Give Back ... Give Forward to Nature
South Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands are home to some of the most beautiful and rare ecosystems in Canada. HAT works with landowners to protect natural areas by applying different tools for conservation. This is done through following best practices and strategies using our legal land conservation program. Click on the links below to learn more.
This Guide from 2015 explains the ins and outs of donating land in all of the various ways available in BC, including the tax benefits to the landowner.
Protecting Land with HAT
The most commonly used Land Protection tools at HAT are:
1. Conservation Covenants
Conservation covenants are appropriate if you wish to protect natural habitat on your property, but you still wish to retain ownership, live on the property, or sell the property. Learn more about applying a conservation covenant to the title of the property.
- Protecting Nature HAT Brochure (PDF)
- Preserving Natural & Cultural Features of Land with a Conservation Covenant (PDF Brochure)
2. Donations of Land
Land donations are appropriate if you wish to have your land to become a park or nature sanctuary. Learn more about donations of land for permanent protection.
Create a Conservation Legacy...
South Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands are home to some of the most beautiful and rare ecosystems in Canada. Garry Oak meadows, Douglas-Fir forests, streams, and sweeping shorelines define our region. It is also a growing region, and land use changes are clearing natural areas and threatening the wildlife that rely on them.
Land owners in the Capital Region have an opportunity to make a lasting difference to our environment by protecting natural areas on their property.
HAT helps people to permanently protect natural landscapes in the Capital region. If you have a property that you would like to protect, please contact us for more information. There are many land protection options, but the most common are donations of land and conservation covenants.
More Resources:
- The Ecological Gifts Program
- The Ecological Gifts Program Brochure
- The Canadian Ecological Gifts Program: Donation and Income Tax Scenarios - PDF
- Your Land Conservation Options – Book to buy
Guide to Leaving a Green Legacy (PDF - 7 MB)
Other ways to support Land Protection
Donate to the Land Protection Program
Funding for specific covenant projects has been provided by:
- The Victoria Foundation
- The Metchosin Foundation
- Environment Canada Ecological Gifts Program
- The Land Trust Alliance of BC
Your donations provide funding for the Land Protection Program - thank you for supporting these amazing programs and helping to protect nature in the Capital region!
HAT's Current Protected Lands Map:
See a Map of all locations of HAT public conservation covenants (private properties not shown)
