A Madeira Park resident holds the distinction of being the 100th person to donate land in the EcoGift program in B.C.
Barbara DeMott and her family have negotiated the donation of 2.2 hectares of ecologically sensitive land on the edge of Francis Point Provincial Park on Rondeview Road.
To mark the occasion, Ministry of Environment (MOE) officials, West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country member of Parliament John Weston, local environmentalists and politicians gathered to marvel at the picturesque property Friday, Aug. 21.
For DeMott, the priority clearly is on preserving the unique and ecologically invaluable land.
"From the minute I saw this place, I knew it was special. There's a magic here and an abiding peace. It's generated by natural balance of the animals and birds who go about their business undisturbed by the community that surrounds them," she said.
DeMott has owned the land since 2003, but said she never had plans to develop it. She said she always had "something special in mind, one way or another."
That special plan will now come in the form of extending the park to a nearby Sunshine Coast Regional District jurisdiction wetland Smiel's Pond, creating a wildlife corridor linking the two.
Under the EcoGift program, residents can donate a piece of land certified "ecologically sensitive" by the federal minister of environment in exchange for tax benefits. Across Canada there have been nearly 64,000 hectares of land valued at more than $180 million conserved through the program.
DeMott, MOE staff and conservationists combed the property finding 62 plant and animal species including the northern red-legged frog, which is listed as a species of concern under the Species at Risk Act.
Weston spoke at the event offering praise for DeMott, the EcoGift program and government staffers who operate it and for the land itself.
"This is an active piece of environment. It's a jewel. It's a piece of property that really punches above its weight in that it joins Francis Point Provincial Park and another park nearby," Weston said.
Sunshine Coast Conservation Association executive director Dan Bouman was on hand for the event saying he hoped others with ecologically-sensitive land would investigate the program.
"There's a lot of properties on the Sunshine Coast that would be ideal for this kind of treatment," Bouman said. "What I love about this program is: first off, it recognizes ecological priorities -that which is rare, that which is unprotected. Second: it provides a measure of landowner fairness so the landowner can do what's important for all of society and receive a break for that in terms of equity."
As per DeMott's wish, the land will be incorporated into Francis Point Provincial Park, eventually allowing the public to access the land and see the rich biodiversity first-hand.
Ken Morrison, manager of planning and land administration for MOE, said staff will now work on a public process and consultation with First Nations to join the land with the park.
He said the process would likely be done in 2010.
