TLC assisted the Province of BC with the second purchase of Burgoyne Bay on January 15, 2003.
The Land Conservancy was very proud to work with the Salt Spring Island Community plus local and regional governments to achieve significant acquisitions in Burgoyne Bay, covering an area from Mount Maxwell to the south shores of Burgoyne Bay as well as the slopes of Mount Sullivan, Mount Tuam, and Bruce Peak. In 2001, 947 acres were protected with a partnership between TLC, Salt Spring Island Conservancy, BC Parks and Capital Regional District Parks. Two years later, TLC announced a second successful purchase of approximately 80 acres in the Burgoyne Valley on Salt Spring Island, additional partners on this second project included the Salt Spring Liquid Waste Disposal Local Service Committee, Paul G. Allen Forest Protection Foundation and Ecotrust Canada. The purchase added the final two parcels needed to complete the original proposal for Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park.
The landscape is of mixed Douglas fir, Garry oak and arbutus forest with scenic rocky bluffs and lush valley-bottom groves of red cedar and ancient Douglas firs. Burgoyne Bay itself is the largest undeveloped bay and estuary left in the southern Gulf Islands. It contains significant conservation, recreation, wildlife, fish and historic values. Two salmon streams run into the bay, which has about 2 km of sensitive tidal flats with extensive healthy eelgrass beds. It is also adjacent to the proposed Marine Conservation Area in Sansum Narrows.
