The Comox Valley Land Trust has been protecting ecologically significant land, waters, and wildlife habitat in the region since 1999. Founded by concerned citizens responding to disappearing natural areas, it operates as a community-based, registered charity certified by British Columbia to hold conservation covenants. Essentially, they work to keep important natural areas as natural areas rather than seeing them developed.

The Land Trust manages about a dozen major conservation initiatives across the Valley, including the Cumberland Community Forest, Father Charles Brandt Oyster River Hermitage, Brian & Sarah McLoughlin Park, Hurford Hill Nature Park, Puntledge Forest, qax mot Conservation Area, Ruth Masters Greenway, and Tsolum River Commons. They also hold private conservation covenants with landowners throughout the region. Their work happens through three main programs: land protection (acquiring and securing properties), the Comox Valley Conservation Partnership (collaborative stewardship), and conservation science and research.

The approach is partnership-based, working with local governments, individual landowners, and other stewardship organizations rather than going it alone. They’re members of the Land Trust Alliance of BC and follow Canadian Land Trust Alliance standards. If you care about preserving natural spaces in the Valley, they’re the organization working on that.