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OCTOBER 2024

NEWSLETTER



As the days shorten, leaves turn, and temperatures cool, the changing seasons offer a reminder of transformation and the importance of reconnecting with the outdoors. This time of slowing down also brings opportunities to reflect on our collective efforts in conservation.


Last week, the Galiano Conservancy hosted the Salish Sea Regional Conservation Forum, where participants from local land trusts and conservation groups gathered to discuss common challenges facing our region’s ecosystems and organizations. Just as the seasons change, so too must our approaches to protecting the lands and waters that sustain us.



By coming together, we continue to strengthen our ability to respond to these challenges, ensuring a vibrant future for the Salish Sea. More about the forum below.

Photo: Participants at the recent Salish Sea Regional Conservation Forum hosted by the GCA at the Millard Learning Centre by Martine Paulin

Please note that we recently changed our email marketing platform to Constant Contact and some errors might have occurred in our contact lists during the data migration. If you received this email in error, please accept our sincere apologies and use the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of this newsletter to remove yourself from our mailing list. Thank you for being an important part of our conservation journey!


SUPPORT


We need supporters like you to help protect and restore island ecosystems where learning and a love of nature can flourishthank you for your generosity!


DONATE, BECOME A MEMBER, OR RENEW MEMBERSHIP

VISIT


Discover Galiano's extraordinary places and trails! Come visit the Millard Learning Centre and take a hike through the diverse habitats in the Mid-Island Protected Areas Network!


MORE ABOUT THE MLC & TRAIL NETWORK

LEARN


Explore the Galiano Conservancy's wide selection of hands-on, outdoor learning programs for people of all ages, to deepen your connection to nature!


MORE ABOUT GCA's EDUCATION PROGRAMS

LOCAL ENGOs GATHER ON GALIANO:

SALISH SEA REGIONAL CONSERVATION FORUM

The Salish Sea Regional Conservation Forum, hosted by GCA on October 18th 2024 at the Millard Learning Centre, brought together over 45 attendees representing more than 20 different land trusts and conservation groups from across the Salish Sea to connect with and learn from each other. In a region where geography leads many conservation groups to work in isolation, this forum highlighted the need for a more unified approach to tackle pressing environmental and capacity challenges. Topics discussed included Forest Restoration, Reconcili-action, Species at Risk, Land Stewardship, and Marine Conservation.


The BC coast is home to a rich array of ecosystems, but it is also facing increasing pressures from climate change, habitat degradation, and resource extraction. For many regional environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs), the focus remains on localized, specific projects, yet the scale of these issues demands a broader, more coordinated response.


The Salish Sea Regional Conservation Forum emerged as a platform for fostering active collaboration, enabling groups to share resources, expertise, and strategies in ways that transcend geographic and organizational boundaries.


This gathering emphasized that by working together, conservation efforts can be amplified. ENGOs have the opportunity to create stronger, more resilient networks, including with local Indigenous groups, improving both communication and outcomes for the region’s land, water, and wildlife.

Image: Tara Martin (Conservation Decisions Lab) speaking at the Salish Sea Conservation Forum. Photo by Martine Paulin


The forum also underscored the importance of building relationships and trust, recognizing that while each organization may have its own set of goals, the health of the Salish Sea ecosystem is a shared responsibility.


In this spirit of collaboration, the Salish Sea Conservation Forum represents a movement toward greater interconnectedness among the coastal conservation community, with the hope of ensuring that the collective efforts of BC’s ENGOs are more effective and impactful going forward.


We are thankful for the financial support received from ITC and ICET, which made this event possible.

UNDERSTAND YOUR WATER CONSUMPTION:

WATER METER REBATES

Photo by Reidelmeier, Creative Commons


Despite fewer droughts this summer, water supply remains a critical issue in BC. As weather patterns become more unpredictable, it's vital that we all take steps to better understand and curb our water consumption.


Installing a water meter is a simple, effective way to track and reduce your household’s water use, helping to protect this precious resource. GCA helps local residents take actionable steps towards a greener future by providing water meter rebates. Click on the button below to find out more...

More About Water Meters

NEW PRIVATE LAND STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM ON GALIANO:

BECOME A NATURE STEWARD

Habitat connectivity is crucial for sustaining wildlife and ecosystems. Fragmentation can occur through development and land cover change, impairing ecosystem functions and reducing biodiversity. These impacts can be greatly reduced when private lands are managed to maintain natural habitats.


Islanders and landowners who want to care for their land to support healthy ecosystems and maintain habitat connectivity can now receive free guidance on how to do so! 


The Galiano Conservancy Association is kickstarting a new Nature Stewards program for private landowners. This free “at-home” land stewardship program is for Galiano Island landholders who are passionate about conservation and want to learn more about the ecosystems and species found on their property and how to care for them, through consultations and advice from knowledgeable GCA staff.


This program builds on the free stewardship consultation we offer all Galiano landowners, providing those interested in pledging to be a Nature Steward with additional helpful resources, tools, and support, including further site visits from experienced staff to support their land stewardship activities. The program is designed to overcome barriers to private land stewardship and support conservation goals, which is especially important as 75% of the Galiano Island is privately owned.

Photo: Mixed stand at Talking Trees Nature Reserve on Galiano Island by James LaBounty.


Email Sofia Silverman, GCA Conservation and Climate Action Coordinator, at conservation@galianoconservancy.ca to sign-up for this exciting new program!

Read More About the Nature Stewards Program

SUPPORT BC CONSERVATION AND CONNECTIONS WITH NATURE

DONATE TO GCA's YEAR-END CAMPAIGN

As we approach the close of another impactful year, the Galiano Conservancy Association is launching its year-end campaign, a vital effort to continue our work in environmental conservation on the BC coast.


This campaign is not just about meeting financial goals—it’s about deepening our connection to nature and to each other, and ensuring ecosystem health and biodiversity is protected for generations to come.

This year, our conservation initiatives made a tangible difference across Galiano Island and beyond, from protecting endangered habitats to restoring biodiversity and stewarding land for future resilience. But our work goes beyond the land—it also focuses on connecting people of all ages with the natural world. Through our hands-on learning programs and other events, we’ve engaged children, students, and community members, fostering a love for nature and inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards.


This year-end fundraising campaign gives us the opportunity to expand these efforts, safeguarding not only the land we cherish but also the relationships we build with the environment and each other. By supporting this campaign, you are directly contributing to the protection of coastal ecosystems and helping us create meaningful connections between people and nature—connections that are essential to the health of our planet and our communities.


Join us in making an impact that lasts. Together, we can protect the BC coast and inspire a future where nature thrives and people of all ages are connected to the natural world. All donations of $10 or more are eligible for a charitable tax receipt and include annual membership in the GCA.

Click Here to Donate

GCA IN THE NEWS - CONSERVATION MILESTONE

THE POWER OF COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP

In fall of 2023, the Galiano Conservancy Association successfully protected Quadra Hill, a crucial missing piece in the Mid-Island Protected Areas Network, through a pioneering collaboration with the Aqueduct Foundation. Rather than simply providing a grant to support the land acquisition project, Aqueduct Foundation took the unprecedented step of becoming the interim owner of Quadra Hill.


Aqueduct Foundation aims to facilitate meaningful projects that create lasting impact within communities. By stepping in as interim owner of Quadra Hill, Aqueduct Foundation was able to provide the Galiano Conservancy Association with the time needed to secure funding and ensure this ecologically significant land is protected for generations to come.

Read More About This Novel Conservation Model

Photo: Towering cedars at Quadra Hill by James LaBounty

FIND US AT THE MUSHROOM FESTIVAL AND AT THE UPCOMING HOLIDAY MARKETS!

Golden Chanterelle (Cantharellus formosus)  by Sava Krstic

Photo: Golden chanterelle (Cantharellus formosus) by Sava Krstic


The Galiano Conservancy Association is excited to participate in the upcoming Galiano Mushroom Festival, and two local Holiday Markets! Find us at the South End Community Hall on November 2 (10am-4pm) for the annual Galiano Mushroom Festival, where we will have an opportunity to connect with you to answer any questions you might have about the GCA and the programs we offer.


We will also have a table at the Lions Hall Holiday Market on November 30th, and at the South Hall Holiday Market on December 8th, where we will be offering a range of unique products, including our Forest Garden teas, native and edible plant seeds and goodies, alongside our new waxed cotton GCA hats, organic cotton tote bags and t-shirts—perfect gifts for the environmentally conscious on your list!


Every purchase helps support our mission to protect the natural environment and foster a deeper connection to nature. The funds raised will directly contribute to our diverse programs, from land stewardship and habitat restoration to environmental education and sustainable food systems.


By shopping with us, you’re not just getting something special for the holidays—you’re supporting conservation efforts across Galiano Island and the Salish Sea.

We hope to see you there!

Coast Salish Peoples have lived on and cared for the land now known as Galiano Island for millennia. We acknowledge that we live and work within the shared, asserted, unceded and traditional territories of the Hul’qumi’num-speaking First Nations Peoples and those who hold traditional rights, responsibilities, and Indigenous rights and title in and around what is now known as Galiano Island.

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