Habitat Acquisition Trust

Happy New Year!

2012 mark 15 years for Habitat Acquisition Trust,and throughout the year we celebrate our past, but to begin we would to announce something new - new Board members that is.  HAT is pleased to welcome Jan Garnett and Rob Mortin to the Board for their first terms.

Well, not quite first term for Jan.  In fact, Jan was one of HAT's founding Board Members in December 1996.  Since then, she's been the Regional Vice-President of the BC Region of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and currently the President of EcoLegacy International.  Jan has a one the driving forces behind BC's growing Land Trust community for many years, and has helped lead many successful conservation projects, including the acquisition of Darkwoods, 136,000 acres of natural habitat in the southern Interior.

Rob Mortin is the Controller for the BC region of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and brings his passion for the environment, fishing, and his knowledge of conservation finance to the Board.  Engaged in conservation at the Provincial level, his volunteerism with HAT will allow him to apply his knowledge to local issues as well.

Welcome!

Celebrate HAT's 15th Birthday by scrolling through this amazing slideshow, filled with fifteen years of history of a local land trust. Press play and go through the slide show by using the left and right arrows. You will notice that there are some question marks and blanks for faces we do not recognize. If you see someone you know on one of the slides, let us know who they are by emailing us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   or by giving us a call at 250-995-2428.

Since 2005 sixteen local elementary and middle schools created outdoor naturescape gardens through our Green Spots Program.

With unprecedented three-year funding from the Natural Sciences and Energy Research Council (NSERC) we plan to bring this innovative teaching program to many more growing minds in outdoor classrooms throughout the Region. This year’s planting season includes over 170 students at Lansdowne and Glanford Middle Schools. On November 29 at Landsdowne Middle School, Esquimalt First Nation drummer Augie Thomas welcomed the new native plant garden planned by a committee including HAT’s Todd Carnahan, School District 61 Grounds Foreman Al Hood, Principal Ken Andrews, parents, teachers, and UVic Restoration of Natural Systems program students. Connecting kids to nature is part of HAT’s core mandate. If your school community is looking for guidance on creating outdoor classrooms, contact Todd Carnahan at 250.995.2428 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Please join us at the Swan Lake Nature House on Dec 14th at 6:30 pm for a celebration of HAT's 15th birthday and our Annual General Meeting. We will take a look back at HAT's history, and the special region that we live in, through pictures, stories, and music.

Admission is free.  Refreshments and snacks provided. HAT Members can vote during the AGM, and we encourage you to join or renew your membership at the door.

You can read our Annual Report here to find out what we've been up to over the past year, and some the challenges and successes we've had over the past 15 years.

Here's a photo from a part of that history: HAT's Board and staff celebrate the acquisition of Ayum Estuary in 1998.

Standing (left to right): Jeff Stone, Andy MacKinnon, Marilyn Lambert, Burce Whittingon, Mike Shepard, Calvin
Sandborn.
Kneeling Front: Jan Garnett, Colleen O’Brien, and staff member Andrew Macdonald (holding son Bryn)

Update: This article originally had an incorrect date for the AGM.  My apologies for any confusion caused.

Hello Friends,

We are so excited to present this year's annual report! This annual report is really special to us because not only does it cover this past year at HAT but also how we got here looking back at the past fifteen years. We have included a timeline of successes and challenges over the past fifteen years and all of the supporters who have helped us reach our goals. Anyone who has ever donated, volunteered or worked with HAT has played a huge role  by helping us demonstrate how a small organization can survive and achieve great results in a difficult non-profit sector. Please enjoy the report and drop us an e-mail of your favorite memory with HAT over the past 15 years!

http://hat.bc.ca/attachments/081_HAT%202011%20Annual%20Report%20web.pdf