Our Partners – Vancouver Island/Coast Region

Madrona Farm

The Land Conservancy’s Vancouver Island and Coast Region is in the coastal southwest corner of B.C. It includes the Capital, Cowichan Valley, Nanaimo, Alberni-Clayquot, Comox-Strathcona, Powell River, Mount Waddington, and Central Coast Regional Districts. This rugged region ranges from semi-arid islands to old growth rainforests, wetlands, fish-bearing streams, rivers, lakes and mountains. Wildlife found in this region includes cougars, Great Blue Herons, Northern Pygmy Owls, Roosevelt Elk, Trumpeter Swans, and Black Bears.

The Island accounts for 2% of B.C. land zoned as Agricultural Land Reserve. While farming is found throughout the region, key areas are south-eastern Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the Comox.-Strathcona area. Farms in this region are smaller (average 18 hectares) and are characterized by a diversity of crops.

While southern Vancouver Island has a favourable climate for producing berries and vegetables, field crops (e.g. tame hay, alfalfa) are still the dominant use of farmland. This is even with a 164% increase in land used for tree fruits, berries, grapes, and nuts in the Cowichan Valley from 1986 to 2006. There is also a growing wine industry. Sales of locally grown fruits, berries, and vegetables are nearly all accounted for by direct farm sales on southern Vancouver Island. This area is also home to 12% of B.C.’s sheep.

The Comox Valley was known as “the land of plenty” by the K’omoks who thrived on local fish, game, and plants. Today, livestock, dairy, and forage production are the main agricultural activities, although nearly every major type of agricultural commodity produced in B.C. is grown in the Comox Valley.

The limited productive land in this region supports three inter-related, competing land uses: ecosystems, farming, and urban/industrial development. Farmers play an important role in managing land for food production, while protecting plants and animals for the benefit of their business, their community, and the environment.

For example, approximately 20-25% of the Trumpeter Swan in the Pacific Flyway forages on agricultural lands during the winter along eastern Vancouver Island. Ducks Unlimited Canada launched a 20-year plan to focus on waterfowl habitat, including an On-Farm Planning Program.

TLC’s Conservation Partners undertake many activities that benefit the environment, their businesses and their community. These include protecting wildlife habitat; protecting endangered ecosystem (e.g. Garry Oak meadow); low-input or organic practices; restoring fish habitat, using managed grazing, mixed crops and livestock operations, protecting/restoring riparian areas, establishing shelter belts, and installing bat houses, and mason bee boxes.

TLC Conservation Partners – Vancouver Island and Coast Region