Support your local conservation groups
On Saturday night, I attended a wonderful benefit concert by singer/songwriter Chris Frye. A fellow resident of my Esquimalt neighbourhood in Greater Victoria (and member of both The Bills and the Marc Atkinson Trio), Frye and friends performed songs from his “Raised on Rhythm and Rhyme” solo album. The more than two-hour event was entirely in support of a local conservation group known as the Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT).
British Columbia Magazine ran a feature profile in the Fall 2008 issue about The Land Conservancy of British Columbia (TLC), another vigorous land-protection agency. You can read the full article online here. TLC and HAT are just two of the volunteer-driven, non-profit groups working to preserve threatened pockets of green space in our B.C. backyards. They deserve far more publicity and support than they receive for their tireless work, which gives such benefit to us all.
And since we can’t run a feature story about every one of these groups, let me take this opportunity to introduce you to HAT.
The group was established in 1996 to protect locally significant habitat, endangered spaces, and the species at risk that occupy these areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. HAT accomplishes that goal with three conservation tools:
1. Acquisition projects: raising funds to purchase properties such as Ayum Creek in Sooke and the Matson Lands Garry oak meadows in Esquimalt.
2. Conservation covenants: working with individual landowners and various levels of government to protect habitat without directly purchasing it.
3. Public education: creating new bridges between scientists, conservation organizations, landowners, politicians, decision makers, and the public to facilitate the conservation of endangered spaces and species.
HAT is currently working to protect a watershed in the Millstream area, and to ensure a future for western painted turtles and sharp-tailed snakes on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Learn more about this organization’s events and initiatives online at www.hat.bc.ca.