0:48:34] Trustee Fast: When good opportunities come up, you can't respond quickly and you don't have the data

[0:48:38] Trustee Fast: at your fingertips.

[0:48:38] Trustee Fast: tips. And I think there's a lot of good tools out there that I encourage staff to be

[0:48:46] Trustee Fast: looking into into how you can manage your work better using new stuff. Thank you.

[0:48:53] Trustee Stamford: Any other comments

[0:48:55] Voice 13: in regards to the report? Go ahead, Trustee Adams.

[0:49:04] Voice 9: Yeah, I really appreciate this report and the work that went into it. I'm sure it wasn't

[0:49:11] Voice 9: easy to kind of weigh some of these things but i think um you've made a good kind of balance

[0:49:19] Voice 9: between um the things to focus on and the things not i'm i guess i'm just wondering if um

[0:49:28] Voice 9: you know we just had this discussion about these properties on salt spring and

[0:49:34] Voice 9: you know if some treasure came along um do we need to write in here somehow that how that would

[0:49:42] Voice 9: would be balanced or that that would be a priority of some kind i i don't know i was trying to

[0:49:47] Voice 9: understand if you were just looking at kind of a certain category of work um but anyway that that

[0:49:53] Voice 9: was just one question and then i guess the other thing i i don't know if it could be evaluated kind

[0:50:01] Voice 9: of or if it's part of what you will do in policy updates but um i do wonder sometimes if some of

[0:50:10] Voice 9: the work is we just do it so well that it actually is being done a little too well and i'm thinking

[0:50:18] Voice 9: of things like um putting covenants on our nature reserves yeah i know that's the you know creme de

[0:50:26] Voice 9: la creme of procedure but i wonder if we really need to do that if it's pulling away from other

[0:50:33] Voice 9: things um monitoring lands of other conservation organizations you know there there may be things

[0:50:40] Voice 9: And maybe this is part of what you'll look at in the policy updates, but there may be things that we need to sacrifice, you know, the ultimate level of work in order to allow maybe some more important things to go on and within the resources we've got.

[0:51:05] Voice 9: So just a thought. I don't know if there's any thoughts from anybody on those points.

[0:51:13] Trustee Stamford: Kate, do you have a response to some of those questions, some of the things

[0:51:18] Trustee Stamford (probable): you're going to look at?

[0:51:19] Trustee Stamford (probable): Yeah, Trustee Adams brings up a number of things that have been running through my mind and I think have been topics of conversation with ITC staff.

[0:51:28] Trustee Stamford (probable): Some of them I actually think, especially things like conservation covenants on ITC lands might actually come up with our reconciliation action plan.

[0:51:36] Trustee Stamford (probable): It has been on my mind whether it makes sense to be binding lands that might also be important lands for developing good relationships with First Nations, and we're not sure what is going to come up for them, because we haven't had those conversations.

[0:51:53] Trustee Stamford (probable): stations. So, yes, the things that are sort of top of mind are, you know, the management planning

[0:52:02] Trustee Stamford (probable): that we do. Can we look at how we can streamline that? Conservation covenants? Yes. Do we need them

[0:52:09] Trustee Stamford (probable): on all ITC nature reserves? Or is that something we do if we happen to have breathing space?

[0:52:15] Trustee Stamford (probable): And then what are the rotations for monitoring of properties where there is a fairly secure

[0:52:21] Trustee Stamford (probable): your conservation presence. Maybe it's not every year, maybe it's every two years, maybe it's every

[0:52:27] Trustee Stamford (probable): five years, like those types of things. And as we grow as an organization, we now have 111 properties

[0:52:32] Trustee Stamford (probable): that we manage in some way. As we grow, we either start to add on a whole bunch of positions to try

[0:52:40] Trustee Stamford (probable): to address that and increase the tax burden, or we start to look at some of those processes. And I

[0:52:52] Trustee Stamford: Thank you. Yeah, I think there's opportunity here that it's not just a voluntary thing to look at.

[0:53:02] Trustee Stamford: It really is a structural way of approaching the future because we're sort of at these,

[0:53:09] Trustee Stamford: we take these critical jumps in how much we're bringing on and that changes the flavor of where

[0:53:17] Trustee Stamford: the organization can go and it may need to focus in a different direction in terms of how much it

[0:53:24] Trustee Stamford: monitors etc etc so i'm really glad these questions are being asked um one of the questions

[0:53:30] Trustee Stamford: i had was um early in the budget um cycle there was a request to um to be part of the lamb the

[0:53:41] Trustee Stamford: Islands Trust planning upgrade of their software and that quickly very quickly went by the wayside

[0:53:48] Trustee Stamford: in order to protect other priorities um is that something we should have fought harder for or is

[0:53:54] Trustee Stamford: that something we can it hasn't disappeared completely but it should be um a priority to

[0:54:00] Trustee Stamford: bring back on does that help your um efficiencies if that was part of the program yeah

[0:54:07] Trustee Stamford (probable): it one of the

[0:54:08] Trustee Stamford (probable): the big things that is concerning me is that we are looking at losing our property management

[0:54:13] Trustee Stamford (probable): tool as we start to, as they start to look at changes in the planning side of things,

[0:54:20] Trustee Stamford (probable): the regional planning or the local planning side of

[0:54:22] Trustee Stamford (probable): the organization. What I understand is that

[0:54:26] Trustee Stamford (probable): that's not imminent, that the systems that we have can probably carry us to another fiscal year. So

[0:54:32] Trustee Stamford (probable): So at the outmost, we could ask for upgrades to those systems in the next budget cycle.

[0:54:40] Trustee Stamford (probable): Alternatively, and what we've started doing is looking at other tools that other land

[0:54:46] Trustee Stamford (probable): trusts are using.

[0:54:48] Trustee Stamford (probable): The challenge for us is as a government agency, we can't store any of our data in the U.S.

[0:54:53] Trustee Stamford (probable): and many of them are U.S. based.

[0:54:54] Trustee Stamford (probable): So this is always the balancing thing for us.

[0:54:58] Trustee Stamford (probable): but I think given the budget climate right now and the fact that I really prefer to see us have

[0:55:04] Trustee Stamford (probable): that fund development position come online, my recommendation would be to let the budget go as

[0:55:11] Trustee Stamford (probable): is and look towards the next budget cycle for any needs we might have.

[0:55:17] Trustee Stamford: Okay and I guess that

[0:55:18] Trustee Stamford: falls into the next question is that part of this is are you looking at potential new staff

[0:55:26] Trustee Stamford: staff and at what level um you don't need to answer that right now but is that part of the

[0:55:31] Trustee Stamford: equation as to how to make this work better um

[0:55:36] Trustee Stamford (probable): i think that kind of question it would be a good

[0:55:39] Trustee Stamford (probable): um candidate for an in-camera yes question what i can say is that we are seeing a lot and it's in

[0:55:46] Trustee Stamford (probable): this brief or this uh this report is we are seeing a lot of pressure on support uh positions like

[0:55:52] Trustee Stamford (probable): the management position and the administrative position in ITC. And I'm also seeing

[0:56:00] Trustee Stamford (probable): pressure in, particularly in the ecosystem protection specialist role because of the

[0:56:05] Trustee Stamford (probable): dual purpose of the scientific piece and also the taking on conservation proposals.

[0:56:13] Trustee Stamford (probable): So there's a little bit of a challenge there in terms of time management. And then I think as we

[0:56:19] Trustee Stamford (probable): start to grow and take on more properties of course our property management will have to be

[0:56:23] Trustee Stamford (probable): looking at our property management positions as well or like we were talking about cutting back

[0:56:27] Trustee Stamford (probable): some of those work pieces so

[0:56:30] Trustee Stamford: i you can see laying a groundwork which is really important when being

[0:56:34] Trustee Stamford: able to move forward and and speaking on behalf of the uh conservancy to the trust is knowing that

[0:56:42] Trustee Stamford: their groundwork has been done the data's there that really helps with the discussions so trustee

[0:56:50] Trustee Stamford: fenton yes

[0:56:54] Trustee Fenton (probable): thank you yeah and just actually see you that notion kate uh is the the notion of uh

[0:57:02] Trustee Fenton (probable): once you get your sort of we know that the groundwork has been done looked at critically

[0:57:07] Trustee Fenton (probable): you've come up with system amendments and or website updates or whatever or software

[0:57:14] Trustee Fenton (probable): um it's actually now working and that'll enable us to actually look at the staffing quotient

[0:57:20] Trustee Fenton (probable): period and what those skill sets are needed if there are anything down the road so without that

[0:57:25] Trustee Fenton (probable): work being done and taking the time for it's uh it'll be challenging

[0:57:29] Trustee Fenton (probable): but i fully support

[0:57:31] Trustee Fenton (probable): you going there i'm taking this time it's uh yes it's challenging and sometimes with this

[0:57:37] Trustee Fenton (probable): opportunity we like to jump at it but um i was appreciative of your relatively concise answer

[0:57:43] Trustee Fenton (probable): with regards to the climate change thing because you've obviously looked at it enough to know

[0:57:48] Trustee Fenton (probable): what those barriers and constraints are and it's not just a one-off and or those opportunities so

[0:57:53] Trustee Fenton (probable): you've got to take the time and knuckle down and put in the miles so it's good and I support where

[0:58:00] Trustee Fenton (probable): you're going with it thanks yeah

[0:58:03] Trustee Stamford: um okay so if there's no other questions I'd like someone to

[0:58:08] Trustee Stamford: read to um if I could get someone other than trustee fast to read the recommendation and

[0:58:14] Trustee Stamford: And then, Trustee Fass, if you could take over for about five minutes, and I'll be right back.

[0:58:19] Trustee Fast: Thank you.

[0:58:21] Trustee Fast: Trustee

[0:58:21] Trustee Smith: Smith, please go ahead.

[0:58:23] Trustee Smith: Okay.

[0:58:25] Trustee Smith: Just be sure I'm not on mute.

[0:58:26] Trustee Smith: Okay.

[0:58:27] Trustee Smith: That the Islands Trust Board direct staff to, one, focus work for the 2022-23 fiscal year on the Climate Change Project,

[0:58:36] Trustee Smith: land management and targeted outreach components of the Species at Risk Program,

[0:58:40] Trustee Smith: development of a reconciliation action plan, and administrative needs, including policy updates, review of staff roles, structured training, maintenance and updates of internal databases, review of the new website and technology used in the field,

[0:58:58] Trustee Smith: And two, delay the following work items until the 2023-24 fiscal year.

[0:59:04] Trustee Smith: Revision of property management plans, monitoring of lands that are protected by other conservation areas, such as parks and nature reserves, or that are considered at low risk covenant breach or trespass.

[0:59:18] Trustee Smith: outreach and communications that generate new conservation proposals and work on conservation

[0:59:25] Trustee Smith: proposals for lands not considered a very high priority for conservation including those under

[0:59:31] Trustee Smith: eight hectares and sides and placing covenants on ITC nature reserves.

[0:59:38] Trustee Fast: Thank you and if I can

[0:59:39] Trustee Fast: just confirm that at the top you said Islands Trust Conservancy Board? I think I did, did I not?

[0:59:45] Trustee Fast: okay well just making sure that's in the record

[0:59:48] Trustee Fast: thank you do

[0:59:50] Trustee Fast: I have a seconder

[0:59:52] Trustee Fast: thank you Doug Fenton and uh any more discussion then I'll call the question

[1:00:00] Trustee Fast: All those in favour? Thank you. I don't see Trustee Stamford. I think she's had to step out. So that passes unanimously among those of us that are here, Coraline, in case you can't see.

[1:00:16] Trustee Fast: Thank you very much, everybody. That's good.

[1:00:20] Trustee Fast: Now we're on to the conservation proposal for the Larimer NAPTEP Covenant 6.1.2. So this is page 25 of our agenda.

[1:00:33] Trustee Fast: And Catherine, are you speaking to this one?

[1:00:35] Voice 8: I am, yes.

[1:00:36] Trustee Fast: Very good. Please go ahead.

[1:00:38] Voice 8: I will. And since we're now in public meeting, I'll provide a bit of background, some of which may be review.

[1:00:47] Voice 8: But this proposal is for a NAPTEP covenant placed over one parcel, which is part of Mike Larmer's estate or his previous suite of properties.

[1:01:04] Voice 8: And the proposal is to place a NAPTF covenant on just the southern, small southern portion that's not in the agricultural land reserve, a forested section of the property.

[1:01:14] Voice 8: And some of the conservation values on the property include the presence of mature forest with some very old, large trees.

[1:01:23] Voice 8: weeds and some small pockets of hemlock forest and of alder and maple mixes in some areas so

[1:01:36] Voice 8: there are several different forest types and it helps with a transition zone between

[1:01:43] Voice 8: the meadow and wetland and up into the slopes of the forest on the surrounding properties

[1:01:48] Voice 8: It does have significant conservation value.

[1:01:52] Voice 8: It particularly is an important piece when seen in connection with the protected areas on either side and surrounding the underside.

[1:02:04] Voice 8: So it meets the NAPTEP requirements to be accepted into the tax exemption program and staff recommends that the board accepts this proposal.

[1:02:15] Voice 8: However, due to current staff capacity constraints, we recommend that this project be deferred.

[1:02:25] Voice 8: And the landowner has indicated that she is amenable to that, to have the project deferred until staff can

[1:02:33] Voice 4: more

[1:02:34] Voice 8: effectively devote time to it.

[1:02:38] Voice 8: Very good.

[1:02:40] Trustee Fast: Thank you. And back to you, Chair Stanford.

[1:02:42] Trustee Stamford: Thanks very much. Again, my apologies.

[1:02:45] Trustee Stamford: apologies um so we have a request for decision before us is there any questions of clarification

[1:02:51] Trustee Stamford: to katherine okay seeing none we did discuss this as a part of the whole um previously um so there's

[1:03:01] Trustee Stamford: a a recommend can i get someone to read the recommendation please as presented trustee fast

[1:03:11] Trustee Fast: would you like to read i'll be happy to yes uh that the islands trust conservancy board approves

[1:03:16] Trustee Fast: The conservation proposal submitted by Rodney Poldit on behalf of Sky Larmer to donate a 2.45 hectare NAPTEP covenant, Natural Areas Tax Exemption Program covenant on Salt Spring Island over a portion of Lot 1, Section 87, South Salt Spring Island Cowichan District Plan VIP 27894 PID 000138452 to protect mature forests, wetlands and connectivity to other protected areas,

[1:03:45] Trustee Fast: but advise the applicant that IT and advise the applicant that Islands Trust Conservancy will

[1:03:51] Trustee Fast: defer the securement project until late 2022-2023 due to staff capacity constraints thank

[1:04:00] Trustee Stamford: you do I

[1:04:01] Trustee Stamford: have a seconder trustee Adams thank

[1:04:07] Trustee Fast: you I changed one little word in there I changed but to and

[1:04:12] Trustee Fast: And I hope that's all okay.

[1:04:14] Trustee Fast: Thank you.

[1:04:16] Trustee Stamford: Okay.

[1:04:17] Trustee Stamford: And any further questions?

[1:04:21] Trustee Stamford: One of the comments I have to make is it's clear by this that this isn't going to, it's

[1:04:29] Trustee Stamford: a bit vague on the start date, but you have clarified with the owners that it's, they're

[1:04:38] Trustee Stamford: comfortable with when they expect to see movement on this.

[1:04:41] Voice 8: Yes.

[1:04:42] Voice 8: and we could adapt the results the resolution's already been passed i should have mentioned this

[1:04:46] Voice 8: earlier um this was the resolution and the the staff item was written before that conversation

[1:04:53] Voice 8: with the landowner so we could

[1:04:55] Voice 8: adapt have adapted this but i don't okay

[1:04:58] Trustee Stamford: so as long as they're

[1:05:00] Trustee Stamford: comfortable then that's good uh trustee smith uh

[1:05:04] Trustee Smith: yeah i just that's just a very small point but it

[1:05:07] Trustee Smith: it says defer project until late 2022 2023 do we not mean late 2022 early 2023 like the way that

[1:05:17] Trustee Smith: reads yeah yeah

[1:05:18] Voice 8: fiscal year i suppose oh

[1:05:24] Trustee Smith: fiscal year oh okay but it says

[1:05:27] Trustee Stamford: late if it's a friendly

[1:05:28] Trustee Smith: i

[1:05:29] Trustee Stamford: think we can make a friendly amendment saying early just add the word early in just after the

[1:05:36] Trustee Stamford: slash there if we could add that in corlin if people are accepting that's a friendly amendment

[1:05:45] Trustee Stamford: for the intent i made the change for you great thank you you're welcome okay um if there's no

[1:05:53] Trustee Stamford: further comments um i'd like to call the vote on the question all those in favor and that passes

[1:06:04] Trustee Stamford: Thank you, Catherine. That's good. Okay, and our next one is the Moorhill Management Plan. One of these wonderful documents. And the RFD is on page, sorry, I can't see the page number. Is it 50?

[1:06:31] Trustee Stamford: Page 50, yes.

[1:06:32] Trustee Stamford: Yeah, so the

[1:06:34] Trustee Stamford: recommendation is on page 50. And who's speaking to this?

[1:06:38] Trustee Stamford: I

[1:06:39] Voice 1: am, Nuala. Good afternoon. So yes, we're looking at the first management plan for

[1:06:47] Voice 1: Moorhill Nature Reserve on Thetis Island. It was prepared by Karina Maslavat, who's an

[1:06:52] Voice 1: RP bio, registered professional biologist. Moorhill Nature Reserve is just over 21 hectares

[1:07:00] Voice 1: on the east side of Thetis Island. You can see in figure one, and it spans 425 meters of marine

[1:07:07] Voice 1: shoreline along its eastern boundary and includes sea cliffs and low rock shoreline and ranges in

[1:07:14] Voice 1: elevation from sea level up to the summit of Moore Hill at 178 meters. It was protected in February

[1:07:23] Voice 1: 2017 after an extensive collaborative acquisition campaign with Thetis Island Nature Conservancy and

[1:07:31] Voice 1: the Cowichan Community Land Trust as well as the Islands Trust Conservancy. It is the largest

[1:07:36] Voice 1: protected area on Thetis Island and there is a section 219 conservation covenant and a section

[1:07:42] Voice 1: 218 statutory right of way that was registered in 2017 but named Cowichan Community Land Trust

[1:07:49] Voice 1: as the covenant holder. At that time the Thetis Island Nature Conservancy couldn't hold covenants

[1:07:55] Voice 1: but they have remained a solid partner and management group for this nature reserve.

[1:08:00] Voice 1: The draft management plan was provided to both the parties and their edits have been incorporated

[1:08:05] Voice 1: into the attached management plan.

[1:08:08] Voice 1: It will be sent to them after approval,

[1:08:11] Voice 1: for their approval before being implemented.

[1:08:15] Voice 1: So it's an interesting shaped property

[1:08:17] Voice 1: and it surrounds the Thetis Island bat caves on three sides

[1:08:21] Voice 1: and increases protection around this important area.

[1:08:24] Voice 1: There are two rare ecological communities

[1:08:27] Voice 1: and five species at risk that have been found so far.

[1:08:29] Voice 1: And they're listed in table one and two.

[1:08:32] Voice 1: It is a very important cultural site

[1:08:35] Voice 1: that's located within the core traditional territory of several Coast Salish First Nations

[1:08:39] Voice 1: and one of the closest First Nation communities is the Peneliket tribe.

[1:08:44] Voice 1: A Peneliket elder took part on a site visit during the acquisition process

[1:08:48] Voice 1: and there have been meetings that have taken place with ITC staff and Peneliket staff

[1:08:53] Voice 1: as well as Peneliket elders before COVID to discuss the cultural significance

[1:08:58] Voice 1: and traditional use of the land.

[1:09:00] Voice 1: There is much more work to be done, and ITC will strive to work more closely with the First Nations, and hopefully more in-person meetings, if COVID allows, to build trust through these meetings and develop a management plan for the areas of cultural heritage and sacred significance.

[1:09:20] Voice 1: The cultural features on this area will be documented in a separate confidential addendum to this management plan, so you're not seeing that today.

[1:09:30] Voice 1: due to the cultural importance of the site and the unstable steep terrain as well as sensitive

[1:09:35] Voice 1: habitat there are no no trails will be developed and there's no existing trails within the reserve

[1:09:41] Voice 1: and there will be no public access the general management direction is to maintain and protect

[1:09:47] Voice 1: habitat for species at risk in wildlife and to allow natural successional processes to proceed

[1:09:52] Voice 1: without interference, with the exception of fire. So funding implications include

[1:10:00] Voice 1: some new boundary signage along the ocean to try to limit public access that way.

[1:10:08] Voice 1: There are already signage along some of the road frontage. Monitoring and removing invasive

[1:10:13] Voice 1: non-native woody species through cooperation with THINK, the Thetis Island Nature Conservancy, and

[1:10:23] Voice 1: ITC. Prompt removal will make future management more cost effective and the effectiveness of the

[1:10:28] Voice 1: removal can must also be monitored though on a yearly basis. SAR species at risk and wildlife

[1:10:36] Voice 1: species surveys include the ongoing western scree chow and sharp-tailed snake studies and

[1:10:41] Voice 1: surveys that are going on right now and monitoring for climate change impact. I'm happy to take any

[1:10:48] Voice 1: questions any

[1:10:51] Trustee Stamford: questions of nula i just want to thank you and um the biologists that did the

[1:11:00] Trustee Stamford: report again it's it's just such a great way of understanding the property is is these very

[1:11:07] Trustee Stamford: thorough reports um so trustee smith go ahead uh

[1:11:16] Trustee Smith: thanks yes thanks for a really great report nula

[1:11:18] Trustee Smith: I just have one question, and maybe it's almost to Doug rather than to you, but this is a very large property for a fairly small island, Thedas.

[1:11:29] Trustee Smith: Is this no public access acceptable to the community?

[1:11:34] Trustee Smith: Are they happy about that?

[1:11:35] Trustee Smith: Like, can you even, I just, it's hard to see for me, but I'm not there, although I can see Thedas from where I am, that that's acceptable, but I'm presuming it is, or you wouldn't come up with this plan.

[1:11:48] Trustee Smith: Well,

[1:11:49] Voice 1: we had outreach as part of the plan. And there were questionnaires and surveys that were filled in. And the majority of people definitely did feel, because that was something that was asked in the survey about access, that the area was too dangerous to be open to the public.

[1:12:08] Voice 1: Like one, there was actually a few people

[1:12:10] Voice 1: who had commented how there was actually rescue missions

[1:12:12] Voice 1: have already taken place with people falling off a cliff

[1:12:15] Voice 1: and into a cave.

[1:12:15] Voice 1: And so it's not the best place.

[1:12:18] Voice 1: Of course, having said that,

[1:12:20] Voice 1: people have walked this property over many years,

[1:12:23] Voice 1: even though it was privately owned

[1:12:25] Voice 1: before it was a nature reserve.

[1:12:29] Voice 1: So there will be people who have been used to going on it.

[1:12:35] Voice 1: So I'll just say that.

[1:12:36] Voice 1: Doug may want to add more.

[1:12:42] Trustee Fenton (probable): Yeah, I think it's more than acceptable.

[1:12:44] Trustee Fenton (probable): The numbers, unfortunately, were not high at the outreach, but I think that was sort of the first, it was pre-COVID and pre-residential school acknowledgement of the fact that it was actually, this actually happened.

[1:13:03] Trustee Fenton (probable): And for many of the Thetis Islander residents, they didn't, and they pretended, I guess, you know, we just thought it's not really in our backyard.

[1:13:14] Trustee Fenton (probable): But you see the number of people that showed up after the walk or march for the children in Shemainis in September.

[1:13:22] Trustee Fenton (probable): So over 3,000 people marching through the community.

[1:13:26] Trustee Fenton (probable): And it was just a huge awakening.

[1:13:29] Trustee Fenton (probable): There was a good and timely face-to-face up at Moorhill with one of the elders or at least knowledge holders.

[1:13:38] Trustee Fenton (probable): The elder was unable to make it, but they had a conversation with a lot of the locals, literally the neighbors of the property.

[1:13:45] Trustee Fenton (probable): And I would say at least three or if not four, I came by for conversations about the disbelief.

[1:13:53] Trustee Fenton (probable): they had no idea about not just the school piece but all of the other sort of colonial but

[1:13:59] Trustee Fenton (probable): these weren't rumors they were actually happenings and they were just people in their 70s saying

[1:14:05] Trustee Fenton (probable): how did we miss this you know so i think in many respects the timing for all of this has

[1:14:12] Trustee Fenton (probable): been challenging but at the same time a bit of a revelation and now the conversation around

[1:14:18] Trustee Fenton (probable): around how culturally important Moor Hill is,

[1:14:21] Trustee Fenton (probable): is much less contentious and it's much more now

[1:14:24] Trustee Fenton (probable): about sort of opening a new horizons

[1:14:26] Trustee Fenton (probable): with respect to understanding and knowledge locally.

[1:14:30] Trustee Fenton (probable): Fortunately, we've had some very good cooperation

[1:14:32] Trustee Fenton (probable): with Connecticut as well as Harold Joe came out on site.

[1:14:39] Trustee Fenton (probable): And well, my hat's off to Think, I guess,

[1:14:41] Trustee Fenton (probable): as the organization has been very, very quiet,

[1:14:44] Trustee Fenton (probable): but strong-willed and very timely in their approach and they're sort of the

[1:14:51] Trustee Fenton (probable): vehicle of voice and quiet nudging that people accept and appreciate so it's

[1:14:59] Trustee Fenton (probable): it's actually working very well and I think that over time this will become a

[1:15:04] Trustee Fenton (probable): better understood and maybe it'll be a very good cultural tool and landmark for

[1:15:10] Trustee Fenton (probable): the settler population to start to understand

[1:15:13] Trustee Fenton (probable): because it really is accessible, we can't climb all over it but at the same time

[1:15:17] Trustee Fenton (probable): it's right there and they can drive up and have a conversation

[1:15:21] Trustee Fenton (probable): and people can imagine the stories that are being told

[1:15:25] Trustee Fenton (probable): and I think long term it's going to work

[1:15:29] Trustee Fenton (probable): and I really appreciate the effort that

[1:15:32] Trustee Fenton (probable): others put into this whole conversation because it's a challenge to do it from a distance

[1:15:37] Trustee Fenton (probable): and um but you've done a really good job and this report demonstrates that so thank you

[1:15:45] Trustee Fenton (probable): thank you

[1:15:48] Trustee Stamford: trustee fenton it really is a special piece and you're lucky as an island to have it

[1:15:54] Trustee Stamford: for sure um if there's uh any any see no other comments um if i could get someone to

[1:16:03] Trustee Stamford: i actually would like doug to read the um the motion the recommended motion and we'll vote on

[1:16:11] Trustee Stamford: that yeah can you read it okay doug before i put you on the spot we can't hear you oh

[1:16:28] Trustee Fenton (probable): i don't see

[1:16:29] Trustee Fenton (probable): the motion oh

[1:16:30] Trustee Stamford: okay oh

[1:16:32] Trustee Stamford: down down there okay

[1:16:33] Trustee Fenton (probable): do you want to put the front page yeah

[1:16:35] Trustee Stamford: so we recommend

[1:16:36] Trustee Stamford: The

[1:16:36] Trustee Fenton (probable): Islands Trust Conservancy Board approved the 2021 Moore Hill Nature Reserve Management Plan, dated October 28, 2021.

[1:16:56] Voice 13: There's a word

[1:16:57] Trustee Stamford (probable): duplication there.

[1:16:59] Trustee Fenton (probable): Is it a double?

[1:17:00] Trustee Stamford (probable): Yeah.

[1:17:03] Trustee Fenton (probable): So it should be the front one. This one works.

[1:17:06] Trustee Fenton (probable): No,

[1:17:07] Trustee Stamford (probable): you can leave out one of the nature reserves.

[1:17:11] Trustee Fenton (probable): I'll just start again, and we'll just say the move that the Islands Trust

[1:17:14] Trustee Fenton (probable): Includency Board

[1:17:15] Trustee Fenton (probable): approved the Moore Hill Nature Reserve Management Plan dated October 28, 2021.

[1:17:24] Trustee Stamford: Do I have a seconder?

[1:17:25] Trustee Stamford: Trustee Fast.

[1:17:27] Trustee Stamford: If there's no other questions or comments, I would like to call a question.

[1:17:34] Trustee Stamford: All those in favor, raise your hand.

[1:17:40] Trustee Stamford: And thank you again.

[1:17:41] Trustee Stamford: fabulous piece of work for a fabulous piece of land okay so let's move on um i think 6.1.4

[1:17:50] Trustee Stamford: is our itc meeting bylaw and that's to enable us to do what we're doing today basically

[1:17:57] Trustee Stamford: um continue being electronic uh go ahead manager emmings

[1:18:05] Trustee Stamford (probable): so this is a piece of administrative work

[1:18:09] Trustee Stamford (probable): that all of the organizational units of the Islands Trust are undertaking at the moment,

[1:18:14] Trustee Stamford (probable): the local trust committees, trust council, I think executive as well. And that is to bring

[1:18:20] Trustee Stamford (probable): our meeting procedures bylaws up to date in terms of what we're allowed to do with respect to

[1:18:28] Trustee Stamford (probable): remote meetings and electronic meetings. Our meeting bylaw procedures bylaw was last updated

[1:18:35] Trustee Stamford (probable): in 2019. So it's actually been fairly recently looked at. But in the fall of 2021, the province

[1:18:44] Trustee Stamford (probable): actually passed the Islands Trust Electronic Meeting Regulation, which would allow Islands

[1:18:50] Trustee Stamford (probable): Trust Conservancy to actually hold meetings remotely and electronically. So the board,

[1:18:59] Trustee Stamford (probable): I think it was back in November 2020, directed staff to look at being more permissive in terms of remote attendance at meetings.

[1:19:08] Trustee Stamford (probable): Our previous bylaw restricted trustees to only attending three meetings remotely over the course of a year and no more than two in a row.

[1:19:17] Trustee Stamford (probable): And the board instructed me to look at broadening that to pretty much allowing full electronic attendance, but with the exception that there'd be one meeting per year where the board met in person.

[1:19:31] Trustee Stamford (probable): So I have done that. It has been reviewed by our legislative services manager, who has been working with legal services on all of these bylaws combined.

[1:19:43] Trustee Stamford (probable): combined. And so it is here for your consideration. I have provided, I believe I provided,

[1:19:53] Trustee Stamford (probable): yes, I did, a marked up version so that you could see where the changes were. And I'm happy to go

[1:20:00] Trustee Stamford (probable): through any questions that you might have with respect to that. The recommendation, you'll notice

[1:20:05] Trustee Stamford (probable): it's a little different than what we normally see come through the ITC board because we don't pass

[1:20:09] Trustee Stamford (probable): a lot of bylaws but when you do have bylaws you need to do three pass them three times and then

[1:20:17] Trustee Stamford (probable): we'll actually need to come back to you through a resolution without meeting to pass it the fourth

[1:20:21] Trustee Stamford (probable): time so that it is accepted as final. I think that's all I have to say and I'm happy to take

[1:20:28] Trustee Stamford (probable): questions.

[1:20:31] Trustee Stamford: Are there any questions of Manager Emmings? Seeing none this looks fairly straightforward

[1:20:40] Trustee Stamford: forward could i get uh sue ellen do you mind uh reading the recommendation and we'll just do them

[1:20:47] Trustee Stamford: one at

[1:20:48] Trustee Fast: a time okay and just before i start though i want to ask a question sure

[1:20:53] Voice 13: sorry no

[1:20:54] Trustee Fast: i i wasn't

[1:20:55] Trustee Fast: quick enough did uh does this include a definition of guest like if we wanted to invite a speaker

[1:21:02] Trustee Fast: or would that count as a delegation um

[1:21:06] Trustee Stamford (probable): so i think a guest would be something more that the board

[1:21:11] Trustee Stamford (probable): would invite in a delegation is when somebody wants to present to the board and makes that

[1:21:16] Trustee Stamford (probable): request themselves okay

[1:21:18] Trustee Fast: that's fine i'm i just had seen it in some other ones that i was in

[1:21:24] Trustee Fast: meetings about yesterday and uh but it probably doesn't need a definition here uh so i'd be happy

[1:21:29] Trustee Fast: to move the um move the motion now which is gone oh shoot

[1:21:35] Voice 13: oh we're getting there

[1:21:38] Voice 13: there you go okay

[1:21:41] Trustee Fast: thank you uh first one that the islands trust conservancy bylaw number three

[1:21:46] Trustee Fast: cited as islands trust conservancy meeting procedures bylaw 2019 amendment by now number

[1:21:51] Trustee Fast: number one, 2022, be read a first time.

[1:21:55] Trustee Stamford: Seconder?

[1:21:58] Trustee Stamford: Trustee Fenton?

[1:22:00] Trustee Stamford: If there's no other questions,

[1:22:03] Trustee Stamford: calling the vote, all those in favor?

[1:22:06] Trustee Stamford: That passes.

[1:22:08] Trustee Stamford: And if you could read the next one,

[1:22:10] Trustee Fast: please, Trustee Faust.

[1:22:11] Trustee Fast: That Islands Trust Conservancy by-law number three,

[1:22:14] Trustee Fast: cited as Islands Trust Conservancy Meeting Procedures

[1:22:17] Trustee Fast: by-law 2019, amendment by-law number one, 2022,

[1:22:21] Trustee Fast: 22 be read a second time the seconder

[1:22:26] Trustee Stamford: trustee smith um all all those in favor and that passes

[1:22:36] Trustee Fast: that the islands trust conservancy bill uh bylaw number three cited as islands trust

[1:22:42] Trustee Fast: conservancy meeting procedures bylaw 2019 amendment bylaw number one 2022 be read a third

[1:22:50] Trustee Stamford: seconder trustee adams all those in favor and that passes thank you do i

[1:22:59] Trustee Fast: need to add one that's

[1:23:02] Trustee Fast: in the other ones about uh and that the um bylaw be sent to executive committee or where does it

[1:23:08] Trustee Fast: go to from here it

[1:23:10] Trustee Stamford (probable): wouldn't go to the executive no

[1:23:12] Trustee Fast: um

[1:23:13] Trustee Stamford (probable): because we are our own decision it just

[1:23:15] Trustee Fast: comes back to us later thank you i

[1:23:18] Trustee Fast: think i'd like to

[1:23:19] Trustee Stamford: remind some trustees that we are our own

[1:23:21] Trustee Stamford: creature not you guys thank you very much okay thanks for that um so let's move on um our next

[1:23:35] Trustee Stamford: item for items for discussion is the 2021 covenant management projects we've got a briefing here

[1:23:41] Trustee Stamford: here um

[1:23:42] Trustee Stamford (probable): i'm just going to note for the chair that we actually have a late item right in there i'm

[1:23:49] Trustee Stamford (probable): just trying to put

[1:23:50] Trustee Stamford: that in myself so let's go to 6.1.5 board training sorry about that um

[1:23:57] Trustee Stamford: are you comfortable speaking to this uh trustee smith sure

[1:24:05] Trustee Smith: yeah uh maybe i'll speak to the first

[1:24:08] Trustee Smith: one first we'd already approved that four people could attend the salish ecosystem conference and

[1:24:15] Trustee Smith: we allocated 200 for that but when i went to register i realized that the registration fee

[1:24:21] Trustee Smith: was 50 us so it came out to approximately 65 dollars per person canadian so we actually need

[1:24:29] Trustee Smith: to have a new resolution to take that into account so it's the same resolution we already

[1:24:35] Trustee Smith: already um approved except that in this case we're allocating up to usd 200 for registration

[1:24:43] Trustee Smith: it's the us dollars part so that people can get reimbursed so that's the first one okay so there's

[1:24:51] Trustee Smith: no other

[1:24:51] Trustee Stamford: both of the yeah okay well

[1:24:53] Trustee Stamford: let's do them let's just do them one at a time if there's no

[1:24:55] Trustee Stamford: other questions if you wouldn't mind reading the

[1:24:58] Trustee Smith: motion that the islands trust conservancy board

[1:25:01] Trustee Smith: rescind resolution ITC 2021-058 and approve attendance

[1:25:07] Trustee Smith: at the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

[1:25:10] Trustee Smith: for trustees Fast, Fenton, Stanford and Smith

[1:25:13] Trustee Smith: and allocated up to 200, shouldn't it just be allocate?

[1:25:17] Trustee Smith: I think there might be a bit of a typo there,

[1:25:19] Trustee Smith: up to $200 US for registration.

[1:25:23] Trustee Smith: Do I have a seconder?

[1:25:26] Trustee Stamford: Trustee Fenton?

[1:25:28] Trustee Stamford: All those in favor?

[1:25:32] Trustee Stamford: And that passes, thank you.

[1:25:34] Trustee Stamford: and then the next one if you just like to introduce it briefly yeah

[1:25:38] Trustee Smith: so uh you'll remember

[1:25:39] Trustee Smith: there was a lot of emails back and forth about this e-summit of the pan canadian parks and

[1:25:45] Trustee Smith: protected areas research network and we decided to put in a proposal i wrote that put it in it

[1:25:51] Trustee Smith: was accepted uh kate louise kindly agreed to give uh we were accepted not actually what we wanted

[1:25:58] Trustee Smith: but anyways it's to give a 15 minute presentation on a panel and Kate Louise is going to give it

[1:26:06] Trustee Smith: I'm helping her prepare it and I will attend also to answer questions we also didn't know at the

[1:26:12] Trustee Smith: time that there was a registration fee the fee is 140 dollars per person Kate Emmings said that

[1:26:20] Trustee Smith: there is a budget for this and I actually personally looked at I was a bit worried about

[1:26:25] Trustee Smith: this because I didn't realize this would come up and I looked at the training budget for the

[1:26:31] Trustee Smith: board and we have actually quite a bit of money in there so it seemed like it

[1:26:36] Trustee Fenton (probable): was

[1:26:37] Trustee Smith: okay so that's

[1:26:38] Trustee Smith: what this is to approve the attendance of Kate Louise and myself at this e-summit to talk about

[1:26:44] Trustee Smith: the Islands Trust Conservancy and hopefully to network with other sort of municipal level

[1:26:51] Trustee Smith: or local government level trust like our own

[1:26:55] Trustee Smith: and make connections on how they're working.

[1:26:59] Trustee Smith: So that's it.

[1:27:00] Trustee Smith: Any questions?

[1:27:01] Trustee Stamford: Yes,

[1:27:02] Trustee Fast: trustee Fast.

[1:27:03] Trustee Fast: Thank you.

[1:27:04] Trustee Fast: I support the idea and the proposals

[1:27:06] Trustee Fast: and the work that's gone into it already.

[1:27:08] Trustee Fast: My only question is,

[1:27:09] Trustee Fast: is this US dollars or Canadian dollars?

[1:27:11] Trustee Fast: It's Canadian dollars.

[1:27:13] Trustee Fast: Thank you.

[1:27:14] Trustee Fast: Good question.

[1:27:15] Trustee Smith: Yeah, it better be, it's in Canada.

[1:27:17] Trustee Smith: It's actually-

[1:27:19] Trustee Smith: I didn't know.

[1:27:19] Trustee Fast: Canadian

[1:27:20] Trustee Smith: Parks and Protected Areas Network, but that would make that make me really mad.

[1:27:28] Voice 9: Trustees Adams, do you have a question?

[1:27:30] Voice 9: Well, it's a similar question. I wondered if we should say up to 300 in case there's taxes or fees or I don't know, something.

[1:27:39] Voice 9: So we don't have to come back.

[1:27:40] Voice 9: Yeah, yeah,

[1:27:41] Trustee Stamford: that's a good idea. Yeah.

[1:27:43] Trustee Stamford: Friendly amendment up to 300.

[1:27:46] Trustee Fenton (probable): Yeah,

[1:27:47] Trustee Stamford: 3000 is good.

[1:27:49] Trustee Stamford: Dwight, so if you wouldn't mind reading the motion, Risa, and then we can get a seconder.

[1:27:56] Trustee Smith: That the Islands Trust Conservancy Board approves attendance at eSummit of the Pan-Canadian Parks and Protected Areas Research Network for Trustees Stanford and Smith and allocate up to $300 for registration.

[1:28:10] Trustee Stamford: Do I have a seconder?

[1:28:11] Trustee Stamford: Trustee Fast?

[1:28:13] Trustee Stamford: And I'll hold the vote.

[1:28:15] Trustee Stamford: All those in favor?

[1:28:19] Trustee Stamford: Thank you for getting that all swordhead.

[1:28:22] Trustee Stamford: trustee smith uh makes it all nice and clear and just a reminder if you haven't already done so

[1:28:28] Trustee Stamford: um those of you that are attending the salish sea conference to do so before the end to register

[1:28:35] Trustee Stamford: before the end of the month because i think the feed goes up after that um and so now um

[1:28:43] Trustee Stamford: where we are. Oh, the Covenant Management Projects briefing.

[1:28:49] Voice 13: So we have

[1:28:50] Trustee Stamford (probable): two items coming up that are to describe some of the property management work

[1:28:55] Trustee Stamford (probable): we've been doing over the last year to bring the board up to speed because we haven't really been

[1:29:00] Trustee Stamford (probable): showcasing some of the efforts that have been happening. So we have Gemma Green, who's going

[1:29:06] Trustee Stamford (probable): to talk to us about property management work in covenant areas. And then Nuala Murphy is going to

[1:29:11] Trustee Stamford (probable): follow to talk about property management activities in nature reserves. Both of them

[1:29:16] Trustee Stamford (probable): have prepared some slides, as I understand it, so I'm going to hand over the reins to them

[1:29:21] Trustee Stamford (probable): to go through their briefings.

[1:29:26] Voice 7: Yeah, thanks, Kate. So I'll just share my screen and you can

[1:29:30] Voice 7: just let me know if you see my slides. Do we have success? Yes. Great. Okay, so hopefully you can

[1:29:44] Voice 7: still see my slides wonderful

[1:29:46] Voice 13: okay

[1:29:48] Voice 7: so staff thought we would take this um opportunity uh

[1:29:54] Voice 7: this january board meeting as an opportunity to look back on the special grant-funded management

[1:30:00] Voice 7: projects implemented in ITC Covenant lands in 2021 and share highlights with the board.

[1:30:08] Voice 7: Species and ecosystems at risk projects were made possible in 2021 by Environment and Climate

[1:30:14] Voice 7: Change Canada's Canada Nature Fund grant and invasive species projects were funded by the

[1:30:21] Voice 7: Conservation Economic Stimulus Initiative of the province of BC. So our most ambitious project of

[1:30:31] Voice 7: 2021 was habitat enhancement for species at risk in the Mount Tuam Protected Area Covenant on Salt

[1:30:38] Voice 7: Spring Island. The Mount Tuam Protected Area Covenant is found within a species at risk hot

[1:30:44] Voice 7: spot on Mount Tuam. 12 species at risk have already been recorded in the covenant area

[1:30:50] Voice 7: and that includes two species of wildflower and three species of butterfly and then in the

[1:30:57] Voice 7: surrounding protected areas in the Mount Tuam special management area there are a further

[1:31:01] Voice 7: 22 species at risk confirmed and these species may also use the covenant area.

[1:31:11] Voice 7: As we are all aware historically Gary oak meadows were maintained by controlled burning by First

[1:31:17] Voice 7: Nations and regular low intensity wildfire. The at-risk Gary oak ecosystems on Mount Tuam

[1:31:24] Voice 7: have been degraded over time by historic domestic sheep herds as well as hyperabundant deer

[1:31:30] Voice 7: populations and this herbivory pressure combined with shading from encroaching Douglas fir and

[1:31:36] Voice 7: other woody vegetation as well as competition from invasive plants and thatch buildup from

[1:31:41] Voice 7: invasive grasses has resulted in a site that's depopulate of the native wildflowers that are

[1:31:47] Voice 7: needed to support pollinators and other species at risk and wildlife in general. So the goal of

[1:31:55] Voice 7: this project was to work with local species at risk biologists to protect and augment

[1:31:59] Voice 7: populations of endangered wildflowers and to enhance habitat for pollinators and other species

[1:32:05] Voice 7: at risk through the establishment of a one acre exclosure and the planting and seeding of native

[1:32:11] Voice 7: plants. So the exclosure fence was erected in March of 2021 and by early spring

[1:32:19] Voice 7: species at risk surveys had identified 22 new coastal schoolers catch fly and 382 yellow

[1:32:28] Voice 7: montane violet plants and both of these are federally listed as endangered. These were all

[1:32:33] Voice 7: identified within the exclosure fence and these numbers are quite significant. For example

[1:32:39] Voice 7: coastal schoolers catch fly. Its population, its known population on Mount Tuam was increased by 31%

[1:32:49] Voice 7: with this discovery. Over the course of the year, baseline pollinator surveys and opportunistic

[1:32:57] Voice 7: surveys identified three provincially red-listed butterflies within the Covenant area, including

[1:33:02] Voice 7: including Propertius duskywing, common wood nymph, and Xerene fritillary,

[1:33:08] Voice 7: the last of which is only found on Mount Tuam

[1:33:12] Voice 7: and requires yellow montane violet and other violet species

[1:33:15] Voice 7: as host plants for their larvane eggs.

[1:33:18] Voice 7: I should say only found on Mount Tuam in Canada.

[1:33:21] Voice 7: There aren't known populations in the States.

[1:33:26] Voice 7: So there are also surveys for bats.

[1:33:29] Voice 7: And so these were baseline acoustic bat surveys

[1:33:33] Voice 7: that would be compared with future years of bat surveys

[1:33:37] Voice 7: to see the change over time in response

[1:33:38] Voice 7: to the native flora augmentation.

[1:33:43] Voice 7: And spectrograms from the acoustic bat surveys

[1:33:47] Voice 7: indicated nine species of bat over the exposure,

[1:33:50] Voice 7: including the endangered little brown myotis

[1:33:53] Voice 7: and the provincially blue-listed townsend big-eared bat.

[1:34:00] Voice 7: And project activities culminated in a massive planting

[1:34:04] Voice 7: planting and seeding effort in October, which some of the staff at ITC were able to assist

[1:34:09] Voice 7: with.

[1:34:09] Voice 7: In total, over 20,000 plants, corms, and bulbs were transplanted into the one acre exclosure,

[1:34:16] Voice 7: including a further 124 coastal schoolers' catchfly grown from seed collected on Mount

[1:34:23] Voice 7: Tuam in 2020, in addition to an estimated 2 million seeds that were sown at about 500

[1:34:32] Voice 7: seeds per meter square in a mix of 25 species, 12 of which were collected by biologists on Mount

[1:34:39] Voice 7: Tuam in 2021, so local provenance. According to the species at risk biologist, native plant supplier,

[1:34:47] Voice 7: and to my own knowledge, this project represents the most intensive Gary Oak ecosystem restoration

[1:34:52] Voice 7: effort to date in Canada, with the largest number of native species installed and the largest volume

[1:34:59] Voice 7: of seed sown into an existing meadow site. This is also the largest restoration effort that we

[1:35:05] Voice 7: know of in the region designed specifically for pollinator habitat enhancement and burial ecosystems.

[1:35:13] Voice 7: So before I move on to the next project, does anyone have any questions about this one?

[1:35:21] Voice 7: Happy to take questions at the end if anything comes to mind. So another project we worked on

[1:35:27] Voice 7: this year was preparing for surveys and eDNA research on sharp-tailed snakes in IDC protected

[1:35:34] Voice 7: protected areas. In the spring of 2021, we worked with two local species at risk biologists to

[1:35:41] Voice 7: prepare two covenants and three nature reserves for traditional surveys and environmental DNA or

[1:35:48] Voice 7: eDNA research. The sharp-tailed snake is the subject of this project, and it is federally

[1:35:54] Voice 7: endangered and provincially red-listed. The sharp-tailed snake is a small cryptic species

[1:36:02] Voice 7: that spends most of its life underground.

[1:36:05] Voice 7: Traditional survey methods use artificial cover objects

[1:36:08] Voice 7: or ACOs for short, to detect these snakes

[1:36:11] Voice 7: without disturbing their natural habitat.

[1:36:14] Voice 7: ACOs are small asphalt shingles that are placed

[1:36:17] Voice 7: on the surface of the ground in suitable habitat.

[1:36:22] Voice 7: ACOs, the snakes naturally thermoregulate

[1:36:25] Voice 7: under rocks and woody debris, but they'll also use ACOs.

[1:36:28] Voice 7: So the idea being that you can search

[1:36:31] Voice 7: for shark-tailed snakes without disturbing their natural habitat. The problem with traditional

[1:36:37] Voice 7: surveys is they require repeated searching under ACOs during periods of peak snake activity in

[1:36:44] Voice 7: spring and fall. So they are effective but they're not efficient. So we placed six pairs of ACOs

[1:36:55] Voice 7: in Gary Oak's Naptep Covenant on North Pender

[1:36:59] Voice 7: and 15 pairs of ACOs in the new Moss Mountain Covenant

[1:37:04] Voice 7: on Salt Spring Island.

[1:37:06] Voice 7: That's Moss Mountain, not Mouse Mountain.

[1:37:12] Voice 7: So the hope for future years is to use these ACOs

[1:37:16] Voice 7: that were placed to couple traditional survey methods

[1:37:20] Voice 7: with the innovative use of environmental DNA.

[1:37:25] Voice 7: The goals of such a project are not only to support

[1:37:27] Voice 7: the development of this innovative technique as an alternative that is cost effective and also

[1:37:33] Voice 7: non-invasive but more importantly to confirm the presence of shark-tailed snake in ITC protected

[1:37:40] Voice 7: areas to guide on-the-ground management activities but also to use new occurrences to increase the

[1:37:46] Voice 7: known distribution of this species and propose critical habitat designation. So that was the

[1:37:54] Voice 7: the Shark-Tilled Snake Project activities for 2021.

[1:37:57] Voice 7: Any questions there?

[1:38:01] Trustee Fast: Trustee Fast.

[1:38:02] Trustee Fast: Thank you.

[1:38:03] Trustee Fast: I just have a quick question about the asphalt shingles

[1:38:06] Trustee Fast: and if there's, is there,

[1:38:09] Trustee Fast: I remember turning over asphalt shingles

[1:38:12] Trustee Fast: and the scent that could come up from them.

[1:38:14] Trustee Fast: Is there a less active substance that could be used

[1:38:22] Trustee Fast: or is there a reason that the petroleum product is preferred?

[1:38:26] Trustee Fast: or is it just handy?

[1:38:28] Voice 7: I think it's, it stands up to a lot of, you know, all of the environmental

[1:38:35] Voice 7: forces acting on it. It also warms up really nicely, making it very appealing to the snakes.

[1:38:41] Voice 7: And it's fairly affordable. So that's, you know, that's the best material that we've settled on

[1:38:48] Voice 7: so far. Yeah,

[1:38:49] Trustee Fast: that's great. I'm, I'm just, I'm, if it works, you find the snakes, and doesn't

[1:38:55] Trustee Fast: blow away either I'm yeah okay thank you it does actually

[1:38:58] Voice 7: yeah it's a great question it does

[1:39:00] Voice 7: actually blow away and and some people you put a rock on part of it to to keep it down yeah

[1:39:06] Voice 7: thank

[1:39:07] Voice 13: you okay no other questions so

[1:39:17] Voice 7: yes parrot's feather so um moving on from species at risk to an

[1:39:22] Voice 7: invasive species. So our other project, this was a conservation economic stimulus initiative project

[1:39:31] Voice 7: was done in Dragonfly Pond Covenant on Sydney Island. So this was in response to the rediscovery

[1:39:37] Voice 7: of the highly invasive exotic aquatic plant parrot's feather and that was rediscovered in 2020

[1:39:44] Voice 7: 2020 by ITC staff. So in 2021, we worked with Dr. Catherine Tarasoff of AgroWest Consulting

[1:39:54] Voice 7: Scientists to develop a project to trial the use of the benthic barrier method. These are

[1:40:02] Voice 7: gas and permeable mats to control parrot's feather. Dr. Tarasoff is an expert in the use

[1:40:09] Voice 7: of this method to treat other aquatic invasive plants such as yellow flag iris

[1:40:13] Voice 7: and Eurasian water milfoil. So she believed it could be effective at treating parrot's feather

[1:40:18] Voice 7: in the same way and it works by both shading and suffocating the plant. This method requires

[1:40:26] Voice 7: specific conditions for installation and despite monitoring water level for months to ensure it

[1:40:32] Voice 7: was low enough for us to work in, when it came time for installation we found that water levels

[1:40:37] Voice 7: were deceptively high and so the experiment could not be implemented as originally designed.

[1:40:42] Voice 7: We not only had to modify the experimental design, but we had to ensure the benthic barrier mats were secured with over 150 large rocks, instead of hardware pounded into the pond bottom, which is the ideal.

[1:41:00] Voice 7: So in spite of 150 rocks placed on the benthic barrier mats, within two weeks the matting had been entirely lifted by the gas from decomposing vegetation at the pond bed.

[1:41:09] Voice 7: and this prompted the treatments to be removed entirely in October, much earlier than planned.

[1:41:16] Voice 7: You can see how we would perceive this project as having failed, looking at the parrot's feather

[1:41:22] Voice 7: within the treatment area. So like I say, the treatment was entirely removed after four months

[1:41:30] Voice 7: instead of having three trials, a three-month period, a two-year, and a one-year. However,

[1:41:39] Voice 7: However, though the project didn't go as planned, this trial was a great learning experience.

[1:41:44] Voice 7: It actually gave us some interesting results, which Catherine Teresoff is going to be presenting at the Invasive Species Forum later this spring.

[1:41:53] Voice 7: Despite the fact that the benthic barrier mat was floated and only in place for four months,

[1:41:58] Voice 7: it appeared to have successfully killed almost all of the parrot's feather that it was intended to,

[1:42:04] Voice 7: supporting the use of this method in more suitable areas where the benthic berry mats can be more

[1:42:12] Voice 7: effectively installed or where the mats can be applied over the entire infested area so you

[1:42:18] Voice 7: don't get any parrot's feather floating back in. Oh, any questions about this project?

[1:42:26] Voice 7: project

[1:42:28] Voice 13: yeah um yes uh

[1:42:31] Trustee Stamford: is there an opportunity to rethink this and try it again if you've got

[1:42:38] Trustee Stamford: any other options on i mean even though there's a certain amount of success you do want to be

[1:42:43] Trustee Stamford: able to have it in there without worrying about flotation issues yeah i'm

[1:42:48] Trustee Stamford: just wondering if

[1:42:49] Trustee Stamford: they're going to rethink the the experiment so

[1:42:52] Voice 7: there are a couple of ideas that came to mind

[1:42:55] Voice 7: one is that suffocating wasn't we didn't effectively suffocate the plants with the

[1:43:02] Voice 7: benthic barrier mats because of the floating but shading proved to be successful and that's

[1:43:08] Voice 7: something we knew about parrot's feather but hasn't been trialed extensively so you know we

[1:43:16] Voice 7: could do floating floating mats for example to try and shade the parrot's feather or we can we

[1:43:22] Voice 7: we could do the same treatment with the benthic barrier mats,

[1:43:25] Voice 7: but cover the entire area of parrot's feather infestation

[1:43:30] Voice 7: instead of doing a discrete treatment area.

[1:43:32] Voice 7: And that way you've treated all of the parrot's feather

[1:43:35] Voice 7: and smothered all of the parrot's feather

[1:43:37] Voice 7: and you don't get any parrot's feather floating back in.

[1:43:39] Voice 7: So those are two things we could try.

[1:43:41] Voice 7: And another approach that they use in Ontario

[1:43:44] Voice 7: where they also have parrot's feather

[1:43:45] Voice 7: is just manual removal.

[1:43:48] Voice 7: And then you

[1:43:49] Voice 7: have to come back year after year

[1:43:50] Voice 7: to attend to the fragments that are created.

[1:43:52] Voice 7: and the plants repropagate from that.

[1:43:54] Voice 7: But it is effective, but it's not very efficient.

[1:44:00] Voice 7: Trustee Smith.

[1:44:04] Trustee Smith: This actually, this is really fascinating to me,

[1:44:08] Trustee Smith: not for the reasons that you described.

[1:44:11] Trustee Smith: So one of the biggest problems in relation to climate change

[1:44:14] Trustee Smith: with these freshwater mineral wetlands is,

[1:44:20] Trustee Smith: like, are they carbon sinks or sources?

[1:44:23] Trustee Smith: And the biggest problem is the methane that comes off of them

[1:44:26] Trustee Smith: just naturally. And so you're telling me that you put down these barriers, which I don't know if the

[1:44:34] Trustee Smith: barriers stimulated the production of the bacteria that caused the methane release, or if that was

[1:44:44] Trustee Smith: happening anyways, and you just got to see the function of it. But when you're doing something

[1:44:49] Trustee Smith: like this, that this is an area that is so lacking in research, and people are desperate to answer

[1:44:55] Trustee Smith: with these kinds of questions so i find this absolutely amazing that you found i i'm presuming

[1:45:01] Trustee Smith: that this gas off was methane and that uh i don't know you either found a way to stimulate it or

[1:45:09] Trustee Smith: control it or you could maybe measure it but there's a very strong link between your results

[1:45:15] Trustee Smith: and a pressing question on on wetlands and climate change so i don't know i'd really like to speak to

[1:45:24] Trustee Smith: the maybe Catherine and think about whether we could measure some of that stuff in future

[1:45:29] Trustee Smith: experiments using this technique that's fascinating thanks not for the reasons you thought maybe but

[1:45:36] Voice 7: that is fascinating and um we hadn't we've been so fixated on the parrot's feather that we didn't

[1:45:42] Voice 7: think about that aspect of it and I think that um there's a very active ecological stewardship

[1:45:47] Voice 7: committee on Sydney Island made up of owners of the strata and I think they would be very um

[1:45:53] Voice 7: supportive of a researcher from somewhere doing that kind of research in dragonfly pond.

[1:45:59] Voice 7: But yeah, that would be really interesting. I think it's a great candidate site,

[1:46:06] Voice 7: it's certainly producing a lot of gas. Okay, any other questions? Okay, thank you.

[1:46:16] Voice 7: So back to Species at Risk and back to Link Island. This year we built on previous years

[1:46:24] Voice 7: of work by ornithologist Wren Ferguson to better understand and enhance breeding habitat for the

[1:46:31] Voice 7: federally threatened provincially blue listed western screech owl which is known to live on

[1:46:37] Voice 7: Link Island. So under the guidance of Wren Ferguson the goals of this project were to monitor western

[1:46:43] Voice 7: screech owls using a variety of survey methods, inventory wildlife trees and trees with viable

[1:46:50] Voice 7: available nest cavities, check cavities for possible nests, and identify trees with appropriate

[1:46:55] Voice 7: surrounding habitat for nest boxes, in which we would install up to eight nest boxes.

[1:47:04] Voice 7: In terms of project outcomes, 10 hectares of habitat were searched in 2021, 10 trees

[1:47:11] Voice 7: with a total of 13 cavities were found that appeared to be the appropriate size and condition

[1:47:16] Voice 7: for western screech owls to nest, and eight nest boxes were installed in areas of suitable habitat

[1:47:23] Voice 7: for fledged juveniles. And what is perhaps the most exciting outcome of 2021 was that more western

[1:47:30] Voice 7: screech owls were detected than in previous years. Surveys obtained visual, great visuals,

[1:47:39] Voice 7: some photos, audio recordings of western screech owls, and through these we were able to identify

[1:47:46] Voice 7: two males, one female, and one juvenile.

[1:47:50] Voice 7: The work from this project and previous work from Lincoln Island is being used to inform

[1:47:54] Voice 7: the federal recovery plan for western screech owls, which is forecast to be published this

[1:47:59] Voice 7: spring.

[1:48:02] Voice 7: Any questions about western screech owl work?

[1:48:09] Trustee Fast: Trustee Fast?

[1:48:10] Trustee Fast: Just a quick question.

[1:48:13] Trustee Fast: Lincoln Island, I mean, I don't know, I haven't been there, I don't know the size.

[1:48:18] Trustee Fast: do you have uh barred owls there or are they close by enough that it would be part of a regular range

[1:48:26] Trustee Fast: there

[1:48:27] Voice 7: are barred owls and interestingly um we got some great horned owl um audio recordings as well

[1:48:35] Voice 7: from link island through this work and um the the ornithologist has a theory that um western

[1:48:42] Voice 7: screech owls are too small to be of interest to great horned owls so by kind of getting in there

[1:48:49] Voice 7: in their habitat range or their territories they're kind of protected from barred owls

[1:48:55] Voice 7: in that way so interesting that would

[1:49:00] Trustee Stamford: have been my next question

[1:49:00] Voice 7: thank you

[1:49:02] Voice 7: yeah interesting yeah

[1:49:06] Voice 7: okay second last project back to invasive species and back to dragonfly pond on sydney island

[1:49:14] Voice 7: The CESI grant was the catalyst for ITC to undertake its first attempt at controlling American bullfrogs in Dragonfly Pond, since the priority invasive species was first detected in 2016.

[1:49:30] Voice 7: So in September 2021, a bullfrog control specialist surveyed Dragonfly Pond and observed approximately 25 individuals.

[1:49:41] Voice 7: 11 of these individuals were captured and euthanized.

[1:49:45] Voice 7: They included one mature male, three young males, four young females, and three juveniles.

[1:49:53] Voice 7: Fortunately, none of the females were egg-bearing, and it is likely that all were too young to have produced eggs in 2021.

[1:50:01] Voice 7: The contractor also collected two voucher tadpoles, and they look to have hatched in 2021 and would not have metamorphosed until 2023.

[1:50:13] Voice 7: So they take two years to fully develop.

[1:50:15] Voice 7: um so that was a good sign and in nearby uh also ITC covenanted ponds woodpecker pond and

[1:50:26] Voice 7: kingfisher pond the contractor surveyed and found no bullfrogs of any life stage which is what we

[1:50:33] Voice 7: suspected but we're very glad to have that um confirmed so in case you're wondering about the

[1:50:42] Voice 7: low capture rate, he observed 25 and only caught 11, and the low population observed.

[1:50:51] Voice 7: This was due to the suboptimal timing of the work, so bullfrogs generally become less active

[1:50:59] Voice 7: as the summer goes on and by the end of September they're heading into the places where they'll

[1:51:07] Voice 7: spend the winter, they're generally less active, and they're concentrated in the warmer areas of

[1:51:13] Voice 7: the pond. And in this case, in the case of Dragonfly Pond, these were the densely vegetated

[1:51:18] Voice 7: areas of the pond that were really difficult for the contractor to access in his boat.

[1:51:24] Voice 7: So what the hope is, is that the contractor can return in 2023 during the peak period of

[1:51:33] Voice 7: peak activity and um and survey for bullfrogs then and the hope is that we can have confirmation

[1:51:41] Voice 7: be really confident that there are no bullfrogs in kingfisher or woodpecker ponds and that um

[1:51:48] Voice 7: that he could remove all of the bullfrogs that are in dragonfly pond and it is possible this

[1:51:53] Voice 7: contractor has removed over 700 bullfrogs in the span of one night so that's the hope for dragonfly

[1:52:00] Voice 7: And with such an estimated low population, we think that it is possible.

[1:52:07] Voice 7: So that's the bullfrog project for 2021. Any questions?

[1:52:13] Voice 7: Okay. And lastly, and this is relevant, we just looked at a notice of allowable annual harvest for Lot 2 of the Tate Covenant.

[1:52:27] Voice 7: this this project of Gary Oak inventory in the whole covenant area was spurred by the notice

[1:52:35] Voice 7: of allowable annual harvest which the board saw in the winter of 2021 so about this time last year

[1:52:41] Voice 7: we received the first notice of an allowable annual harvest and this got us a little bit

[1:52:48] Voice 7: worried because we didn't know where any of the protected Gary Oaks were in the covenant area

[1:52:52] Voice 7: area and so it was going to be really difficult to monitor whether there was any violations of

[1:52:58] Voice 7: the covenant agreement in the sense that all of the Gary Oaks even dead ones were protected in

[1:53:03] Voice 7: this covenant area. So we had a actual a very generous volunteer offer to inventory all of

[1:53:13] Voice 7: the Gary Oak trees in the covenant in the fall of last year and here is one of his photos of

[1:53:21] Voice 7: the clump. These are Gary Oaks number 38 through 44 in the Covenant area. And the outcome was this

[1:53:28] Voice 7: wonderful map of the locations of all of the Gary Oak trees in the Covenant area across all four

[1:53:36] Voice 7: lots. And so we now have the location, the coordinates, pictures, each tree, their size,

[1:53:46] Voice 7: their condition, a vulnerability score, and all of these trees also have a metal tag with their

[1:53:53] Voice 7: number on it. So this allows us to go back year over year and make sure that the oak trees that

[1:53:59] Voice 7: were present in 2021 are still preserved. And that was also made possible with Species at Risk

[1:54:07] Voice 7: program funding. And that's it for all of the special grant funded projects in covenant areas

[1:54:13] Voice 7: is in 2021.

[1:54:14] Trustee Stamford: That's fantastic. I can't say how wonderful that having these two reports

[1:54:24] Trustee Stamford: and the one Catherine, is Catherine going to do a report

[1:54:26] Trustee Stamford (probable): too? Nuala is going to do one on our

[1:54:30] Trustee Stamford (probable): nature reserves. And I just

[1:54:31] Trustee Stamford (probable): wanted to let you know that Carmen Smith, who's our new communications

[1:54:35] Trustee Stamford (probable): officer, actually did a very quick communications reel on these that she's used in on our Facebook

[1:54:42] Trustee Stamford (probable): post then she's going to share the link in the in the chat if board members are interested in that

[1:54:46] Trustee Stamford: great i i'm just gonna um pause for a couple minutes i i want to just do a bit more um

[1:54:52] Trustee Stamford: business but first um because i'm gonna have to leave at 2 30 in order to make a ferry so

[1:55:00] Trustee Stamford: um if it's okay i have a couple of comments about these two presentations um the just the reports

[1:55:09] Trustee Stamford: by themselves I think should be sent out to our partner conservation organizations across the

[1:55:18] Trustee Stamford: islands and also if we can have them put separately on our web page so they're easy

[1:55:26] Trustee Stamford: easily accessible I'd like to be able to profile them to other trustees and the reason is

[1:55:32] Trustee Stamford: I won't be able to be here for 8.1, but I just want to very briefly outline some of the activity that I'm doing with the Finance Committee on behalf of the Islands Trust Conservancy, and that there is a really strong push to reduce the budget as much as possible.

[1:55:53] Trustee Stamford: So it has been quite challenging to maintain our projects going forward.

[1:56:00] Trustee Stamford: And it's taking a lot of, it's all good, but you have to be on your toes to make sure that

[1:56:07] Trustee Stamford: our interests are always maintained within the trust.

[1:56:12] Trustee Stamford: And I think items like this would go a long way to helping trustees on an individual basis

[1:56:19] Trustee Stamford: understand how the SARA funding works and what the science is being done.

[1:56:26] Trustee Stamford: Just generally, I think there's a lot of opportunities with just even the reports by themselves to show people what the Conservancy does.

[1:56:37] Trustee Stamford: So one of the things I'm going to be doing is on Thursday evening, participating in the Islands Trust first webinar on the budget.

[1:56:44] Trustee Stamford: and i will be uh speaking to the conservancy side of that um so i just want to let that stand

[1:56:54] Trustee Stamford: and how people want to move forward with that before i have to leave at 2 30 and so um unless

[1:57:04] Trustee Stamford: there's any other questions to me um if it's okay i would like to hand over the reins to trustee fast

[1:57:11] Trustee Stamford: and yeah i just found those reports so useful and really good to to have as as resource tools

[1:57:19] Trustee Stamford: keep it going so are you okay

[1:57:24] Trustee Stamford: trustee fast i can just leave this perfect i

[1:57:28] Trustee Fast: just stepped away for a

[1:57:29] Trustee Fast: minute so i'm fine now and uh

[1:57:31] Trustee Fast: do

[1:57:32] Trustee Stamford: we want to take a five minute bio break um

[1:57:37] Trustee Stamford (probable): that's a at the

[1:57:39] Trustee Stamford (probable): discussion of the board um i'm also curious in theory we were supposed to end at 2 30. do you

[1:57:43] Voice 13: want to

[1:57:44] Trustee Stamford (probable): take a few more minutes to go through this and and i think the other pieces of the board

[1:57:49] Trustee Stamford (probable): package could be fairly quick yeah um

[1:57:52] Trustee Stamford (probable): that might take 10 or 15 minutes yeah

[1:57:54] Trustee Stamford: um so i'm going to

[1:57:56] Trustee Stamford: leave it with the remainder of the board thank you for understanding my little weird situation today

[1:58:03] Trustee Stamford: so i'm going to leave you thank you all okay

[1:58:05] Trustee Fast: thank you chair and i'm seeing no urgent hands

[1:58:10] Trustee Fast: going up let's just continue uh then so i think we're on the um uh excuse me i had stepped away

[1:58:18] Trustee Fast: so are we moving into 6.3 now um

[1:58:21] Trustee Stamford (probable): we still had nula's um presentation of her brief which actually

[1:58:25] Trustee Stamford (probable): Actually, it is 6.2.2.

[1:58:30] Trustee Stamford (probable): Oh, that's right.

[1:58:31] Trustee Stamford (probable): Thank you.

[1:58:31] Trustee Stamford (probable): I've just put a circle around both of them.

[1:58:33] Trustee Stamford (probable): At the discretion of the chair

[1:58:34] Trustee Fast: or the vice chair.

[1:58:37] Trustee Fast: I find these really inspiring, and it's really good for us to be able to speak about the work of the Islands Trust Conservancy.

[1:58:46] Trustee Fast: So I would encourage you to please take it away, Nuala.

[1:58:50] Voice 1: Can you see my slide right now?

[1:58:53] Voice 1: Yes.

[1:58:53] Voice 1: Okay, perfect.

[1:58:54] Voice 1: Thank you.

[1:58:54] Voice 1: I can hear me.

[1:58:55] Voice 1: Okay.

[1:58:56] Voice 1: So Gemma's done a lot of the heavy lifting and explaining exactly, you know, a lot about these programs in the background to it.

[1:59:03] Voice 1: So hopefully I can just fly through here.

[1:59:04] Voice 1: I just wanted to say that nothing gets done without our partners on island.

[1:59:09] Voice 1: And they have been instrumental in absolutely everything we do.

[1:59:15] Voice 1: For Gemma already went over the budgets and having this additional funding this year has been really phenomenal.

[1:59:23] Voice 1: And to see what has happened on the island because of it is quite great.

[1:59:28] Voice 1: So Gambier Island restoration, there was a volunteer work party that had nine participants in March of 2021.

[1:59:38] Voice 1: And they had planted 56 casprous and 44 western red cedar seedlings.

[1:59:49] Voice 1: and we had the first check on those monitoring them when I went in September

[1:59:57] Voice 1: and some of them did not fare so well.

[2:00:00] Voice 1: after the very long dry summer, but it is a wet,

[2:00:03] Voice 1: supposed to be a wet area where those two species do well.

[2:00:09] Voice 1: And it's interesting, it's always a learning experience.

[2:00:12] Voice 1: And we were trying out some of the Sitka spruce seedlings

[2:00:15] Voice 1: that were not caged to see how they would do against browse.

[2:00:19] Voice 1: And unfortunately it wasn't the browse

[2:00:22] Voice 1: that seemed to be getting them,

[2:00:23] Voice 1: it was the drought that did,

[2:00:25] Voice 1: but they, I don't think they're dead quite yet.

[2:00:28] Voice 1: so hopefully there's going to be another work party in March this year and to deal with some

[2:00:36] Voice 1: of the cage improvements. Some of the trees start to grow out of the cage and or have the cages have

[2:00:42] Voice 1: to be snipped a little bit to allow for growth and there's going to be some invasive species removal

[2:00:48] Voice 1: for that too. So there were three different planting areas of the species of the cedar and

[2:00:55] Voice 1: and the Sitka Spruce.

[2:00:56] Voice 1: And just again, this restoration area

[2:00:59] Voice 1: has been ongoing since 2013.

[2:01:03] Voice 1: There was a borough pit, a gravel pit in one of the areas

[2:01:07] Voice 1: and the improvements are just astronomical

[2:01:12] Voice 1: in this almost decade.

[2:01:14] Voice 1: And it's completely down to the dedication

[2:01:16] Voice 1: of the Gambier Island Conservancy

[2:01:19] Voice 1: and the local participants who come out year after year

[2:01:24] Voice 1: and do everything they can to keep this project going. The Liskety Island restoration, Liskety

[2:01:31] Voice 1: saw a very exciting year due to this funding both for the three Salish View, John Oslin and

[2:01:37] Voice 1: Mount Tremenden nature reserves. With the SESI funding that Gemma spoke about, there's a picture

[2:01:44] Voice 1: of the Falls Bay school children collecting the plants that came on the ferry and they took them

[2:01:53] Voice 1: to John Oslin Nature Reserve, where they had a day of planting, even the bus driver and the teacher

[2:02:00] Voice 1: were there to help volunteer and help plant. There was an enhancement plan that was able to

[2:02:08] Voice 1: be written by SAR biologists with this funding. And they were able to put into place what over

[2:02:17] Voice 1: the years has been a kind of a hodgepodge of different things. There were individually caged

[2:02:22] Voice 1: plants and fenced areas and kind of getting a cohesive plan in place for the whole area

[2:02:30] Voice 1: was was really exciting to see that start to happen this year. So there were two fenced areas

[2:02:39] Voice 1: that saw the most of the new plants coming in that were there were 394 native plants planted

[2:02:47] Voice 1: in the two existing enclosures, which were here, F1 and F2.

[2:02:52] Voice 1: And then we also put in 50 meters of fencing

[2:02:56] Voice 1: for three smaller exclosures

[2:02:58] Voice 1: where there were individually caged species,

[2:03:01] Voice 1: but just to have a little bit more room in there.

[2:03:05] Voice 1: And some of the cages weren't doing so well,

[2:03:07] Voice 1: so to improve the fencing there.

[2:03:09] Voice 1: There right here on the fence

[2:03:12] Voice 1: was where a bat detector was placed in for two nights.

[2:03:14] Voice 1: um it's really interesting um and how Gemma spoke to the um the analysis that happens but there were

[2:03:26] Voice 1: 1096 readings picked up in one night um seven species were identified of those readings by

[2:03:33] Voice 1: a um by the bat expert that interpreted the spectrograms from that and um one endangered

[2:03:42] Voice 1: danger, the little brown myotis was found. As part of almost every restoration project,

[2:03:47] Voice 1: there is always invasive species removal, and here there was Himalayan blackberry that

[2:03:51] Voice 1: was removed at the same time. And in preparation, there was some done before the planting. Salish

[2:03:59] Voice 1: View Nature Reserve, again, there was a plan enhancement plan that was largely funded by

[2:04:03] Voice 1: the SAR funding last year, continued. Here are some happy plants on the Liskety Ferry

[2:04:10] Voice 1: heading to Liskiti. And they visited it in August to see how the previous year's planting had gone.

[2:04:18] Voice 1: There was 841 native plants that were planted last year. Again, due to the extreme hot and dry summer,

[2:04:24] Voice 1: there was some death, especially those species furthest away from the pond. It's a man-made

[2:04:30] Voice 1: pond there. And so we planted 131 native plants there this year within the existing exclosure,

[2:04:37] Voice 1: with 16 volunteers, 12 from the Muskegee Island Nature Conservancy, and four traveled from the

[2:04:44] Voice 1: Nanaimo Area Land Trust to help out there, a conservation partner on that property as well.

[2:04:52] Voice 1: So just to see from October 2020, when there was planting done, and the level of water in this

[2:05:00] Voice 1: pond obviously changes dramatically from time of year. So that was in October. And then in August,

[2:05:07] Voice 1: you can see something's doing okay something's not doing so well the again further away from the pond

[2:05:13] Voice 1: um and um and just speaks to how the monitoring from year to year is so important there is plans

[2:05:22] Voice 1: for um water uh cistern and water backpacks to help out this summer to actually do some

[2:05:29] Voice 1: some watering on site and finally for the skidi we have the mount tremenden nature reserve

[2:05:34] Voice 1: um this is very interesting project that's happening um again thanks to the link the

[2:05:41] Voice 1: luskete island nature conservancy and um the donor family of mount tremitin um and they have

[2:05:49] Voice 1: have a biologist on um who's working on a plan to have um various exclosures to keep out as you may

[2:05:59] Voice 1: know Laskiti has an active sheep population as well as deer. So there was 15, with the SESI

[2:06:06] Voice 1: funding we were able to hire a four-person fence building team and they did one fence

[2:06:14] Voice 1: exclosure there and then there was a variety of plots of plantings that 196 all together

[2:06:26] Voice 1: And they're also, for part of this project, incorporating natural regen too.

[2:06:32] Voice 1: So there were some plots that were surveyed before any planting and they're doing planting that are within the exclosure

[2:06:40] Voice 1: and they're doing the same amount of planting outside of the exclosure to see the difference of browse.

[2:06:47] Voice 1: And already, I think two weeks after planting, the ones that were not in the enclosure have almost disappeared.

[2:06:55] Voice 1: not surprising on musketeer. So it's interesting how they are doing specific species for the

[2:07:04] Voice 1: riparian bench and then other species for the more dry forest areas and they're trying to

[2:07:09] Voice 1: replicate each so each plot each of the eight plots have the same species. And then thankfully

[2:07:19] Voice 1: Gemma has already gone and explained more about the sharp-tailed snakes I don't really have to

[2:07:24] Voice 1: to go into that about the ACOs. Trincomalee on Galliano was four pairs and one single ACO

[2:07:31] Voice 1: were installed and four were found from previous installations and were found to be no longer in

[2:07:38] Voice 1: great habitat. They're here where there used to be some open space but now they've been infilled

[2:07:44] Voice 1: with different plantings and things and that actually the best places are on the cliff

[2:07:48] Voice 1: and where most the most sun and you can see though on this cliff there's lots of broom so again

[2:07:57] Voice 1: having invasive species removal in conjunction with any type of restoration is always needed

[2:08:04] Voice 1: and just the excitement of having SAR specialists on the ground because they often find things every

[2:08:11] Voice 1: time they go so you know they've red-legged frog and just little things that you might not even

[2:08:18] Voice 1: been, you know, most people wouldn't notice, but the trained eye can increase our species list of

[2:08:25] Voice 1: what we know is there. Moore Hill Nature Reserve, which we were speaking about for the management

[2:08:31] Voice 1: plan, there were 14 ACOs already there, and they've installed another 14 to make 14 pairs.

[2:08:39] Voice 1: And some, again, were moved to more optimal habitat characteristics and exposure, as Gemma

[2:08:44] Voice 1: spoke about. And the Serial Cunningham, which is on Salt Spring Island. Again, you can see one of

[2:08:55] Voice 1: the asphalt shingles here. And they, neat fact, they actually use nail polish to keep the numbers

[2:09:01] Voice 1: on because they're been, it lasts out in all the elements. And then the map of where they are so

[2:09:11] Voice 1: so that they can be, and there's GPS locations, so that they can be revisited during, as Gemma

[2:09:18] Voice 1: was saying, the peak times, which is in the spring and in the fall. So, sorry, that was very quick

[2:09:24] Voice 1: and dirty, but if you have any questions, please let me know.

[2:09:28] Trustee Fast: Other questions for Nuala? Thanks,

[2:09:35] Trustee Fast: I find this totally fascinating and inspiring, and why I love this meeting way more than others,

[2:09:42] Trustee Fast: yes so thank you nula that's great i um i just want to mention i saw claire freighter uh show

[2:09:50] Trustee Fast: up a couple times and i'm wondering claire did you wish to uh say something or if she does anybody

[2:09:58] Trustee Fast: know and i saw an email from you earlier today claire i wonder if that's what you want to speak

[2:10:03] Trustee Fast: about or whether you're just going to say hello please go ahead claire

[2:10:05] Voice 3: oh thank you no i joined

[2:10:07] Voice 3: joined earlier for your work program discussion just in case it was anything needed for me which

[2:10:12] Voice 3: there wasn't and i'm joining now just to experience the joy of property management and just be here

[2:10:18] Voice 3: present i've just been in and out because i've had other commitments um today but i just wanted

[2:10:22] Voice 3: to be here in support of staff and just keep in touch with what the conservancy board's doing

[2:10:26] Voice 3: right i wanted to i'm always here

[2:10:28] Voice 3: as a support and resource um but just want to acknowledge

[2:10:32] Voice 3: i know how staff how hard the team is working i want to acknowledge all the good work that's

[2:10:35] Voice 3: going on and um feel really privileged to be associated with this team and um and with the

[2:10:41] Voice 3: board too i really like um where things are going with the conservancy and um want to work with you

[2:10:46] Voice 3: to um you know be supportive however i can be yeah thank

[2:10:50] Trustee Fast: you thanks does anybody want to uh

[2:10:53] Trustee Fast: ask claire any questions since she's made time to join us or we can just carry on okay thank you

[2:11:01] Trustee Fast: thanks claire for joining us um i'm going to uh now look at the letters i see the first one

[2:11:08] Trustee Fast: in 6.3 uh unless anybody's got any questions for nula which i didn't see as the gabriola

[2:11:14] Trustee Fast: outreach letter um so that's one that um nula has uh or jemma sorry has um has signed there

[2:11:21] Trustee Fast: and uh i think this is for information unless people have questions for staff

[2:11:28] Trustee Stamford (probable): this is just part of our outreach work that we're doing in collaboration with the gabriola landon

[2:11:32] Trustee Stamford (probable): trails trust and so it's here just to let the board know we have communicated with the gabriel

[2:11:37] Trustee Stamford (probable): local trust committee as well as the planner over there to keep them informed and the project is

[2:11:42] Trustee Stamford (probable): just ticking along jemma's doing a lovely job very

[2:11:46] Trustee Fast: good okay thanks so that's more for information

[2:11:49] Trustee Fast: and then 6.3.2 is the sheil herrington letter uh asking the island's trust conservancy board

[2:11:57] Trustee Fast: board to consider uh getting involved in a book project uh did anybody want to speak to this or

[2:12:04] Trustee Fast: shall we just um

[2:12:06] Trustee Stamford (probable): i guess all i can say is this came in late in the week last week just in time

[2:12:12] Trustee Stamford (probable): for the board package to go out um so staff haven't really given a lot of thought to what

[2:12:17] Trustee Stamford (probable): we can offer except to say that um probably if we were to make a recommendation it would

[2:12:22] Trustee Stamford (probable): kind of scope in whatever the board decides to offer um one of the thoughts that i had in looking

[2:12:29] Trustee Stamford (probable): at it is we can offer to connect her with conservancy groups and with um folks uh like

[2:12:34] Trustee Stamford (probable): director um board members from the past that might be interested in contributing um and that's what i

[2:12:40] Trustee Stamford (probable): would suggest is that we make that offer yeah

[2:12:44] Trustee Fast: i think that's good because i think uh it will be

[2:12:48] Trustee Fast: kind of a retrospective wouldn't it be as a sort of case study and and uh i um i think that contact

[2:12:57] Trustee Fast: putting people in touch and maybe providing background info where we've got it i don't know

[2:13:02] Trustee Fast: what do you think board do you want to support this kind of uh should we provide some direction

[2:13:07] Trustee Fast: to staff i've seen a few books about the islands trust uh area and they do uh i mean books do tend

[2:13:19] Trustee Fast: And to stay on bookshelves and provide a long perspective.

[2:13:31] Trustee Fast: I'm not seeing any particular,

[2:13:33] Trustee Smith: go ahead, Risa.

[2:13:34] Trustee Smith: Oh, yeah, I just, I mean, obviously, it's that she's a good person, a great project.

[2:13:39] Trustee Smith: And I really like Kate's idea that we just offer to connect her with the right people.

[2:13:45] Trustee Smith: Yeah.

[2:13:46] Trustee Smith: Which I think would be very helpful to her, actually.

[2:13:49] Trustee Fast: Yeah.

[2:13:49] Trustee Fast: In fact, that's one of the first things she's sort of.

[2:13:52] Trustee Fast: i know i saw some emails earlier uh about the same kinds of questions yeah do we want to do

[2:14:00] Trustee Fast: you need some uh direction from us kate i

[2:14:02] Trustee Stamford (probable): don't think so um the only thing i is if the board

[2:14:06] Trustee Stamford (probable): wanted to put resources towards it but staff aren't we haven't had a chance to consider whether

[2:14:10] Trustee Stamford (probable): we would recommend that and um i think she might be happy with just being connected in with past

[2:14:15] Trustee Stamford (probable): board members and and other resources sure

[2:14:19] Trustee Fast: and i i would note we're uh as the vulnerable islands

[2:14:22] Trustee Fast: trust conservancy i mean islands trust conservancy is uh a member of the land trust alliance of bc

[2:14:28] Trustee Fast: is that correct that's right

[2:14:29] Trustee Fast: and you've been long time member and presenter i've seen so uh let's

[2:14:34] Trustee Fast: just leave it up to staff then hearing nothing else okay great thank you and then uh so we've got

[2:14:42] Trustee Fast: updates for information here that are in our agenda in case anybody's got questions or is

[2:14:49] Trustee Fast: looking for information from staff starting on page 172 I think any questions for staff

[2:15:00] Trustee Fast: a public acquisitions report moving on to the public covenants report any questions for staff

[2:15:10] Trustee Fast: starting on page 174 stop me if I'm going too fast but usually the people will have a question

[2:15:17] Trustee Fast: prepared

[2:15:18] Voice 5: i missed

[2:15:23] Trustee Fast: that doug did you have a question no no it's good

[2:15:26] Trustee Fenton (probable): all right with

[2:15:29] Trustee Fenton (probable): your uh moving on oh

[2:15:31] Trustee Fast: okay great and our budget report there on page 181

[2:15:35] Trustee Fast: any questions all right and then there's a building permit uh referral page 182

[2:15:47] Trustee Stamford (probable): and this is just provided as information our policy um all right we will notify the board

[2:15:54] Trustee Stamford (probable): but staff had a look at it and didn't see any concerns about where the location of the greenhouse

[2:15:59] Trustee Stamford (probable): was okay

[2:16:00] Trustee Fast: thank you and uh then we're into public comments and uh delegations i don't think we've

[2:16:06] Trustee Fast: got any today i see attendees is at zero uh so we've got 8.1 board member updates and kate louise

[2:16:14] Trustee Fast: kind of gave hers and uh trustee smith go ahead

[2:16:18] Voice 4: yes

[2:16:19] Trustee Smith: i just want to let people know if we don't

[2:16:22] Trustee Smith: already that on galliana we've completed uh by nothing short of a miracle um a new conservation

[2:16:29] Trustee Smith: area the cable bay conservation area it's um 25 hectares i think and it links up to a bunch of

[2:16:38] Trustee Smith: of other uh conservation areas so it's like a big area that's uh now connected and that can

[2:16:45] Trustee Smith: makes up about 500 hectares of mostly um coastal douglas fir forest and some really important

[2:16:54] Trustee Smith: wetlands and it was done in partnership with the nature trust of bc and canada's natural

[2:17:00] Trustee Smith: heritage conservation program and the galliano conservancy association and the whole network now

[2:17:07] Trustee Smith: Now has the Trincomalee Nature Sanctuary, Millard Learning Centre, which is ITC, the Millard Learning Centre, which is the Conservancy.

[2:17:16] Trustee Smith: Then another piece of land connecting up the Vanilla Leaf and Nature Reserve, which is also ITC.

[2:17:22] Trustee Smith: Then we have the GCA Great Beaver Swamp, the Pebble Beach Reserve, which is also GCA.

[2:17:29] Trustee Smith: And now this Cable Bay Conservation Area, which will be the Nature Trust and GCA together.

[2:17:34] Trustee Smith: And then another GCA property, a wetland, Loughlin Lake, and then a big provincial park, the Bodega Ridge Provincial Park, which doesn't have any camping or anything in it.

[2:17:45] Trustee Smith: So it's really exciting to have 500 hectares of contiguous protected area and how we managed to, when we first thought about this, it was actually residentially zoned.

[2:18:00] Trustee Smith: and we talked at the i'm on the galena conservancy board and it was a bit of a dream we never thought

[2:18:06] Trustee Smith: it was even possible but the owners have owned it for 60 years they understood that it was an

[2:18:12] Trustee Smith: important conservation area they'd never developed it and um it just like a dream fell into place

[2:18:20] Trustee Smith: with all these partners so it is incredibly exciting and we'll have a big celebration

[2:18:25] Trustee Smith: probably in the spring about it so i just wanted to announce that thank you very much

[2:18:31] Trustee Fast: more

[2:18:33] Trustee Fast: inspiration and uh yeah and um this assembly i'm used to living next door to vancouver where

[2:18:40] Trustee Fast: property assembly means they're buying up the nice old houses and turning it into something else

[2:18:47] Trustee Fast: it's

[2:18:48] Trustee Smith: a new version of land assembly yeah very

[2:18:52] Trustee Fast: good and uh i'll uh i'll jump in just to say

[2:18:55] Trustee Fast: um anybody's welcome to join the webinar for the islands trust budget and see how uh trustees

[2:19:02] Trustee Fast: respond to the islands trust conservancy budget uh requests and um and that's uh in

[2:19:12] Trustee Fast: as as kate we said uh well maybe i can one of us can send around a an invitation but it's thursday

[2:19:18] Trustee Fast: night uh seven o'clock on zoom it's a webinar so you don't have to uh register pay anything or

[2:19:26] Trustee Fast: anything like that and um so that if you want to see and find out more about how the island's

[2:19:33] Trustee Fast: trust conservancy is uh viewed from the within um the island's trust system and maybe through

[2:19:42] Trustee Fast: some of the questions it can be uh revealing uh that'll come from the public and uh i'll be

[2:19:50] Trustee Fast: participating as well i also am on the financial planning committee uh kate louise takes the lead

[2:19:56] Trustee Fast: of course but as an executive committee member uh of islands trust i'm also on that board

[2:20:03] Trustee Fast: um i don't really have anything else to say except except uh claire's back claire do you have

[2:20:08] Trustee Fast: anything we're sort of in a round table

[2:20:10] Voice 3: part yeah no i was just going to say for the budget webinar

[2:20:13] Voice 3: um i've made the decision to not have a we're having the islands trust council introduce the

[2:20:18] Voice 3: islands trust as a whole so i i've just explained we decided to not have kate louise as part of the

[2:20:23] Voice 3: introductory panel because we've had um um the island's trust chair then the financial planning

[2:20:29] Voice 3: committee chair well hopefully we'll have a traditional welcome then the chair then the

[2:20:33] Voice 3: the financial committee chair, and then Julia Mobs, our director. It felt adding a fifth person

[2:20:38] Voice 3: just might be a bit much. So we're going to have Peter Luckman deliver the conservancy slides and

[2:20:42] Voice 3: then have Trustee Stanford there for Q&A. So I just wanted to explain our rationale. Typically,

[2:20:47] Voice 3: I would make sure there was equal representation. It just felt too much to have five people speaking

[2:20:52] Voice 3: before the public questions happened. So that was my decision

[2:20:56] Trustee Fast: there. Okay. Thank you very much.

[2:20:58] Trustee Fast: It's the first time we've done a webinar as part of the budget consultation, so I appreciate the design considerations.

[2:21:07] Trustee Fast: Doug Fenton.

[2:21:09] Trustee Fenton (probable): Yes.

[2:21:11] Trustee Fenton (probable): Yeah, thank you.

[2:21:12] Trustee Fenton (probable): I just wanted to say, we did the Moorhill management plans, so everybody's very familiar with that.

[2:21:19] Trustee Fenton (probable): Noting, though, only 4% of conserved lands or something.

[2:21:24] Trustee Fenton (probable): So we've got a ways to go.

[2:21:27] Trustee Fenton (probable): So the idea when we saw the presentation

[2:21:30] Trustee Fenton (probable): with Goatmaid for funding support last year,

[2:21:34] Trustee Fenton (probable): I reached out to Gemma for information

[2:21:36] Trustee Fenton (probable): and she's been in touch with our local conservancy.

[2:21:39] Trustee Fenton (probable): So we think the local conservancy here

[2:21:43] Trustee Fenton (probable): is trying to pull together,

[2:21:45] Trustee Fenton (probable): just in the early stages,

[2:21:46] Trustee Fenton (probable): basically pull together a similar program

[2:21:49] Trustee Fenton (probable): to try to bring greater community awareness

[2:21:51] Trustee Fenton (probable): and try to get more people engaged with local stewardship

[2:21:54] Trustee Fenton (probable): chip and maybe we try to get some of the colonial um competitive spirit going where we can actually

[2:22:01] Trustee Fenton (probable): start stewarding our lands and drive towards a higher percentage of actually it's not maybe

[2:22:08] Trustee Fenton (probable): necessarily conserved with a nap tap yet but maybe it'll educate them or put them in a position where

[2:22:14] Trustee Fenton (probable): people realize there's opportunity for

[2:22:16] Trustee Fenton (probable): that down the road uh we have uh elder augie um sylvester

[2:22:22] Trustee Fenton (probable): and Councillor Ken Thomas are actually on the working committee

[2:22:25] Trustee Fenton (probable): and have been the envelope since day one.

[2:22:28] Trustee Fenton (probable): So it's actually very good.

[2:22:29] Trustee Fenton (probable): They're very supportive and they're bringing a lot of local

[2:22:34] Trustee Fenton (probable): sort of cultural-based insight to the conversation.

[2:22:39] Trustee Fenton (probable): And then lastly, the other piece of this equation on an island

[2:22:43] Trustee Fenton (probable): around conservation is once again,

[2:22:45] Trustee Fenton (probable): it's how we all live on the islands sustainably.

[2:22:49] Trustee Fenton (probable): so we're actually looking towards a community composting and so think as those are the has

[2:22:56] Trustee Fenton (probable): been the driving force behind that and they're easily sitting down and actually generated a

[2:23:01] Trustee Fenton (probable): report last summer and now we've got people working and sitting about ground trying to come

[2:23:06] Trustee Fenton (probable): together with coordinating our local like the tira group that's got actual land bylaws that allow

[2:23:14] Trustee Fenton (probable): allow them to use their lands for composting etc where the residents actually don't you can't share

[2:23:21] Trustee Fenton (probable): your compost officially it becomes a transit station and we have to change zoning and spend

[2:23:27] Trustee Fenton (probable): time to do that so we'll come up with a plan and now we're just working through those phases sort

[2:23:32] Trustee Fenton (probable): of hoping that maybe by spring or summer this 2022 we'll have a community composting area and

[2:23:39] Trustee Fenton (probable): and facility on-site happening here on Thedas.

[2:23:43] Trustee Fenton (probable): It's happening, but it's all the local conservancy at our job.

[2:23:48] Trustee Fenton (probable): It's really good to see.

[2:23:49] Trustee Fenton (probable): Thank you.

[2:23:50] Trustee Fast: Very good.

[2:23:51] Trustee Fast: Thank you.

[2:23:52] Trustee Fast: Does anybody, other board members want to say anything,

[2:23:54] Trustee Fast: or should we go ahead, Linda Adams?

[2:23:58] Voice 9: I'll be really quick.

[2:24:00] Voice 9: There was an invitation out earlier to attend some training

[2:24:04] Voice 9: with the Land Trust Alliance on Indigenous Engagement,

[2:24:07] Voice 9: And I just wanted to let people know I signed up for that.

[2:24:09] Voice 9: I don't know if anyone else has, but if there's anything I feel I can bring back, I will let you know.

[2:24:16] Trustee Fast: Very good. Thank you very much.

[2:24:18] Trustee Fast: Then I'm going to return us quickly to the agenda because we're running late here.

[2:24:23] Trustee Fast: And our next meeting is down for March 15th.

[2:24:27] Trustee Fast: But will we have a RWM before that about the meeting procedures?

[2:24:32] Trustee Fast: So by email, we'll do a resolution without meeting?

[2:24:35] Trustee Fast: Mm hmm.

[2:24:36] Trustee Fast: Yes. That

[2:24:38] Trustee Stamford (probable): was the follow up action for that. And once we have that passed, the board will be able to meet remotely.

[2:24:45] Trustee Fast: Oh, electronic like this one. Yes. And so standby for a location, assuming that we pass that RWM, I imagine. Well, by March, who knows?

[2:24:56] Trustee Fast: so

[2:24:57] Trustee Stamford (probable): i think that will be done by then yes yeah

[2:24:59] Trustee Fast: we'll see okay i just meant um whether we would

[2:25:04] Trustee Fast: uh be back to meeting in person or whether what covet would be doing is what i was thinking

[2:25:09] Trustee Fast: uh this is the first time i've had somebody called out of a meeting

[2:25:13] Trustee Fast: by a possible covet um event anyway um okay well unless anybody's got anything else to say

[2:25:22] Trustee Fast: uh thanks everybody for bearing with uh with us and um uh i call for adjournment

[2:25:31] Trustee Fast: okay good thanks everybody thanks for sharing oh

[2:25:36] Trustee Fast: well no problem thank you kate and now all

[2:25:39] Trustee Fast: the staff yeah thanks everyone

Islands Trust Conservancy Regular Meeting    ADOPTED Page 1 of 7 
January 25, 2022  
Islands Trust Conservancy 
Minutes of Regular Meeting 
 
 
Date: 
Time: 
Location: 
Tuesday, January 25, 2022 
10:00 am 
Islands Trust, Victoria Office Boardroom 
200-1627 Fort Street, Victoria, BC 
 
Board Members Present Kate-Louise Stamford, Chair (attended electronically, left the meeting at 
2:28 pm) 
 
 Sue Ellen Fast, Vice-Chair (attended electronically)  
 Doug Fenton, Board Member (attended electronically)  
 Linda Adams, Board Member (attended electronically)  
 Risa Smith, Board Member (attended electronically)  
   
Staff Present Carla Funk, Acting Strategic Fund Development  
 Carmen Smith, Acting Communications Specialist  
 Clare Frater, Director, Trust Area Services (joined the meeting at 12:27 pm)  
 Corlynn Strachan, Administrative Assistant/Recorder  
 Jemma Green, Covenant Management & Outreach Specialist  
 Kate Emmings, Islands Trust Conservancy Manager  
 Kathryn Martell, Ecosystem Protection Specialist  
 Nuala Murphy, Property Management Specialist  
 
1. CALL TO ORDER 
Chair Stamford called the meeting to order at 10:00 am and acknowledged that the meeting was 
being held virtually from locations across the treaty and unceded territories of the Coast Salish 
peoples.  
1.1. Election of Chair and Vice-Chair 
The Islands Trust Conservancy Manager reviewed the voting procedure, and noted that as per 
Islands Trust Conservancy Policy 1.2, Islands Trust Conservancy Board and Committee Elections, 
all Islands Trust Conservancy members are eligible to be nominated and run for the positions of 
Chair and Vice Chair of the Islands Trust Conservancy Board. These members are: Doug Fenton, 
Linda Adams, Kate-Louise Stamford, Risa Smith, and Sue Ellen Fast. 
The Islands Trust Conservancy Manager called for nominations for Islands Trust Conservancy 
Board Chair. 
Trustee Fast nominated Trustee Stamford as Chair and Trustee Smith seconded the nomination. 
Trustee Stamford agreed to stand for the nomination of Chair of the Islands Trust Conservancy 
Board. The Islands Trust Conservancy Manager called for nominations a second time and third 
time, hearing none, she declared Trustee Stamford Chair of the Islands Trust Conservancy Board, 
by acclamation. 

 
Islands Trust Conservancy Regular Meeting    ADOPTED Page 2 of 7 
January 25, 2022  
The Islands Trust Conservancy Manager called for nominations for Islands Trust Conservancy 
Board Vice-Chair. 
Chair Stamford nominated Trustee Fast as Vice-Chair and Trustee Adams seconded the 
nomination. Trustee Fast agreed to stand for the nomination of Vice-Chair of the Islands Trust 
Conservancy Board. The Islands Trust Conservancy Manager called for nominations a second 
and third time, hearing none, she declared Trustee Fast Vice-Chair of the Islands Trust 
Conservancy Board, by acclamation. 
2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 
The following addition to the agenda was presented for consideration: 
 Item 1.1 Election of Chair and Vice-Chair 
 Item 6.1.5 Board Training Approval – Request for Decision 
 Item 8.1 Board Member Updates 
By general consent, the agenda was approved as amended. 
3. CLOSED MEETING 
The Islands Trust Conservancy Board convened the closed portion of the meeting at 10:05 am 
and resumed in open meeting at 12:30 pm to Rise and Report. 
3.1 Motion to Close the Meeting 
ITC-2022-001 
It was MOVED and SECONDED, 
that the meeting be closed to the public in accordance with the Community Charter, 
Part 4 Division 3, section: 90 (1) (e) the acquisition, disposition or expropriation of land 
or improvements, if the board considers that disclosure could reasonably be expected to 
harm the interests of the Islands Trust Conservancy board; (k) negotiations and related 
discussions respecting the proposed provision of a service that are at their preliminary 
stages and that, in the view of the Board, could reasonably be expected to harm the 
interests of the Islands Trust Conservancy if they were held in public; and that staff be 
invited to remain in the meeting. 
CARRIED 
4. RISE AND REPORT 
Chair Stamford reported that at the November 23, 2021 Islands Trust Conservancy Board closed 
meeting, the Islands Trust Conservancy Board authorized the Chair to sign a covenant with 
Douglas Hopwood and Christine Ferris, Lasqueti Island, and directed staff to register the 
covenant subject to approval of the Agricultural Land Commission. 
5. MINUTES/COORDINATION 
5.1 Minutes of Meetings/Resolutions without Meetings 
5.1.1 Approval of November 23, 2021 Meeting Minutes 
By general consent, the Islands Trust Conservancy meeting minutes of 
November 23, 2021 were adopted. 

 
Islands Trust Conservancy Regular Meeting    ADOPTED Page 3 of 7 
January 25, 2022  
5.2 Follow-up Action List 
Accepted for information. 
6. BUSINESS 
6.1 Items for Approval 
6.1.1 2022-23 Islands Trust Conservancy Work Planning - Request for Decision 
The Islands Trust Conservancy Manager presented the request for decision to 
Board members, summarizing a long period of growth at ITC, the addition of 
multiple staff positions, and a required review of administrative systems. 
Board members and staff discussed outreach and communication, a need to 
focus on Reconciliation and development of relationships with First Nations, the 
delayed Climate Change Project, increases in property values and potential 
increase in NAPTEP applications, the need to address system maintenance, 
Islands Trust Conservancy inclusion in Islands Trust software upgrades, policy 
evaluation, placing covenants on nature reserves, the need for process review, 
and pressure on administrative positions. 
ITC-2022-002 
It was MOVED and SECONDED, 
that the Islands Trust Conservancy Board direct staff to: 
1)    Focus work for the 2022/23 fiscal year on:  
 the Climate Change Project; 
 land management and targeted outreach components of the Species at 
Risk Program; 
 development of a Reconciliation Action Plan; and 
 administrative needs, including: policy updates, review of staff 
roles/structure/training, maintenance and updates to internal 
databases, review of the new website and technology used in the field; 
and 
2)    Delay the following work items until the 2023/24 fiscal year: 
 revision of property management plans; 
 monitoring of lands that are protected by other conservation agencies 
(i.e. parks and nature reserves) or that are considered at low risk of 
covenant breach or trespass; 
 outreach and communications that generate new conservation 
proposals;  
 work on conservation proposals for lands not considered a very high 
priority for conservation, including those under 8 ha in size; and, 
 placing of covenants on ITC Nature Reserves.  
CARRIED 
6.1.2 Conservation Proposal – Larmour NAPTEP Covenant (Salt Spring) - Request for 
Decision 
The Ecosystem Protection Specialist presented the request for decision. 

 
Islands Trust Conservancy Regular Meeting    ADOPTED Page 4 of 7 
January 25, 2022  
Board members discussed the timeline for deferral and requested “early 2023” 
be added to the resolution. 
ITC-2022-003 
It was MOVED and SECONDED, 
that the Islands Trust Conservancy Board approves the conservation proposal 
submitted by Rodney Polden, on behalf of Skye Larmour, to donate a 2.45 ha 
NAPTEP covenant on Salt Spring Island, over a portion of Lot 1, Section 87, 
South Salt Spring Island, Cowichan District, Plan VIP 27894, PID: 000-138-452, to 
protect mature forests, wetlands, and connectivity to other protected areas, 
and advise the applicant that ITC will defer this securement project until late 
2022/early 2023 due to staff capacity constraints. 
CARRIED 
6.1.3 Moore Hill Management Plan (Thetis) - Request for Decision 
Board members thanked the Nuala Murphy and Biologist, Carrina Maslovat, for 
their work on the report, noting this is great way to understand the property. 
Board members discussed cultural significance, public opinion regarding closure 
of public access, and relationship building with First Nations. 
ITC-2022-004 
It was MOVED and SECONDED, 
that the Islands Trust Conservancy Board approve the Moore Hill Nature 
Reserve Nature Reserve Management Plan, dated October 28, 2021. 
CARRIED 
6.1.4 Islands Trust Conservancy Meeting Bylaw - Request for Decision 
The Islands Trust Conservancy Manager reviewed the bylaw approval process, 
advised that the bylaw was reviewed by the Legislative Services Manager, and 
highlighted the purpose of the review is to update the bylaw in respect to 
remote and electronic meeting attendance. 
Board members discussed and clarified the definition of “guest” in regards to 
inviting a speaker, and delegation. 
Resolution without Meeting (RWM) to follow. 
ITC-2022-005 
It was MOVED and SECONDED, 
that Islands Trust Conservancy Bylaw No. 3, cited as “Islands Trust Conservancy 
Meeting Procedures Bylaw, 2019, Amendment Bylaw No. 1, 2022”, be read a 
first time. 
CARRIED 
ITC-2022-006 
It was MOVED and SECONDED, 
that Islands Trust Conservancy Bylaw No. 3, cited as “Islands Trust Conservancy 
Meeting Procedures Bylaw, 2019, Amendment Bylaw No. 1, 2022”, be read a 
second time. 
CARRIED 

 
Islands Trust Conservancy Regular Meeting    ADOPTED Page 5 of 7 
January 25, 2022  
ITC-2022-007 
It was MOVED and SECONDED, 
that Islands Trust Conservancy Bylaw No. 3, cited as “Islands Trust Conservancy 
Meeting Procedures Bylaw, 2019, Amendment Bylaw No. 1, 2022”, be read a 
third time. 
CARRIED 
6.1.5 Board Training Approval – Request for Decision 
Trustee Smith advised registration cost for the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference 
and the Summit of the Pan Canadian Parks and Protected Areas Research 
Network are higher than the amounts approved by the Board. 
ITC-IC-2022-008 
It was MOVED and SECONDED, 
that the Islands Trust Conservancy Board rescind resolution ITC-2021-058 and 
approve attendance at the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference for Trustees Fast, 
Fenton, Stamford and Smith, and allocated up to $200 USD for registration.    
CARRIED 
ITC-IC-2022-009 
It was MOVED and SECONDED, 
that the Islands Trust Conservancy Board approves attendance at e-Summit of 
the Pan Canadian Parks and Protected Areas Research Network for Trustees 
Stamford and Smith, and allocate up to $300 for registration. 
CARRIED 
6.2 Items for Discussion/Direction 
6.2.1 2021 Covenant Management Projects - Briefing 
The Islands Trust Conservancy Covenant Management & Outreach Specialist 
provided a slide presentation to Board members, highlighting the top six 
projects completed in 2021 and commented this was a great learning 
experience. 
Trustee Stamford commented the report is useful and requested items like this 
be communicated broadly, for example, posted on the Islands Trust website to 
show the work of Islands Trust Conservancy. 
6.2.2 Islands Trust Conservancy Nature Reserve Restoration Report 2021 - Briefing 
The Islands Trust Conservancy Property Management Specialist presented a 
slide presentation to Board members highlighting the top restoration projects 
completed in 2021, noting partners, local conservancies and volunteers have 
been instrumental in doing this work. 
Board members commented the report was very exciting and refreshing. 
6.3 Correspondence 
6.3.1 Gabriola Landholder Outreach Letter, dated 2022-01-21 

 
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January 25, 2022  
The Islands Trust Conservancy Manager advised this letter has been sent to 
Gabriola landholders, the Gabriola Local Trust Committee was notified. 
Accepted for information. 
6.3.2 Sheila Harrington Letter, dated 2022-01-17, re: Partnership Consideration 
The Islands Trust Conservancy Manager advised the letter was received late and 
staff have not had a chance to consider this yet, noting that we could offer to 
connect her with partners, including past Board members 
Board members agreed that Staff could follow up by providing background 
information and contacts. 
6.4 Updates for Information 
6.4.1 Public Acquisitions Report 
Accepted for information. 
6.4.2 Public Covenants Report 
Accepted for information. 
6.4.3 Budget Report 
Accepted for information. 
6.4.4 Leroux Building Permit Referral, NP-BP-2021.52, Irene Bay Rd 
The Islands Trust Conservancy Manager advised staff do not have any concerns 
regarding the location of the greenhouse. 
Accepted for information. 
7. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND DELGATIONS  
There were no public attendees. 
8. NEW BUSINESS 
8.1 Board Member Updates 
 Trustee Smith provided a verbal update noting that Galiano recently completed 
the new Cable Bay conservation area, including 25 hectares, linking to other 
conservation areas, totalling 500 hectares of Coastal Douglas-fir forests, and 
wetlands. Trustee Smith noted this is an exciting project and was a dream that 
fell into place. There will be a celebration in the spring. 
 Trustee Fast advised that Board members are welcome to join the Islands Trust 
budget consultation webinar, to see how trustees respond to the Islands Trust 
Conservancy’s budget request. The Zoom webinar is scheduled for Thursday at 

 
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January 25, 2022  
7:00 pm. Director Frater noted that Chair Stamford will be a member of the 
webinar panel. 
 Trustee Fenton advised that the Thetis Island Local Trust Committee is trying to 
pull together a program to bring community engagement, stewardship and 
education. Thetis is working towards community composting. 
 Trustee Adams advised she signed up for LTABC Indigenous Engagement session 
and will provide an update. 
9. NEXT MEETING 
The next Islands Trust Conservancy Board meeting is scheduled for March 15, 2022, starting at 
10:00 am. A resolution without meeting (RWM) regarding the Meeting Procedure Bylaw will 
occur prior to the next meeting. 
10. ADJOURNMENT 
By general consent, the meeting adjourned at 2:55 pm. 
 
 
_________________________ 
Kate-Louise Stamford, Chair 
 
Certified Correct: 
 
_________________________ 
Corlynn Strachan, Administrative Assistant/Recorder