West Coast Now
The Comox Valley community is celebrating after winning new security for a watershed that locals say is the lifeblood of the area’s ecosystem.
Residents successfully rallied together to purchase and preserve the Morrison Creek Headwaters, which previously had been zoned for heavy industrial development. It’s a 275-hectare sanctuary that’s home to beavers, bears, cougars, deer, salmon, and the endangered Morrison Creek Lamprey, a species of fish “found nowhere else in the world.”
“This protection not only preserves a precious habitat but also highlights the immense power we possess when we work together towards a common goal, reminding us that we can make a difference and create a lasting legacy.”
Tim Ennis
The Comox Valley Land Trust (CVLT) spearheaded the campaign to raise $500,000, bringing in partners like the federal government’s Environment and Climate Change Canada and the 25×25 group, a BC Parks Foundation initiative, to secure 25 beautiful places by 2025. They then ran a crowd-funding initiative to raise the remaining funds from the community, which resulted in the purchasing of the land to protect it from development. According to the CVLT website, the crowd-funding “campaign was kick-started by major donations from four Comox Valley families.”
The executive director of the CVLT, Tim Ennis, told Chek News that “this protection not only preserves a precious habitat but also highlights the immense power we possess when we work together towards a common goal, reminding us that we can make a difference and create a lasting legacy.”
“The journey began decades ago with volunteers who understood the Headwaters’ unique importance. Their countless hours of advocacy and stewardship are the foundation of this amazing achievement,”
Comox Valaley Land Trust
The headwaters are on the territory of the K’omoks First Nation, “who refer to the area as ‘qax mote’ or ‘lots of medicine’ in relation to the abundance and diversity of medicinal plants the area supports,” according to the BC Parks Foundation website.
The land was previously owned by Manulife Investment Management, a multi-national corporation that oversaw the area.
“The journey began decades ago with volunteers who understood the Headwaters’ unique importance. Their countless hours of advocacy and stewardship are the foundation of this amazing achievement,” said the CVLT in a celebratory statement.
