Dear Alex,
In his letter to the Undercurrent, Anton van Walraven raised several points about a vision for Bowen within this ever-changing world of ours. We appreciate his commitment to the future of Bowen, the protection of its natural heritage, and his urging that our community needs a vision for where we want to be in a decade or two.
Anton writes that “Without our community support Metro Vancouver’s park proposal is a no-go”. Whether that is true or not remains to be seen. The Conservancy believes that dealing with the current situation — in alignment with our objectives and those of our generous donors — and engaging with Metro Vancouver now rather than later, will lead to the best possible outcome for the lands and the island.
Anton’s letter provides an opportune moment for the Bowen Island Conservancy to share with the community our vision, structure, and progress.
The Conservancy is committed to protecting and preserving the natural environment of the island; from endangered coastal bluffs, to inland lakes, wetlands and fens. Through our work and advocacy we offer a hopeful future for future generations, and for the amazing diversity of plant, animal and fungi species with whom we share this extraordinary island.
As set out in our constitution, the Conservancy has 9 purposes, which establish its eligibility as a charitable organization. These purposes guide our activities, building on the underlying principle of knowledge-based decision making.
In essence, the Conservancy has three mandates:
- To own and manage land to allow nature to thrive;
- To facilitate the study of the diversity of plant and wildlife on Bowen; and
- To encourage the public to experience Nature in a way that spreads awareness and stewardship of this natural heritage.
Since our inception in 1996, we have worked toward these goals, and now:
- We manage the Fairy Fen and Singing Woods nature reserves on behalf of Islands Trust.
- We own and manage the 32-acre Wild Coast Nature Refuge at Cape Roger Curtis.
- We are a participant in the Federal Government’s Ecogift program, which assists Bowen landowners to donate lands of conservation merit.
- We have created educational publications such as the Nex̱wlélex̱wm/Bowen Island Marine Atlas that highlights the natural world of our shores, and the Beasts of Bowen Island, a guide to our island amphibians and reptiles.
- We have been advocates for no motorized use of the Mt. Gardner trails and other conservation issues on the island.
Of particular note in relation to Anton’s comments about the Official Community Plan and the need for a vision for our future, the Conservancy is currently engaged in a study of our island’s Nature and biodiversity. We intend to use the results of this study in the work of the Conservancy but we anticipate that it could be of value as the community engages in its OCP review.
Whether or not the Conservancy has success in expanding its conservation initiatives at the Cape, all its work will continue to be in support of its founding principles.
Sincerely,
- Owen Plowman, President, Bowen Island Conservancy
