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Newsletters - 2001>

GRAPEVINE January, 2001

submitted by Denise MacKean

This month we got two for the price of one - a regular meeting and ourAnnual General! Some of the first was spent planning the second.However, the OCP Housing section as well as island hunting were discussed and our views on housing were sent to the Trustees while weare hoping DIRA will be tackling the hunt. Lake Road Property committeereported on fund raising to date and we moved that the remainder,perhaps $3,000, be paid off by Conservancy allowing us to concentrate on"Big Chickadee". It also encourages us to form a committee, make somemanagement decisions and weigh the pros and cons of our ownership versussome other conservation group.

Very good news; we received a grant from Environment Canada's EcoActionprogram for $20,000 to be used in putting together covenants forMorrison Marsh South which adjoins Boyle Point Park. The owner iswilling to let the public use walking trails on large parts of this 156acre property and is cooperating in placing covenants. It can be acostly business to survey and make them legally binding so this help iswelcome.

Our AGM welcomed Patrick Fawkes and John Millen to the Board. We alsohave a new committee to oversee the Lake Road Property. They would loveto hear from interested community members who can help when work isneeded. It is good to have a willing body accompany ideas - we need both.

Other committee reports and the year's run-down of events were presentedby Juan Barker and have been covered in this space before.As of Jan. 1, 2001 your Millennium Memberships expired so should berenewed; 76 people have already done so. These dues go towardsadministrative expenses.

We would like to thank Jenny Balke for her tireless conservation effortsas a Board member. She will surely be carrying on with many projects butstepped down from the Board. We want, once again, to thank you for thegenerous donations that made the Lake Road Property possible. You're agreat bunch!

Denman Conservancy Association February 2001

Preparations for the annual house and Garden Tour are underway. Coordinators are Leslie Dunsmore and deNeen Baldwin. This year funds raised will go towards the purchase fund for the 80 acre Chickadee Lake parcel.

In response to the request for availability of DCA records, Concha will put a binder in the Dora Drinkwater Library containing financial statements, the constitution and other records of the Association.

The Covenant Committee has met with Mike Jenks and discussed the Komas Bluffs covenant. They also discussed the acquisition of the Chickadee Lake parcel. Mike Jenks said he was interested in any form of swap or purchase. Proposal packages for help in funding the purchase have been sent by DCA to both Federal and Provincial governments.

We plan to hold an Earthday (April 22) walk from Fillongly Park, along Denman and Pickles roads to the Lake Road parcel recently purchased by DCA.

A schedule for this season's Workshops and Field Trips has been published in the March issue of the Flagstone.

Conservancy News March 2001

submitted by John Millen

Mapping of natural values of Morrison Marsh South is progressing well using GPS. Mike Morrell is coordinating the mapping. Half the grant for this purpose ($10,000) has now been received from Ecoaction. Mapping is a first step in establishing the protective covenant for this property.

DCA has received a letter from Mike Jenks indicating a strong intent to co-operate in negotiations towards Conservancy's purchase of the Chickadee Lake 80 acre property.

The first Conservancy Field Trip of the season was declared a success by the 10 persons who turned out with kayaks to paddle across Lambert Channel to view the sea lions. About 500 sealions, both Californian and Stellas put on a magnificent show for their visitors.

A big thank-you to the 18 people who came and helped plant trees around the mouth of Valens Brook.

Earthday Walk
Everyone is invited to join us for the Earthday (April 22) walk from Fillongly Park along Denman and Pickles roads to the recently purchased Conservancy site on Lake Road. The walk is 8 kilometers. We will start at 10 am. Participants are asked to bring lunches. DCA will provide some refreshments at the Lake Road site. Non-walkers are invited to join us after we arrive at the site to see our new property dressed in its spring colours.

Lindsay Dickson Forest
(A cat with nine lives?)
Negotiations between the provincial Government and the owners of this property for a land swap to preserve the Lindsay/Dickson forest have been progressing. In the meantime, landowner Schellinck has ceased logging at the head of Mallard Road.

Denman Conservancy report to the Grapevine 12 April 2001

submitted by Des Kennedy

By now most islanders will have heard that the Lindsay-Dickson Forest has at long last been saved! After twelve years of heavy slogging and innumerable disappointments, this is a day that we'd almost given up dreaming would ever dawn. Those of us who've worked on the project are still a bit numb. Six week ago we had accepted the painful reality that the134-acre forest would be lost to logging and development. Magnificent Douglas firs were already falling, as they have been on so much else of the island. But islanders rallied yet one more time and the resultant publicity finally pushed the deal to completion. Now, with a deal signed, there's a mounting sense of relief as we realize that this very special place, though battered and bruised, will remain forever in its natural state as an ecological reserve in the Islands Trust Fund.

Our relief, however, is tempered by the fact that the lands exchanged for Lindsay Dickson are on Quadra Island. This is a waterfront parcel of second-growth hemlock forest owned by Timber West that has been for sale for about four years. Denman Conservancy was alarmed upon learning that the province was considering using these lands as part of the exchange, and immediately communicated our concerns to Crown Lands, who were bartering the deal. We expressed a desire not to export a Denman problem to Quadra and urged that, if this deal were to proceed, certain safeguards for the Quadra community be built into it. As well, we contacted Quadra Conservancy and have since then met with them and other island representatives. From our point of view, the preservation of the Lindsay-Dickson forest will be a full victory only if the Quadra Island community's concerns are taken into account. We have urged both the Province and the Schellincks to do everything possible to ensure that these concerns are satisfactorily addressed, and it appears as though this can and will be the case.

Certainly some heartfelt thanks are in order. First we would like to thank the provincial government for its foresight in ensuring that the Lindsay-Dickson forest was saved. We particularly appreciate the leadership of former Minister of Environment, Lands and Parks, Moe Sihota, and current Minister, Ian Waddell. Special thanks to former MLA Margaret Lord and current MLA Evelyn Gillespie. Staff at Crown Lands worked doggedly and against all odds to find a way of making this happen and their work is much appreciated. Our local trustees have been immensely supportive over the years, as has our area director Roxanna Mandryk. Thanks to all the organizations, groups and individuals from around the region who leant their voices in support of this initiative, especially the Comox and Sliammon Indian Bands, The Nature Conservancy of Canada, B.C. Nature Trust, B.C. Federation of Naturalists, Comox-Strathcona Regional District, Comox Valley Environmental Council, IWA Local 1-363 along with many others.

Finally, and most especially, we would like to thank the wonderful community of Denman Island. For the last 12 years you have stood fast in your dedication to the Lindsay-Dickson Project. You have written hundreds of letters, made thousands of phone calls, raised money and answered appeals to action each time the need arose. You did so with consideration and respect toward all involved, and today all British Columbians reap the reward of your efforts. With island forests being systematically dismantled all around us, Lindsay-Dickson stands as one small but hugely important victory. Next up: Chickadee Lake.

Conservancy Notes, May 2001

submitted by John Millen

Lindsay - Dickson: The Conservancy Board has agreed to contribute $75 000 to the Provincial Government towards their purchase of the Lindsay Dickson property. This is substantially less than had been previously provided for, freeing some DCA funds to go towards the purchase and preservation of additional land on Denman Island.

Earthday On April 22, about 30 people walked between Lindsay Dickson and the Conservancy's recent Lake Road purchase, to celebrate the two acquisitions. The Home and Garden Tour, June 16 ∓ 17, will identify both of these properties on the ticket for our visitors.

The Salish Sea mapping project has resulted in a booklet containg the six colourful maps, copies of which have been deposited with the Library, the Museum and the Community School.

The Conservancy was pleased to support the nomination of Denman Chocolates for the Mountain Equipment Co-op Ethics in Business Award. Denman Chocolates has been a constant and valued contributor to DCA's funds for purchase of properties for conservation.

Jenny Balke is congratulated for her leadership and conservation work which has been recognized by the presentation by BC Environment and Fisheries Urban Salmon Habitat Program of their 2001 Appreciation Award "In recognition of the DCA for the Stewardship of Denman Island Streams."

CONSERVANCY NOTES, 31 May 2001

submitted by John Millen

Your humble messenger reluctantly brings the news that the closing of the Lindsay/Dickson land sale has been postponed to June 12. We are assured there are no reasons for concern, just a technicality... The DCA Board has however decided that a celebratory event should not take place before the sale transaction has closed.

Richard Martin has started a biological survey of the Conservancy's recently acquired property on Lake Road. He has so far identified over 90 species for the bio-inventory. The property will be a featured visitor stop on the Home and Garden Tour scheduled for 16th and 17th of June.

The kayak trip to Tree Island on May 12th was enjoyed by a dozen people. The Spring flowers were well appreciated.

The Islands mapping project of last year has culminated in a travelling display called "Islands of the Salish Sea". This art show will be at the Art Gallery on Denman at the end of August and over the Labour Day weekend. Posters and sets of printed cards of the Denman maps are available at the Craft Shop.

CONSERVANCY NOTES, 26 July 2001

submitted by John Millen

The Lindsay Dickson Property is finally securely in the hands of The Islands Trust Fund and will be known as the Lindsay Dickson Nature Reserve. The next step is preparation of a Management Plan for the property. Denman Island public will be consulted before the plan is finalized.

Our Legacy Project has focussed on getting the Association into a position to purchase the 80 acre parcel surrounding the East side of Chickadee Lake. Fundraising is ongoing. To gain support from funding agencies we also need a strong representation of the Island's population in our membership. Current paid membership in the Association is 91. We will be wanting to sign up more of you. We will have a sign-up desk at the Recycle Depot on Saturday August 4th and also on the Porch of the General Store that weekend.

This year's Denman Conservancy Association - David Fraser Bursary was awarded by the North Island College Foundation to Jennifer Waller of the Comox Valley Campus.

Denman Conservancy - Hornby-Denman Island Grapevine August 30, 2001

submitted by Denise MacKean

The August meeting of Conservancy Board was well attended considering it's summer time! Maybe the cold weather had us fooled. The Home and Garden Tour reported a net intake of $14,835,which is about average although less than last year due mainly tohaving printed fewer tickets. Expenses remain nearly the same. Soall those wonderful volunteers deserve another pat on the backbecause that is the major consistent income we have. Thank youDenman.

Can you believe it was just one year ago the Lake Road propertycame on the market? I hope folks have been up to visit it this summereither on their own or with visitors. Peter Karston's Nature Trail is stillthere and feedback has been very positive. In general visitors to thesite have been respectful and caring about what we are trying to do tolessen impact on that corner of the lake. We appreciate that. A moreformal management plan is in the works.

The Denman Island Marine Stewardship Committee asked us toconsider shellfish culture on our shoreline and perhaps submit ourviews of present activity and the future planning proposals to theappropriate authorities. We will look at their material and go fromthere.

We spent some time going over the future management of theLindsay-Dickson property now held by the Islands Trust Fund.Conservancy is considering taking on management duties and working out a management plan with the Trust Fund. It seems prudentto keep these duties close to home. We will keep you apprised of thisproject, as it will require public input at some point - maybe inconjunction with a wee celebration!

Two dates to circle on your calendar: the exhibit of the Salish Seamapping project in the gallery at the Seniors' Hall Aug.31 - Sept. 4and sale of Memberships at the Fall Fair Sept. 2. We are up to 135members so far and you can help push us over 200! Both eventsshould be fun - see you there.

Denman Conservancy Notes, 27 September 2001

submitted by John Millen

Pickles Road: The bureaucratic SNAFU of the moment is that the agency which would decide on a road through the Pickles Road Crown Land block is not, as we were advised, the Ministry of Forests. It turns out they don't have any say in the use of that land. The British Columbia Assets and Land Corporation (BCALC) are the Jonnies on this spot. Now don't panic. All those letters you wrote are being forwarded to the BCALC office.

As I write this, BCALC had not received an application. If an application is received (by BCALC) it will be referred to the Islands Trust Local Committee for their input.

The Conservancy truly appreciates the work of the ad hoc 'Last Stand' committee on behalf of the community.

Chickadee Lake 80 acre parcel: The Islands Trust Fund has agreed to be a partner with us on the Chickadee block acquisition and is seeking additional sources of funds to help with the purchase. Our Project Partners now include: Islands Trust Fund; Nature Conservancy of Canada and The Land Conservancy of British Columbia.

Home and Garden Tour: We have selected June 22 - 23, 2002 as the weekend for next year's Home and Garden Tour. That is easy to remember, its the weekend of the summer solstice.

Our current membership is 165. If you have not had the opportunity to pay your membership for the current year perhaps you will drop by our booth at the Christmas Craft Faire.

NEWSLETTER Fall 2001

Our efforts to purchase Chickadee Lake continue unabated and undaunted. You may have noticed that our fundraising is intense, unremitting and downright shameless to save Chickadee! Generous individual donations and pledges of $10 to $10,000 from islanders and other supporters continue to arrive. Fund-raising activities, such as the Home ∓ Garden Tour, have also helped bolster the total. This summer, we specifically reached out to businesses and professions. We wish to honour those who so generously answered this call. In the months to come we will publish a list of all our donors. In the meantime, we are escalating our fundraising in the hopes of seeing Chickadee Lake out of harm's way as soon as possible. We need your help now. For information on making a donation or pledge, please contact: Denise MacKean (335-1608), Patti Willis (335-0351), Concha Dennis (335-2295) or Leslie Dunsmore (335-2918).

Our Vision, Our Reality

The crisis was two-fold: the beginning of logging in the Pickles Road woods surrounding the beaver pond, and the imminent logging and subdivision of the Lindsay-Dickson Forest.

The dream was of creating a protected areas network across the island - a landscape quilt of areas set aside forever because of their ecological or historic importance, their recreational value or scenic beauty, and stitched together by private holdings managed through a voluntary land stewardship program.

Community response was instantly enthusiastic; in less than a year, memberships and donations had raised over $11,000 and fund-raising events - primarily the first-ever home and garden tour - had brought in another $13,000. The Association acquired charitable taxation status and by December of 1992 had raised $70,000 to purchase 9.6 hectares of land on Pickles Road. After purchase the land was donated to the Islands Trust Fund to be held as the Inner Island Nature Reserve. This acquisition was part of a larger vision first articulated in 1988 in a study conducted by the Ratepayers and Residents Association.

Back in 1977 the community had succeeded in having the Vancouver Foundation and Raven Forest Products donate 23 hectares of land, including most of the beaver pond and surrounding forest, to the Crown to be held in perpetuity as a nature reserve. The parcels bought by Conservancy in 1992 connect the pond reserve with the quarter-section of Crown land that crosses Pickles Road. The vision we had - and still have - is to create Denman's largest protected natural area by combining the original 23 hectare pond parcel and the 9.6 hectare purchase property with the adjacent quarter-section of Crown land as well as the nearby quarter-section of Crown land just south of Chickadee lake. Our vision was that all these parcels could and should be retained as Crown land but be transferred to the Islands Trust Fund.

Unfortunately, successive provincial governments of all stripes have refused to act upon repeated requests and applications to have these Crown parcels transferred to the Trust Fund. For the past thirty years - long before Conservancy came into being - the community has consistently and repeatedly stated its desire to have all Denman vacant Crown land set aside for conservation and low-impact recreation uses. A meeting is scheduled this month with MLA Stan Hagen to again press for permanent protection of these lands through completion of the Inner Island Nature Reserve.

In the interim, the sale of Weldwood's Denman holdings to Hancock Timber, and the subsequent re-sale to 4064 Investments, dramatically escalated the urgency of securing more protected land, squeezed the time-line and inflated land prices. Racing against time, Conservancy struck a new acquisitions committee to develop a Legacy Project which identified nine parcels with high priority for conservation. Unhappily, six of the nine have subsequently been clear cut and their conservation values severely degraded.

An exception is the 30-hectare Chickadee Lake parcel which borders three sides of the lake. Conservancy gave top priority to purchase of this property from 4064. Again with consolidation in mind, in 2000 Conservancy purchased the 2.7 hectare Lake Road property which abuts the 4064 land to its east, the vacant Crown land quarter-section to its south and Chickadee Place to its north. Chickadee Place extends along the western shore of the lake and is held by the Ministry of Highways.

Success in acquiring the 4064 Chickadee Lake parcel would ensure that the entire lake was surrounded by protected land and, joined with the Crown parcels and nearby Inner Island Nature Reserve, would form a magnificent protected area of more than 200 hectares encompassing the lake, pond, wetlands, streams and upland forest. The purchase of Chickadee Lake and transfer of the Crown parcels remain ongoing challenges in pursuit of this dream.

Chickadee Lake Aquisition Parcel Inner Island Nature Reserve ∓ Surrounding Lands

Legend A - Crown Land - Mature second growth forest B - Chickadee Place Lake-shore buffer, - Crown land held by Dept. of Highways C - 6 acres recently purchased by Denman Conservancy - Protected in perpetuity

But one of the many things we've learned over the past decade is not to give up on dreams. The other crisis that brought Conservancy into being - acquisition of the Lindsay-Dickson Forest - took more than ten years of fund-raising, lobbying and negotiating. It teetered repeatedly on the brink of collapse. Portions of the forest were badly mauled by patch logging and skidder trails shortly before it was acquired. And yet in the end it got done.

Notwithstanding the various difficulties and setbacks, and the Province's unfortunate decision to broker a deal involving exchange land on Quadra Island, at least Lindsay-Dickson has been spared the fate of far too much forested land on Denman, Quadra and many other islands. The property's outstanding conservation values have not been permanently compromised and will remain as a living legacy for those who come after us.

Throughout this decade of hard work and tough decisions, Conservancy has enjoyed tremendous support from across the community and beyond our shores. Supporters' generosity of spirit - in joining the organization, serving on the board of directors, volunteering for fund-raising events, serving on committees, lending technical support to our projects, donating funds, making pledges and loans, participating in the stewardship program, attending Conservancy workshops - has kept the initial dream alive and indeed allowed it to grow.

With your continued support, and a bit of luck, Denman may still achieve, beyond the clear cuts, a protected network of nature reserves and private lands in stewardship of which we can all be proud.

by Des Kennedy

Conservancy's Lake Road Property

The Habitat Conservation Trust Fund is the group that so generously funded a large part of our Stewardship Project and we like to think of the 6 Acre Lake Road Property as Conservancy's own stewardship showcase.
by Denise MacKean

Lindsay-Dickson Nature Reserve

To achieve this goal, the following general management objectives have been established:

• Allow natural ecological processes to function with no or minimal human interference, except in the case of wildfire.
• Ensure that permitted uses will not significantly impair the natural condition of the site or impact special features or resources on the site.
• Allow minimal-impact use of the reserve in appropriate areas for hiking and nature observation.
• 
  From the draft Management Agreement

Thanks to the Newsletter crew:

Morrison Marsh South: Covenant

Other Activities this year

• Islands in the Salish Sea: mapping project
• Home and Garden Tour: fundraiser
• 'Starting Out' educational field trips
• Crown Lands: Islands Trust Public Land Strategy
• Earthday Walk

Grapevine - November 29, 2001
Denman Conservancy Association Update

submitted by Des Kennedy

In the long-gone days of 1979 this community produced the first"Scrooge: A Denman Island Christmas Comedy." Scripted by Des Kennedy,the play took place on the small stage located at the far end of thecommunity hall. The production, which raised funds to renovate theAnglican Church, featured thespian stalwarts such as Gordon Wright,Diane Rains and Marcus Isbister as bewildered shepherds, three generations of Kellys, and Hamish Tait,Glen Snook and Dr. GeorgeStafford-Meyer as three dim-witted Wise Men.

Ten years later Des updated the script and a new, expanded production was mounted as the first-ever event on the new stage in the renovated community hall and raised money to help complete the renovation job. And another first: it was the first-ever public appearance of the fabulous Carmen Mirandas whowent on to blaze a glittering trail of glory across the social and political landscape of the island.

>The 1989 version featured a stellar cast of 49 performers, including an Oscar-worthy turn by Norm Kelly in the role of old Ebenezer Scrooge; Theresa Comeau as the alluring Belle; a reprise of their Wise Men roles by HamishTait and Glen Snook; a best-supporting-actor nomination for Stirling Fraser playing Richard Nixon playing little Tiny Tim; smouldering performances by JohnKirk and Michael Lindsay as dysfunctional fire fighters; an all-too-familiar scene with Mike Comeau cracking corny jokes across thecounter; a sacrilegious stint by Louise Fraser and David Graham asthe expectant Mary and Joe searching for suitable accommodation;Jude Kirk as the Ghost of Christmas Present proclaiming her signatureline: "Touch my Tutu!" And much, much more.

>The 1989 version was captured on video by Eddie Johnston wielding the island's first known video camera. Now, twelve years later, Denman Conservancy invites you to a feature screening of this local Christmas classic. The 75-minute video will be shown on the big screen at the Senior's hall on Saturday, December 8th at 8 pm. Come early if you want to stock up on popcorn. Admission is $5 with proceeds being split between Conservancy's Chickadee Lake campaign and the Community Hall's grand piano fund.

Please note that the show would not be of interest to children andwe're unable to provide childcare. Bringing a cushion to soften yourseat is a good idea. Also, be aware that this is an archival tape, shot on a hand-held camera in a darkened hall - it's a long way from technicolour panavision with Dolby surround sound. But it's pure Denman Island, laced with topical references of the day, and a "must see" for those who were here at the time, as well as for more recent arrivals with a healthy curiosity about how things were.

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