NEWS RELEASE
SUPREME COURT OF BC APPROVES TRANSFER OF LOHBRUNNER FARM FROM
THE LAND CONSERVANCY OF BC TO FARMFOLK/CITYFOLK SOCIETY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 26, 2016
Victoria, BC – The Supreme Court of British Columbia has approved the transfer of The Land Conservancy of B.C.’s (TLC) Lohbrunner Farm to the FarmFolk/CityFolk Society (FarmFolk/CityFolk).
The Purchase and Sale Agreement between the two societies includes a covenant to be held and enforced by TLC to protect the property for farm purposes. The covenant prohibits the use of pesticides, herbicides, or any deleterious substances on the land. The farm is within the Agricultural Land Reserve and zoned by the City of Langford for a single family dwelling and agricultural use.
The transfer to FarmFolk/CityFolk will recover $200,000 in creditor forgiveness and $300,000 in direct funds to pay TLC’s creditors as part of the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) process the charity has been operating under since October 2013. The transfer is to be completed ten days after receiving the approval of the Court.
TLC received Lohbrunner Farm and Bird Sanctuary in 2007 through the gift of a life estate from Norma Lohbrunner. Having lived on the 40-acre farm since marrying her husband Joseph in 1945, Norma fought to ensure the land continued as a valuable food-producing resource for the community. Widowed in 1968, Norma wanted the farm to be used for productive farming and the bird sanctuary portion of the property to be protected in perpetuity. Norma passed away in October 2011, but a dedicated group of TLC volunteers continue to care for the agricultural fields.
“We are thrilled that TLC’s volunteer farmers will be able to continue to be active on the farm following this transfer to FarmFolk/CityFolk,” said Cathy Armstrong, TLC Executive Director. “The Lohbrunner family has been kept apprised of the negotations, and will continue to have access to the property.”
TLC transferred the Lohbrunner Bird Sanctuary portion of the estate to the Nature Conservancy of Canada in 2015. As the Sanctuary is land-locked, the agreement with FarmFolk/CityFolk includes an easement to allow the Nature Conservancy of Canada access via the farm.
“Having met Norma in the early days, when she was considering donating her land, I know that she would be pleased that it remains in trust and that both the birds and the farming will continue to be protected in perpetuity,” said Heather Pritchard, FarmFolk/CityFolk Society. “Especially exciting is that a strong group of farmers are forming the Lohbrunner Community Farm Cooperative to manage the land and bring it into full production.”
Proceeds from the sale will be distributed to TLC’s creditors as per the organization’s Plan of Arrangement and Compromise (POA). To date TLC has raised more than $5.1 million in direct funds and creditor forgiveness from its transactions under the POA.
The completion of TLC’s POA will require the sale of densities zoned on Abkhazi Garden and the transfer of Lohbrunner Farm, the Historic Joy Kogawa House, Wildwood Ecoforest and 6% undivided interest in Maltby Lake.
Upon completion of the CCAA process TLC will continue to protect sensitive ecosystems throughout B.C. through the monitoring and enforcement of more than 230 conservation covenants.
About The Land Conservancy of BC
The Land Conservancy of BC (TLC) is a non-profit, charitable Land Trust working throughout British Columbia. TLC’s primary mandate is to benefit the community by protecting habitat for natural communities of plants and animals. Founded in 1997, TLC is membership-based and governed by an elected, volunteer Board of Directors. TLC relies on a strong membership and volunteer base to help maintain its operations.
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Media Contact:
Cathy Armstrong
Executive Director
The Land Conservancy of B.C.
carmstrong@conservancy.bc.ca
Office (250) 479-8053
Cell (250) 588-4945
Fantastic. Great to see this farm is going to a charitable Society with a mandate in agriculture. I hope TLC reverses the decision to sell Wildwood Ecoforest to a private buyer, and follows the spirit of Section 20 of TLC bylaws by transferring Wildwood to the Ecoforestry Institute Society. Otherwise, TLC is going to waste a lot of money in a court challenge by the people who donated to protect Wildwood forever. http://www.savewildwood.com
This is good news!
I’m not sure why the same thing is not happening with the Wildwood property? Why sell it to a private investor when a similar not-for-profit group dedicated to preserving this ancient forest is prepared to buy it?
Wonderful news that the transfer is to another society. Wildwood should have the same opportunity.
It is satisfying that TLC finally managed to transfer Lohbrunner Farm to another charitable society and not sold into private ownership, private management counter to the universal tenets of land conservancy world-wide. It is the right thing to do as our land conservancy movement is our safety net.
I ask that Wildwood Ecoforest be transferred to the Ecoforestry Institute Society and not sold into private ownership, private management. EIS has successfully managed Wildwood for many years along with dedicated TLC Members and Volunteers who are continually fighting to ensure it remain with EIS, a charitable like-minded society of which Merv Wilkinson, Wildwood’s founder was an original board member. It is the right thing to do in honour of our conservancy movement. Again, it is our safety net and it is extremely important to respect the conservancy tenets in these perilous times.