Donate now to save the Puntledge Forest for future generations.
All donations tripled until December 31st 2024!
Our current campaign is to protect the Puntledge Forest: we need to raise $2.4 million by February 2025. This biodiverse and beloved forest must never be logged!
Campaign Update – December 19th, 2024
Our Community Campaign is 80% funded!
Our community fundraising goal is $500,000 of the purchase price. We’ve raised $100,000 since our last update, totaling $400,000 so far! We’re thrilled with the wide support we’ve been receiving from the community! Our forest angels will continue to double match (i.e., triple) a further $35,000 of donations received before December 31st.
We’ve raised $1.4 million from grants and foundations!
We have confirmed funding from five foundations and we’re waiting to hear from one or two more. We’re hopeful that we will reach our fundraising goal of $1.9 Million before our deadline of February 17, 2025. We’ve been working hard behind the scenes and we look forward to providing more information soon!
Double Matching donations Until December 31, 2024
A group of donors is tripling the funds donated between now and December 31. In other words, for every dollar donated by the public up to $150,000, these donors will give two dollars to a maximum of $300,000!
Our “forest angels” are Frank and Bobbi Denton, Gael Arthur and Rick Helmer, and two more donors who wish to remain anonymous. All are deeply committed to protecting areas for species to live and thrive, and to preserving this special place for the residents of the Comox Valley.
Campaign Background
The forest is on BC Hydro’s property along the Puntledge River, just below Comox Lake. It is sometimes called the Bevan Trails. We have already purchased 61 hectares of the forest, and now we are looking for support to purchase the final 37 hectares.
While the property belongs to BC Hydro, much of the forest is owned separately via a Timber Reservation registered to the land title. Manulife Investment Management was the most recent owner of the Reservation, and they still own the 37-hectare portion. We hope to raise up to $1.9 million of the cost from government grants and charitable foundations. For the remaining $500,000, we are looking for donations from the local community.
Why is the Puntledge Forest so important?
The Puntledge Forest is a beloved recreational area and a rare local example of a mature, biodiverse forest. Mature forests are extremely important for biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and providing opportunities for people to spend time in nature. The Puntledge forest supports dozens of species of conservation concern, including an endangered summer run of Chinook salmon. The forest and river are also highly valued by the K’ómoks First Nation for cultural purposes. The K’ómoks First Nation has expressed their full support for this project, as project success will protect Puntledge River fish habitat as well as help mitigate climate change.
The Puntledge Forest has been a high priority for us since 2020, when we learned that it was subject to logging. Before then we – along with BC Hydro and the public – assumed the area was a de facto park. Once we were aware that the mature “timber” on the site was at risk, we knew we would play a role in its conservation.
What has been purchased to date?
We purchased 29 hectares of the timber reservation on the north-east of the property in March 2023, and another 32 hectares this April (2024). The April purchase included forest groves on both sides of the river in the south half of the property. Both purchases were funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), with funding for the second purchase delivered through BC’s Old Growth Nature Fund.
Where can I find more information?
Please see our backgrounder and media release.
Photo Gallery
Map of conservation Lands near Comox Lake
The Puntledge Forest is an important biodiversity corridor and complements other conservation properties around Comox Lake.