Thanks to the generosity of Emil Anderson Group, The Nature Trust of BC will now expand conservation around the ecologically-significant Englishman River.

September 26, 2022, Vancouver Island, Canada – Today, The Nature Trust of British Columbia, one of the province’s leading non-profit land conservation organizations, announces that it has received a donation valued at over $5 million from Emil Anderson Group, a fourth-generation leader in BC’s construction industry, to ensure the protection of forest including some old growth forest and species at risk on Vancouver Island. Emil Anderson Group donated 71 acres of land along the Englishman River to The Nature Trust of BC, building on its legacy of supporting impactful projects and ensuring the conservation of the Englishman River- Kw’a’luxw – Emil Anderson Legacy Forest in perpetuity.

“This is an exceptional gift!” said The Nature Trust’s CEO, Dr. Jasper Lament. “Emil Anderson Group has shown great corporate leadership by donating the entire value of the land, the transaction costs, and establishing a land management endowment. Their generous donation will help us take care of this land far into the future. Today is a wonderful day for the fish, wildlife and people who live in and around the Englishman River.”

The Nature Trust of BC has been working to protect the Englishman River. The Englishman River- Kw’a’luxw – Emil Anderson Legacy Forest will be added to the Englishman River- Kw’a’luxw Conservation Complex – this means the property will be protected from development and will never be sold.

“If something makes sense, you have to do it. Keeping a significant portion of our floodplain and hillside land near the Englishman River in a natural state has been a goal of mine and my family’s for many years. It is proof that resource extraction, land development, and habitat preservation can be balanced through thoughtful land use planning.

We are proud to donate this property to The Nature Trust of BC, an organization with a long history of conservation excellence in this area,” said Mike Jacobs, Chair of Emil Anderson Group, who donated the land.

The Englishman River is the most important salmon spawning river on the mid-coast of Vancouver Island. The river, its streams, and tributaries provide habitat for all five species of pacific salmon as well as steelhead, cutthroat and rainbow trout, and Dolly Varden. Some of the lesser known species at risk in the area are the Northern Red-legged Frog (special concern under the Species at Risk Act), and Purple Martin (special concern provincially).

“What is really remarkable about the river is the biodiversity that is on full display and the way all the species interact. The salmon spawn in the streams, the bears feed on the salmon and drag the remains into the forest, the forest is fertilized by the salmon and the forest strengthens the shores of the streams. It’s all right here,” said Lament.

To support the long-term conservation of this property, The Nature Trust has entered into a Stewardship and Management Agreement with the Snaw-Naw-As (Nanoose) First Nation. This agreement recognizes Snaw-Naw-As (Nanoose) First Nation as a rights holder to manage their lands and resources, protect the cultural and ecological values of traditional lands, and improve stewardship of our forests with ecosystem-based land use planning.

Chris Bob, Snaw-Naw-As (Nanoose) First Nation Council Member, said: “Snaw-Naw-As is looking forward to working alongside The Nature Trust to ensure the health of estuaries and everything connected to those systems. Our natural resources have always been a priority for First Nations since time immemorial. Building meaningful relationships to protect wildlife for future generations to enjoy and respect is the goal.”

The Nature Trust of BC has been conserving land on the Englishman River since 1978 and this is their eleventh conservation property in the area. They now protect 847 acres (343 hectares) in this important community watershed.

About:

The Nature Trust of British Columbia is a leading non-profit land conservation organization with over 50 years of success protecting and caring for B.C.’s most critical habitats. Since 1971, The Nature Trust of BC and its partners have acquired more than 73,000 hectares (180,000 acres) of ecologically significant land to save vulnerable wildlife, fish and plants.

Emil Anderson Construction is a multi-disciplined contractor with diverse capabilities including road building, aggregate production, underground utilities, asphalt paving, bridge building, traffic management, and land development.

Emil Anderson Group consists of nine diverse companies that provide services and support in the Infrastructure Construction, Road Maintenance, Traffic Management, Land Development, Residential and Commercial Building, Landscaping, and Property Management Industries.

Giving back to the communities where we operate is part of our everyday culture at the Emil Anderson Group and we have been doing it for over 80 years. It’s all part of being an employer of choice, a good neighbour, and a trusted community partner.

LEARN MORE:

Nature Trust
Visit: naturetrust.bc.ca
Follow us on Twitter: @NatureTrustofBC twitter.com/NatureTrustofBC
Become a fan on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NatureTrustofBC/

VIDEO AND IMAGES:

CONTACT:
The Nature Trust of BC
Alicia Collyear, Senior Communications Manager
Naturetrust@yulupr.com
604-558-1656

To be updated when additional assets are secured