A message regarding the trespass issue at Mount Trematon Nature Reserve

The Islands Trust Fund would like to take an opportunity to clarify a few things regarding the trespass issue at Mount Trematon Nature Reserve.

The Islands Trust Fund is the regional land conservancy for Canada’s Islands in the Salish Sea. Funded and supported by islanders, the Islands Trust Fund exists to protect land throughout the islands to ensure generations to come will be able to enjoy the nature and beauty of special places like Mount Trematon.

The Gordon family donated the Mount Trematon Nature Reserve to the Islands Trust Fund in 2005 for the benefit of the entire community. A conservation covenant held jointly by the Lasqueti Island Nature Conservancy and the Nanaimo and Area Land Trust provides local and provincial protection. The donation was made through Environment Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program, which adds a federal level of oversight to the protection of the land. These conservation tools ensure the property will be protected in a natural state for the benefit the community and the region as a whole, as the Gordon family intended. The Islands Trust Fund has had tremendous support over the past 10 years from the Lasqueti Island community, including the False Bay Elementary students, in caring for the nature reserve - planting and protecting trees, rerouting trails, and monitoring the property.

As the owner of the property, the Islands Trust Fund has a legal obligation to steward the land, to protect and restore its natural ecosystems, and to take action if a trespass or other damage occurs. When the trespass was reported this summer, the damage was assessed and immediate action was taken by notifying the landowner to inform them that they have no legal access across the Nature Reserve, and that the trespass is illegal and cannot continue. Unfortunately, despite our communication with the landowner, further trespass and additional damage on the Nature Reserve occurred.

At this time, the Islands Trust Fund is working to repair the damage done at Mt. Trematon Nature Reserve in order to respect the intent of the donation, the terms of the Ecological Gifts Program, the management plan for the land, and the conservation covenant. Illegal activities have been reported to the RCMP, and will continue to be reported to the RCMP as long as they continue. The recently opened road will be deactivated and closed to vehicle traffic. A permit has been acquired from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations to restore Trematon Creek. Our intention is to return the Nature Reserve to its baseline condition or better, to ensure the continued safe use and enjoyment of the Nature Reserve for community members, and to hold the individuals responsible for the damage accountable. We encourage anyone with information or concerns regarding this issue to contact us at 250-405-5186 or at itfmail [at] islandstrust [dot] bc [dot] ca.