A conservation visionary, the late Carmen Purdy will always be remembered for his passion and dedication to BC’s wildlife and habitat. To celebrate his life, Carmen Purdy’s friends and family, along with The Nature Trust of BC’s Board of Directors and staff, gathered in the rain on June 14th to unveil a memorial plaque at the Hoodoos Westside Conservation Area in his memory.
The plaque honoring Carmen was unveiled by his grandson, Luke Purdy, joined by four generations of the Purdy family. During the unveiling, dedication speeches celebrating Carmen were delivered by Emily Griffiths-Hamilton, former Nature Trust of BC Chair and current Vice-Chair, Jasper Lament, Nature Trust of BC CEO and family friend, Bill Bennett. Over hot drinks and refreshments, Carmen’s friends and family fondly reminisced on Carmen’s life and legacy at one of the 212 conservation areas that he helped secure and conserve forever during his tenure with The Nature Trust of BC.
Four generations of the Purdy family celebrate Carmen Purdy at the newly unveiled memorial plaque.
A lifelong sportsman from the Kootenay Region, Carmen Purdy was known for his passion for conserving wildlife and wildlife habitat in the province. He provided 30 years of leadership and guidance to The Nature Trust of British Columbia. Carmen’s impact on British Columbian conservation cannot be understated – he was the founding President of the Kootenay Wildlife Heritage Fund, had a crucial role in the formation of the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund, and was a past president of both the B.C. Wildlife Federation and the BC Conservation Foundation.
Carmen’s passion and expertise were critical to The Nature Trust of British Columbia’s success. He served as a Director and Director Emeritus almost continuously from 1987 until his passing in 2021. Specifically, Carmen served as a Director from 1987-1998, and then again from 2002-2012. He then served as Director Emeritus from 2012-2021.
Under Carmen’s three decades of guidance, the organization was able to secure, restore, and manage hundreds of conservation lands across British Columbia, including the Hoodoos Westside Conservation Area, where the dedication took place. Impassioned to protect the Kootenay, over 21,000 acres of conservation lands in the region were secured and protected during Carmen’s tenure on the board.
Carmen will be missed. He has left a lasting legacy to the land, wildlife, and people of British Columbia, which has now been memorialized by a plaque at one of his fondest conservation areas. You can find Carmen Purdy’s memorial plaque alongside the Hoodoos Viewpoint trail at the Hoodoos Westside Conservation Area.