Yarrow Koontz first set eyes on her 8.2-acre property near Silva Bay more than two decades ago. Although the landscape bore the visible scars of past human disturbance and neglect, Yarrow was immediately struck by the beauty and diversity of its physical and natural features. Since purchasing the property in 2002, she has spent countless hours removing invasive plant species and restoring disturbed areas. Yarrow’s careful nurturing, aided by Mother Nature, has largely restored the land to its natural state.
The small acreage contains several different natural habitats of high conservation value, including young and maturing forests of different types, a forested wetland, rare cliff habitat, and Garry oak bluffs. A pond attracts river otters, deer, racoons, ducks, rough-skinned newts, and northern red-legged frogs. The cliffs are used as denning habitat by the otters and provide valuable habitat for garter snakes, bats, and several other wildlife species. On warm summer days, alligator lizards can often be seen sunning themselves on the many rocky outcrops. The forested areas contain several standing dead trees with high habitat value for birds, insects, and cavity-nesting species.
Yarrow cares deeply about her beautiful property but was worried about how a future landholder might treat it. She is keenly aware that Gabriola’s remaining natural ecosystems are increasingly threatened by disturbance caused by human development. Almost one-third of Gabriola’s land area has been modified for human use which has resulted in one of the most highly fragmented natural landscapes in all the Gulf Islands.
That’s why Yarrow approached GaLTT in 2021 to ask about the possibility of placing a conservation covenant on her property. “I really wanted to make sure the natural features of the land were protected in perpetuity should I decide to sell the property in the future,” says Yarrow.
A conservation covenant is a voluntary legal agreement between a landholder and a conservancy or land trust. The landholder promises to protect the natural features of the land, and the conservation organization promises to regularly monitor the property to ensure the restrictive terms of the covenant are upheld. The covenant is registered on the property title, which means future landholders are legally bound by it.
After touring the property and confirming its ecological value, GaLTT connected Yarrow with the Islands Trust Conservancy (ITC), which manages the Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program (NAPTEP). A landholder who registers a NAPTEP conservation covenant receives an annual property tax exemption of 65% on the protected portion of their land in exchange for a legal commitment to protect its natural features. To qualify for a NAPTEP covenant, at least 5 acres must be formally protected. In Yarrow’s case, the 6-acre covenant area excludes the house/yard and a separate garden and greenhouse area.
There are several costs associated with establishing a conservation covenant. However, GaLTT secured grant funding to pay for the major expenses – surveying the covenant boundaries and conducting a baseline inventory of the property’s ecological features by a professional biologist. It was lengthy and complex process, but Yarrow says, “ITC staff and GaLTT were there for me every step of the way.”
Yarrow’s covenant was officially registered with the BC Land Titles office in late October. The ITC and GaLTT are co-holders of the covenant and will be responsible for annual monitoring and reporting. GaLTT holds three other covenants in the Gabriola Trust Area and is the local manager for another.
Yarrow encourages anyone with the good fortune of living on a larger property with significant natural features to consider taking steps to protect those ecological values in perpetuity. “It’s one small thing an individual landholder can do to contribute to the long-term health and sustainability of our island community,” says Yarrow.
Whether you’re potentially interested in a conservation covenant or selling or donating your land for conservation purposes, GaLTT would love to have a conversation with you. Contact us at info@galtt.ca.
