SISTERS SIGN CONSERVATION COVENANT TO PROTECT
FAMILY ACREAGE IN HONOUR OF LATE PARENTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 18, 2018

Central Saanich, B.C. – The Land Conservancy of B.C. (TLC) and the District of Central Saanich are honoured to announce the protection of 1.4 acres within the Coastal Douglas-fir moist maritime biogeoclimatic zone (CDFmm), to be known as the Pugh Covenant.

Named for Lorna and Alan Pugh, the covenanted land has been in the Pugh family for two generations and was used for livestock grazing, among other farming activities. While farming has left its marks on the land, the care taken by the family to ensure the land remained healthy is visible in the diversity of species and the functionality of the ecosystem, including a small, seasonal creek.

The waterway on the property was officially recognized as a creek as a result of Lorna’s efforts when nearby developments threatened its status. The creek remains today and is protected by Provincial Riparian Area Regulations.

Lorna, born in Brentwood Bay into a pioneer farming family, worked determinedly for the ideals she believed in such as self sustainability, local food production and the preservation of the natural environment. Raised in Jasper National Park, Alan shared these values as evidenced by his prolific vegetable garden and fruit trees. That mutual love of wildlife and the outdoors has been instilled in their family.

Predeceased by Alan in 2013, Lorna passed away on January 8, 2017, at the age of 95. Their four daughters, Frances, Winona, Gillian and Geraldine, wished to honour the legacy of their parents by ensuring the forested area of their family home remained protected in perpetuity. Held by the Pugh family for over 80 years, the land is just moments from Gore and Oak Haven Parks and just north of Gowlland Tod Provincial Park, three parks which Lorna had a hand in creating.

“Our parents enjoyed watching the many animals and birds that increasingly used the wildlife corridor and sanctuary that the protected creek and forest area, rich in native flora, provides,” said Frances Pugh, Central Saanich grower and TLC Board Member. “The covenant also impacts the community into the future by strengthening the buffer around the parks and farm lands that are important to all of us. Moreover, it prevents the property from becoming another speculative venture (a view strongly held by our parents) and makes it slightly more affordable for to those who seek to make this place their home.

“Protecting this land is a generous gift to the community, and I thank the Pugh family for their continued dedication to conserving local ecosystems and habitats,” said Central Saanich Mayor Ryan Windsor.

“We have enormous gratitude to the two generations of the Pugh family who have recognized the importance of this land,” said Cathy Armstrong, TLC Executive Director. “They have cared for this land since the 1940’s and have now ensured that it will remain protected with a conservation covenant.”

A registered charitable land trust, TLC achieves its mission to protect and restore the biological diversity of B.C. for present and future generations through the use of conservation covenants. With a focus on sustainable operations with fiscal accountability and transparency, TLC holds more than 240 covenants, which are an economical and collaborative way to protect a wide range of ecosystems.

A covenant is a legal agreement between a landowner and a monitoring organization like TLC or the District of Central Saanich. Covenants are made on property title and stay with the property indefinitely, even as a property changes ownership. TLC’s Covenant Program now sustainably protects more than 12,750 acres throughout the province which include streams, lakes, riparian areas, forests, greenbelts and rare and endangered species.

About District of Central Saanich

Central Saanich is a friendly and active community spanning the middle of the Saanich Peninsula. Home to the Tsartlip and Tsawout First Nations, the District of Central Saanich has more than 16,000 residents. From Island View Beach on the east to the Saanich Inlet on the west, the region includes fantastic parks, beaches and amenities. Central Saanich has the highest concentration of agricultural production in the region, and is dedicated to celebrating and preserving its agricultural roots and the bounty of green spaces.

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 its conservation partnerships and a strong membership and volunteer base to help maintain its operations.

Media contact

Cathy Armstrong
TLC Executive Director
(250) 479-8053