Growing up in the Okanagan region, Jeannette has a deep appreciated for BC’s beautiful landscapes. She loves the hot climate and the various lakes, mountains and forests just outside her doorstep. She is stepping up to be the change with TLC. Please join her by donating to TLC at www.bethechangebc.ca.

In partnership with the En’owkin Centre, a non-profit First Nations educational organization located in Penticton, The Land Conservancy, holds a short-term lease and is working to acquire a long-term lease over 72 acres of rare and threatened habitat along the Okanagan River channel in Penticton. These lands are currently held by specific First Nations families in a form of land tenure known as Locatee.

The Ecommunity Place Project involves the protection of a large and relatively undisturbed tract of riparian black cottonwood forest that is unique in the South Okanagan Valley. The property includes a significant stand of cottonwood forest, rose thickets, and old field habitats. Located on the west side of the Okanagan River channel, this is the last remnant of the cottonwood forests and wet lowland habitats that once stretched from Okanagan Lake to Skaha Lake. Many hikers, cyclists, and channel rafters enjoy views of this special forested area. There are over 50 different species of birds, including Western Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owls, Red-tailed Hawks, Osprey, Flickers, and Great Blue Herons. This property is also one of the few places in BC where a nationally endangered bird, the Yellow-breasted Chat, has been found.

These lands are home to a unique interpretive and educational program that focuses not only on the ecological values of the land, but also on the aboriginal values and uses of the resources found here. Restoration projects involving elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students, community groups, and various other organizations will provide participants with hands on, meaningful learning experiences and opportunities.

Treat Mom like a Queen and join us for Mother’s Day Brunch on Sunday, May 13th. The garden will be filled with the beauty of spring for your family to enjoy. Mom will be able to enjoy a scrumptious buffet meal filled with items that the whole family will take pleasure in. This is a very popular event at Abkhazi Garden so make certain to reserve your space early.

Adults $27.00 plus tax
Children under 12: $15.00 plus tax
Two Seatings: 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Help Jim in Ponying Up for the Point!

TLC Member and Cowichan Valley Resident, Jim Wisnia, has decided that it’s time to “Pony Up for the Point”. To assist with the campaign to raise funds for Sansum Point, Jim has pledged to cut off this pony-tail once he has raised $5,000.

 Jim first began growing his hair a little longer when he found it kept his neck warm while working outside at the North Vancouver Outdoor School.  His current pony-tail, which is about 12 inches long, has been in the works for the last couple of years.  In the back of his mind he always thought he might be able to use it for a fundraiser.

 As someone who loves a good hook, “Pony up for the Point” was a perfect fit.

 “Sansum Point is a very special property and is a wonderful amendment for the Stoney Hill Area,” said Jim.  “From diverse marine shore fauna to skyline rocky outcrop plant communities, there are so many reasons the property is worth protecting.  It’s important that we continue to help raise the funds required to encourage more partnerships with local government in the future.  It will also free up TLC to focus on other important projects.”

 Jim and his wife Lyn were happy to donate to help save Sansum Point when the opportunity first arose in early 2011. As long-time TLC Members, they love to get out and enjoy nature and have a deep appreciation for the important natural and cultural values of Sansum Point. 

 Through his endless enthusiasm Jim hopes to inspire his friends and many others to Pony Up for the Point. The highest donation will even have the option to be the one to cut off the pony-tail!  TLC is forever grateful for Community Action Heroes like Jim.  The inspiration, awareness, and funds raised through their efforts make a lasting difference for B.C.’s special places.

 Join Jim and Pony up for the Point today!

 When the property came up for sale in 2011 TLC secured an option to purchase the site, valued at $1.85 Million, and partnered with the Cowichan Valley Regional District and the Cowichan Land Trust.  After an intense 5 month fundraising campaign, the property became a Cowichan Valley Regional District Park in early September. TLC and the Cowichan Land Trust have carried on with fundraising to fulfill their financial contribution and thanks to this generous gift only $380,000 remains to be raised.

Start
Organic greens, fig dressing w/ almond encrusted oysters
Prosciutto wrapped asparagus, rich hollandaise sauce

Main
Cannelloni two ways;
Braised short rib tomato sauce
House made ricotta w/ basil béchamel sauce

Sweet Finale
Chocolate glazed hazelnut mousse cake
Sauté bananas and rum

White Rhodo. Photo by Jeff de Jong.

The Victoria Rhododendron Society will be holding its Annual Sale at Abkhazi Garden on Saturday May 12th, from 9:00 a.m. until noon. This is your opportunity to purchase one or more of these remarkable plants that grow so well in the island. Expect to see many rhododendrons not sold in the nursery. Expert growers will also be on hand to answer your questions. Admission to the garden is free until noon. Come and support The Rhododendron Society and stay to wander through Abkhazi Garden.

On Wednesday, January 11, Sue Hemphill resident of the Horsefly Area, environmental educator and long-time TLC supporter was named a ‘Salmon Hero’ by the Fraser Salmon & Watersheds Program. The Salmon Hero awards were a way for the Fraser Salmon & Watersheds Program to honour those who have made a lasting and tangible contribution to the preservation, enhancement, and improvement of the Fraser River watershed and its Pacific Salmon populations.

Sue Hemphill, left, working with students.

TLC has been lucky to know and work with Sue.  She is best known to TLC for her early support of the creation of the Horsefly River Riparian Conservation Area. Since that time Sue has drawn TLC into salmon conservation  by enlisting Northern Region Manager, Barry Booth and other TLC staff to help  deliver the educational components of the Horsefly River Salmon Festivals that she has coordinated. In recent years, Sue has worked in close association with Barry to bring high school students out to the Horsefly River Riparian Conservation Area learn about our restoration efforts on this property. According to Barry, Sue is, without doubt, the most dedicated environmental educator that he knows, and in his mind she personifies what a ‘salmon hero’ would be.

Abkhazi is offering a special breakfast menu on Saturdays and Sundays from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. in addition to its regular lunch and tea selections on Thursdays to Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Drop by for a visit at 1964 Fairfield Road, Victoria or call to make a reservation at 250 598 8096.

Abkhazi Garden Breakfast Menu (all main dishes are $12.00)

Classic Eggs Benedict
Ham, house hollandaise sauce with garden herbs on baked scone. Served with veggie hash. Substitute with smoked salmon.

Early Riser
Farm fresh eggs, sausage, Wildfire toast with homemade jam and a side of fruit or veggie hash.

Gardener’s Healthy Choice
Hot oatmeal, wildflower honey, yogurt or cottage cheese served with warm toast and fresh fruit.

Chef’s Specialty
French toast made with house brioche, fruit compote and Canadian maple syrup with a side of bacon.

Saturday, March 24 from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. Abkhazi Garden welcomes all those who wish to discover this amazing garden at no charge for gate admission.

Discover for yourself the magic of this rare and special place, which is renowned for being in the top 100 small gardens of the world. Abkhazi Garden is located at 1964 Fairfield Road, Victoria, B.C. For more information please visit our Abkhazi Garden webpage or call the garden at 250 598 8096.

Photo by Heath Moffat

The second installment for the Western Forest Product lands closed on August 12, 2011, and a second parcel of land at Sandcut Beach has been transferred to the Capital Regional District for parkland. The first transfer of lands occurred last August, and included lands around the Sooke Potholes as well as a portion of Sandcut Beach. TLC has assisted in the negotiations and fundraising for this major parkland acquisition project.

As partners in this acquisition, TLC is making it best efforts to cover 35 percent of the overall cost to purchase the 5,800 acres of lands in the Jordan River, Sandcut Beach, and Sooke Hills area. Deemed as our Wild Hills and Beaches Campaign, this project continues to be a high priority under our overarching public engagement Be the Change Campaign, but to complete it, we need your help.

By August 2012, TLC requires approximately $2.75 Million to fulfill the reminder of its share. This amount may be made up, in part, through the sale of carbon credits on the site and the re-sale of some of the upland parcels of the land purchased that have minimal ecological value and would not be included in the park.

To date, almost half of the funds required to meet our part of the deal have been raised. We thank everyone who contributed to this cause thus far.

During a time when donations are slow to recover from the slump in the economy, TLC continues to put its best effort forward to fundraise to save these properties for their significant environmental and recreational value. We are confident our members, donors, supporters and the community on Vancouver Island will step up and donate to protect these West Coast icons.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today! 

Thank you to all our volunteers, donors, members, event participants, twitter followers and facebook fans for making 2011 such a successful year for TLC. Our slideshow features a few of our favourite big moments from this past year, but each and everyday we are grateful for your support of the work we do. Cheers to more success in 2012 – our 15th anniversary year!

Ingersoll Island, Georgian Bay, Ontario

Seattle, Washington (December 19, 2011) – -Most people dream of buying or owning land. Luckily for Canadians, some people dream of giving away their land, or at least the right to develop it. Until very recently, Americans hoping to donate properties they own in Canada for conservation were thwarted by tax barriers created by both U.S. and Canadian laws. American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts (American Friends), a U.S. charity, was created to facilitate the permanent protection of the portion of Canada’s natural legacy that is owned by Americans. Today, American Friends announced it had received its first two gifts of conservation property; one in Nova Scotia, the other in Ontario.

Americans own cottages, fishing camps, hunting lodges, island retreats, working forests and mountain hideaways in some of Canada’s most scenic areas. Although firm figures are not widely available, analyses such as the one done by Georgian Bay Association and anecdotal information from Canadian conservation leaders suggests that 25% of the land in some prime vacation areas such as the Maritimes, Great Lakes’ island country and BC’s Gulf Islands is owned by U.S. citizens. Many of these properties are part of multi-generational family traditions that link the two countries.

Canadian land trusts – private nongovernmental conservation organizations – that are focused on preserving the land and water heritage in provinces with high numbers of American owners, discovered that these landowners often truly cherish their properties. According to American Friends President, John Finley, “Vacation homes hold tremendous emotional value, serving as a common thread through time and across distance that holds families together. Memories of the past and hopes for the future inspire landowners to protect and share the places they love.” However, when Americans wanted to give their property, or an agreement to restrict development, directly to a Canadian land trust there were undesirable tax consequences that could be financially punishing, particularly if the generous donor had owned the land for a long time.

Bonnie Sutherland, Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Nature Trust and a founder of American Friends, has been working with American landowners for over 11 years to overcome the obstacles to “cross-border conservation.” The Nature Trust undertook ground-breaking research on the legal, tax and conservation issues of cross-border conservation, assembled the technical and financial resources and ultimately provided the impetus behind the creation of a the U.S. nonprofit to assist both Canadian land trusts and U.S. philanthropists.

In 2005, a coalition of conservationists from both countries united to create American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts. It took until 2010 – and required nationwide pressure and support from Canadian land trusts and other conservation partners – for the organization to secure the necessary charitable status and legislative amendments in both countries to make cross-border conservation possible.

Finley, who is also a director of the Muskoka Heritage Trust recalls, “We all believed that American Friends was offering an important service to Canadian land trusts and that U.S. landowners would respond favorably, but we were delighted with the tremendous response and the number of proposed land gifts coming forward as soon as we launched our program last fall.” He added, “We are really thrilled to announce the completion of our first two cross-border conservation gifts and are so grateful to the donors for being pioneers in this frontier of resource protection.”

The Nova Scotia Nature Trust was the first Canadian land trust to connect potential donors with American Friends. Luckily, one of those donors, a resident of the Boston area named Merloyd Lawrence, is knowledgeable about conservation easements and absolutely passionate about ensuring that the land she owns in Nova Scotia be protected in perpetuity. Mrs. Lawrence gave a conservation easement to American Friends that guarantees that the entire 130 acre undeveloped, ecologically sensitive frontage of the pristine Little Annapolis Lake will remain as a sanctuary. The Nature Trust will be responsible for overseeing the stewardship of the Lawrence property, which remains privately owned.

Two other donors, sisters who coincidentally are also from the Boston area, worked with the Georgian Bay Land Trust in Ontario to structure a gift of 47 acres of the 50 acre Ingersoll Island. Mary Nelson and Polly Naughton grew up spending their summers swimming, canoeing and chasing frogs in what used to be the Canadian outback.  Now in their 80’s the sisters wished to preserve “Ingersoll’s unique shallow shoreline, thick forest, flowers, birds and animals that have given us so much pleasure.” Reflecting on how many of the islands are owned by Americans in their part of Georgian Bay, they added, “We are also happy that the new alliance between the American and Canadian land trusts opens the door for the many other American islanders to think about similar transfers.” Georgian Bay Land Trust will manage Ingersoll Island as part of the adjacent 425-acre Sandy Island Preserve.

Mrs. Lawrence expressed similar sentiments after donating to American Friends, advising other Americans “If you really love a place and want it to stay unspoiled and just as you and your family have always enjoyed it, this partnership with Canadian land trusts and the American Friends organization offers a wonderful opportunity to fulfill that dream.”  She added,”It also gives landowners like us the opportunity to be a small part of preserving Canada’s unique natural legacy—that beautiful, irreplaceable wild lands that drew us to Canada in the first place”.”

Other Americans are already on the same wavelength as these pioneers in cross border conservation. Nine other land gifts located in four provinces are underway with American Friends currently and other landowners have begun strategizing with Canadian land trusts on how to make their own conservation dreams come true. 

American Friends’ mission is twofold: to protect and support the ecological integrity and other conservation values of the natural areas of Canada through securement of land, stewardship and public education, and to support Canadian land conservation entities and organizations. The charity accomplishes its mission through its unique partnership with Canadian land trusts. American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts is a US based, publicly supported 501(c) 3 charity. 

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Contact:

American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts (www.nsnt.ca/af )

Bonnie Sutherland, (902) 425-5263 bonnie@nsnt.ca

Available for interviews:

-           John Finley, President, American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts 

-           Bonnie Sutherland, Nova Scotia Nature Trust Executive Director, and Board member and founder of American Friends of Canadian Land Trust          

-           Conservation Easement Donor (Nova Scotia), Merloyd Lawrence

-           Mark Carabetta, Georgian Bay Land Trust, Executive Director

-           Conservation Land Donors (Ontario), Polly Naughton and Mary Nelson

What: 2nd Annual Beers for Beaches Fundraiser
When: Saturday, January 14, 2012
Time: 8:30-1:00am
Where: Felicita’s Campus Pub, UVIC Student Union Bldg, Victoria 250-721-8626
Cost: Tickets $10 each

Don’t miss out on the 2nd Annual Beers for Beaches Fundraiser in support of TLC’s Wild Hills & Beaches Campaign. Proceeds go to finalizing the 3 year purchase project of the 2700 ha in the Jordan River area on south Vancouver Island. There will be free giveaways, a photo booth by Pink Sugar Studios, and live music by local artists Georgia Murray and The Ghostbirds. Tickets available online, at the UVIC Student Union Building info desk, and at Coastline Surf Shop.

For more information on the campaign please visit our Wild Hills and Beaches page.

For further information please contact Jill Patterson, TLC Outreach & Development Officer, by phone at 250- 479-8053 or email at jpatterson@conservancy.bc.ca.

TLC is encouraging Victoria residents, local restaurants/pubs, recreational centres, and schools to participate in the campaign because every penny counts when it comes to saving local greenspace. Mark your calendars, and contribute to the Bottles for Greenspace campaign today! For more information please call 250-479-8053.

Vancouver, British Columbia, December 19, 2011 — On behalf of the Honourable Peter Kent, Canada’s Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Mr. John Weston, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver – Sunshine Coast – Sea to Sky Country, today announced that the Government of Canada will be investing in the conservation of the Binning Residence National Historic Site.

“The Binning Residence heralded a new form of architecture on the Coast and continues to attract tourists and architectural enthusiasts to West Vancouver,” said Mr. Weston. “It is exciting to picture how today’s investment in this leading example of early Modern architecture will continue to awe and enlighten Canadians.”

The Binning Residence, located in West Vancouver, British Columbia, is a remarkable illustration of early modern architecture in Canada and the ideas of Bertram Charles Binning, an artist and promoter of Modernist ideology. Designed and constructed during the Second World War, it responded to the social and economic conditions of the time by using local materials and efficient construction methods to create an affordable home. The residence’s features set a pattern of design that would have a profound influence on post-war residential architecture throughout the 1950s and 1960s and was designated a national historic site in 1997. Since 2008, the site has been owned and managed by The Land Conservancy of British Columbia.

Through Parks Canada’s National Historic Sites Cost-Sharing Program, the Government of Canada will be contributing up to $11,426 for the preparation of a conservation plan for the site.

“One of our Government’s major objectives is to inspire Canadians to develop strong and meaningful connections with Canada’s national treasures,” said Minister Kent. “Our national historic sites are vital to our history, our identity as Canadians, and our tourism industry. By investing in them and by building lasting relationships with the community groups that operate them, we ensure that they will continue to help support local economies and encourage more Canadians to explore and discover our national heritage.”

“We are very pleased that we are able to move forward with a heritage conservation plan for this unique national historic site,” said Tamsin Baker, Lower Mainland Regional Manager of The Land Conservancy of British Columbia. “Once completed, the plan will provide an invaluable roadmap to ensure that the house will be effectively managed in the long-term. It will also ensure that the site will continue to inspire future generations of visiting artists and architects.”

The Cost-Sharing Program reflects the Government of Canada’s dedication to protect Canada’s heritage through funding towards the conservation of our national historic sites. In this centennial year, Parks Canada is pleased to continue its efforts to ensure that Canada’s historic and natural heritage is protected for the enjoyment, education and appreciation of all Canadians, today and in the future.

For additional information, please see the accompanying backgrounder at www.parkscanada.gc.ca under Media Room.

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Information:
Adam Sweet
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
819-997-1441

Media Relations
Parks Canada
819-953-8371

Parks Canada’s National Historic Sites Cost-Sharing Program

Earlier this fall the Nanaimo River Stewardship Symposium, facilitated by the Nanaimo Area Land Trust, brought together a number of organizations with an interest in the river to identify priorities and processes to move forward collectively with a community-wide initiative.  A rough-cut version of ‘Voices of the River’ was screened at the symposium and was well received.

“We’re now in the final stretch to finish the film but still need to raise the funds to complete the remaining work – a final edit, sound-track, audio mix, graphics work and mastering” said Manly.

The Land Conservancy has stepped forward to help with that fundraising effort.  TLC has had a long running interest in the Nanaimo River, and is very supportive of further initiatives to expand protection.  In 2001, TLC purchased the land for the Nanaimo River Regional Park, the only public park on the River.  

TLC Executive Director Bill Turner says “We have several hundred members in the mid-Island area who are deeply interested in the future of the Nanaimo River.  Our goal over time is to increase the protected area along the River, and we’ve already got a good start on what could be a magnificent regional park or protected area that could rival the protections on the Cowichan River.”

Turner also said that TLC is very supportive of the broader initiatives to engage people in the overall stewardship of the river and its watershed.  “We all need to appreciate the tremendous values of the river and the water supply, and to understand better the opportunities and threats that are there.  This film, ‘Voices of the River’ provides an excellent insight into all those complex issues.”

Over the last year, Manly Media has also partnered with The Land Conservancy on their ‘Be the Change Campaign’ developing and producing a series of public service announcements (PSA’s) with some well known BC personalities including actress Pamela Anderson, snow board champion Maelle Ricker, artist Arthur Vickers, Lulu Lemon founder Chip Wilson and economist Moura Quayle who all want to see sensitive habitat in BC preserved and protected.  So far the ongoing campaign has raised over $2 million and has helped secure new protected area at Sansum Point and helped TLC pay off its mortgage on the Wildwood property in Cedar. The PSA’s can be viewed on the TLC website at www.bethechangebc.ca

Manly Media is offering sponsors of the film the opportunity to get their names listed in the credits as sponsoring producers for donations of $50 or more. Sponsors will also receive a DVD copy of the finished film. “We’re not building a physical structure with this campaign but we are offering ‘digital bricks’ for smaller donations and ‘digital park benches’ for larger ones. The digital park benches are full screen recognition of sponsors – which can also be used as memorials or as tributes for people who have long standing connections to the river.”

All contributions to the film that are made through the TLC are eligible for a charitable tax receipt and can be sent to the TLC at 301-1195 Esquimalt rd. Victoria BC V9A 3N6. For more information about the project ‘Voices of the River’ contact Paul Manly at paul@manlymedia.com .

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For more information:

                Bill Turner (The Land Conservancy)     250-589-8024

For photos please contact Paul Manly 250 729-1254

Victoria, B.C The life and memory of a BC researcher, whose life ended tragically in January of this year, will be remembered forever as the friends and family of Randy Sulyma secured the rights to name a species of lichen new to science yesterday. It was an intense final day of bidding in The Land Conservancy (TLC) of British Columbia’s auction to name the species which will support the creation of a much-needed wildlife corridor for Wells Gray Provincial Park. Sylvia Sulyma, Randy’s mother coordinated the bid of $17,900 that will allow the lichen, discovered by botanist Trevor Goward, to bear the name Parmelia sulymae, in her son’s honour.  

“To win this auction for the naming of the lichen is amazing. For all who knew Randy, this is such a fitting legacy. The whole family is excited and overwhelmed today”, says Sylvia. “When we started the campaign we never dreamed it would grow as much as it did. Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to everyone who so generously donated to Randy’s fund.”

Trevor Goward, the botanist the discovered this new species of lichen, was noted as saying: “My hearty congratulations to the Sulyma family, who have earned the right to name an undescribed lichen in honour of the late Randy Sulyma. Randy enjoyed thinking about lichens. For me it’s a great pleasure knowing that from this day forward his memory will live on in Parmelia sulymae – a name I expect will endure as long as our civilization does”.  Goward also stated that this is a first run for taxonomic tithing – putting unnamed species to work for their own conservation. “I believe that future auctions of this kind will garner even more support as Canadians awaken to the honour of being linked, if only in name, to other living species that share this planet with us” Goward said.

TLC’s Northern Region Manager Barry Booth echoed those sentiments of Goward.  “Knowing Randy’s love of the Wells Gray/Clearwater Valley area, his passion for the outdoors and his professional association with lichen makes a wonderful connection that is truly fitting. This is a wonderful legacy for Randy, and his family and friends,” said Booth. Booth also tipped his hat to Trevor Goward for allowing TLC to auction the name of this lichen to help raise funds for their work in the Clearwater Valley. “This was an incredibly generous gesture by Trevor and we at TLC are grateful for the honour that he has bestowed upon us. It speaks volumes to Trevor’s commitment to conservation in this exceptional part of BC”.

The funds raised through this initiative will help the Land Conservancy create a permanent wildlife corridor for Wells Gray Park in south-central British Columbia.  Currently, TLC together with Trevor Goward, and his dedicated neighbors, John and Edwina Kurta are working to complete this project. The corridor is an incredibly vital endeavor as it will secure a travel corridor for the large mammals of Wells Gray Park that migrate from winter to summer ranges across the Clearwater Valley. Approximately $350,000  is required to purchase the parcels that make up the corridor.

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For more information, please contact:

Trevor Goward, Lichenologist, 250-674-2553, trevor.goward@botany.ubc.ca.

Barry Booth, TLC Northern Regional Manager, 250-564-2064, bbooth@conservancy.bc.ca.

Pearson United World College is a two-year high school program dedicated to providing students from over 90 countries a full scholarship to learn and live in global community. Students Liz Welliver from Maryland, Joe Young from the UK, and Abhinav Khanal from Nepal would like to introduce their Pearson College Be the Change Lip Dup video.

“This video is a product of two missions – the Pearson mission to make education a force for peace and a sustainable future – and the Land Conservancy mission to conserve Canada’s natural heritage for future generations. Most of all, this video is the product of community.

The video showcases the activism of the Pearson College community. We filmed this video on a beautiful September Saturday morning and received almost full participation from our student body. This spirit for communal activism carries us through our days at Pearson, whether we are in the classroom, the greenhouse, a village meeting, or working with local non-governmental agencies. 

Our actions to be the change are inspired by our connection with nature. Our campus is secluded in wilderness, on 75 acres of an old growth-rainforest, alongside the sea. This land provides a unique natural setting, away from the consumer world, for us to play, learn, and develop as global citizens. It is the forest – with its giant firs and cedars, its eagles and bears, and its breathtaking beauty – that inspires us to live sustainably. We live intentionally to minimize our human impact on the endangered Garry Oak meadows and coastal Douglas fir ecosystems.

As youth activists, we understand that this land is threatened by climate change and human development. We understand that it is our generation’s responsibility to steward the fragile remains of wilderness we have remaining, with 90% of Vancouver Island’s original old growth forestry already logged. We also understand that climate change is immediately impacting our homelands, from Nepal to the Maldives to right here, in Victoria.

So, as the lyrics of the video will ask, “Who’s gonna save the world tonight?” we hope you find inspiration to be the change with us, the youth from 90 countries across the world.”

TLC would like to thank all the Pearson College students that participated in this video. Each of you gives us hope for a better world. Keep on promoting peace, understanding, and sustainability.

Take a look at TLC’s flickr photostream to see photos from the making of Pearson College’s Be The Change video.

When:  Thursday, December 22, 2011

Time:  Doors open at 6:00, Choir starts at 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Where:  1964 Fairfield Road, Abkhazi Garden

Cost:  $10/person, includes admission, a hot drink and treats

Celebrate the season with a visit to the 1950’s home of Peggy and Nicolas Abkhazi. Tour the house interior and see the beautifully transformed dining room by Pamela Robert of PR Interior Design and Andrea Posno – Walker Poppies Floral Art. Pamela and Andrea infuse the restaurant with a holiday season sensation colour scheme of crimson red, glimmering silver, festive greenery, pine and birch. Come and experience a holiday restaurant with the makings of tradition. Let the enchanting VIVA Youth Choir pleasure your sense of sound while enjoying a warm cup of tea and some holiday treats. Book your space today!

If you can’t attend this Holiday Garden Recital, don’t dismay, there’s still a chance to view the historic site during regular business hours from 11-5pm daily. Abkhazi Garden Restaurant is now serving breakfast on Saturday and Sunday from 8am until 11am. Come and do your holiday shopping at the Shop in the Garden as there are many great gift ideas from local artisans.

Abkhazi Garden

Help Secure the Garden Today- Turn your dollar into 2 this giving season! TLC has received a generous matching grant from the W.Garfield Weston Foundation in the amount of $125,000. These funds will go directly towards the Abkhazi Garden property mortgage.

The Land Conservancy, supported by many individuals and organizations, purchased Abkhazi Garden through an intensive fundraising campaign in 2000. The negotiated price for the Garden was $1,375,000. With fundraising, legal, financing and other costs, TLC needed to raise approximately $1.6 million to secure the future of the Garden. Because of the relatively short period of time to raise funds, TLC opted to cover most of these costs with a syndicated mortgage. Due to the generous support of 18 individuals who came forward to invest in this mortgage, and many others who made donations, we were able to put together the necessary financing to acquire the Garden and save it from being turned into a townhouse development.

In early 2001 a second property, immediately adjacent to the Garden, became available. This second lot had originally been part of the Abkhazi’s property and was an integral part of the original Garden. As with the main Garden property, TLC put together a mix of loans and additional private mortgages to acquire the lot, with the intention of re-integrating it into the Garden. This lot cost an additional $210,000.

TLC still needs to raise funds to pay off the mortgages on these properties in the amount of $1 million. Each month, our mortgage payments are over $10,000, plus it costs several thousand dollars a month to operate and open the garden to the public. Every dollar makes a difference when it comes to the long-term care of this community treasure. Please give generously to Abkhazi Garden today.

THE LAND CONSERVANCY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Since 1997, TLC has been saving special places throughout our beautiful province for today and future generations. As B.C.’s leading charitable land trust, we have protected more than 300 properties of fast disappearing natural areas, historic sites, farms and ranches, and places of community and recreational importance. TLC works with many partners, all levels of government, businesses, community groups, and individuals to ensure the broadest support for our activities. TLC is proud to work on behalf of over 8,700 Members worldwide. Become a Member today at conservancy.bc.ca

For further information: 
Jill Patterson, Outreach & Development Officer, 479-8053, jpatterson@conservancy.bc.ca.

Soup

Parsnip soup with local wild mushrooms
Sweet parsnips, mushroom and balsamic garnish

Salad
Dungeness Crab Salad
Roasted beets, tangy grapefruit, organic greens
and a sweet vinaigrette

Main

Duck Confit with Wild Rice
Pan seared confit duck caramelized apples
Lavender honey and savory wild rice.

Cheese Plate

Fresh house made crackers and a section of cheeses.

Bumbleberry Ice Wine.

Sweet Finale

Researcher challenges Canadians to give something back to Canada and at the same time honour a loved one – or favourite hockey team – in the name of a native species: the perfect Canadian Christmas gift.

VICTORIA, BC – Public auctions for naming rights to two recently discovered lichens will close on 15 December, with proceeds going to two B.C. environmental groups: The Land Conservancy (TLC) of British Columbia (http://blog.conservancy.bc.ca/), working to create a much-needed wildlife corridor for Wells Gray Provincial Park; and the Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) (http://www.ancientforestalliance.org/), gearing up to protect B.C.’s remaining oldgrowth forests.

The two lichen species were discovered in B.C.’s rainforests by botanical researcher Trevor Goward. According to scientific protocol, the right to give a new species its scientific name goes to the person who describes it. However, an online auction running on each organization’s website since June will earn the highest bidders the right to name these lichens – whether after loved ones, themselves, or whomever they choose.

“This is as Canadian as it gets,” says Trevor. “With Christmas coming, here’s a perfect opportunity to give something back to Canada and at the same time honour a loved one – or a favourite hockey team – by naming a Canadian lichen after them”. “It’s been almost three centuries since Carolus Linnaeus invented the modern biological classification system; and even now the names of the people he honoured in the name of various plants and animals are still with us. With any luck, your name will last at least as long as Canada does.”

Lichens are small organisms often mistaken for plants, but perhaps better thought of as cooperative (symbiotic) unions of fungi and algae: fungi that have discovered agriculture http://www.waysofenlichenment.net/.

The lichen being donated to the Ancient Forest Alliance is a “Horsehair Lichen” or Bryoria, which forms elegant black tresses on the branches of trees. “These are the lichens that provide winter food for the Mountain Caribou, British Columbia’s version of Santa’s reindeer,” says Trevor. “Without lichens, caribou and reindeer would soon disappear; and where would Santa Clause be then”?

For the Land Conservancy, Trevor chose an undescribed “Crottle Lichen,” or Parmelia, consisting of strap-like lobes pale greyish above and black below. Hummingbirds use Crottle Lichens to camouflage their tiny nests, fastening it to the outside using strands of spider web. It too inhabits the branches of trees, and grows in the Clearwater Valley, where Trevor is working with TLC Goward on a Christmas present for BC Parks: a wildlife corridor linking the two southern lobes of Wells Gray Provincial Park: http://waysofenlichenment.net/wells/corridor project. TLC and its partners need to raise $350,000 for this project.

Recently Trevor decided to auction off the naming rights to some of his newly discovered species in an initiative he calls “taxonomic tithing”: http://www.waysofenlichenment.net/tithe/home . “Thousands of new species are described every year,” notes Trevor. “If our auction is successful, it could inspire taxonomists around the world to get involved in auctions of this kind: a whole new niche for conservation fundraising! My dream is that Canadians will lead the way on this initiative!

“I whole-heartedly support efforts to set aside biologically critical portions of B.C.’s forestlands. Putting my new species up for auction for two highly-deserving environmental organizations – one working to protect public lands and the other private lands – allows me to give something back to my home province,” says Goward. “Lately Canadians haven’t been very good at looking after their country. I believe we can do better. What better time to begin than at Christmas”?

Goward is an internationally acclaimed lichenologist who has described about two dozen species and genera of lichens, mostly in western Canada. He is curator of lichens at the University of British Columbia and author of more than 100 scientific papers and several books. His work can be found at: http://www.waysofenlichenment.net/portal. Goward lives in the Clearwater Valley near Wells Gray Provincial Park north of Kamloops, B.C.

To make a bid, visit the Ancient Forest Alliance’s website www.ancientforestalliance.org or phone 250-896-4007, or contact The Land Conservancy at www.conservancy.bc.ca or phone 1-877-485-2422. The auction closes on December 15.

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For more information, please contact:

Trevor Goward, Lichenologist, 250-674-2553, trevor.goward@botany.ubc.ca

Barry Booth, TLC Northern Regional Manager, 250-564-2064, bbooth@conservancy.bc.ca

Ken Wu, Ancient Forest Alliance Executive Director, 250-514-9910, kenwukenwu@gmail.com