Donate now to save the Puntledge Forest for future generations.

Our current campaign is to protect the Puntledge Forest: we need to raise $2.4 million by March 2025. This biodiverse and beloved forest must never be logged!

Campaign Update – December 1st, 2024

We’ve been so heartened by the community’s response to our Save Puntledge Forest campaign. Our target for community donations is $500,000, and we have raised $300,000 so far! This is partly due to our forest angels who double matched $75,000 donated between October 26 and December 1. Their double matching offer continues until December 31!

The community fundraising addresses a portion of the $2.4 million total cost of acquiring the final 37 hectares (91 acres) of timber reservation on BC Hydro’s lands. We’d also like to report that our requests for a total of $1.9 million from government and foundations are progressing well. We hope to confirm funding from some of these sources within the next few weeks. 

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.

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