Zoom Recording: Conservation Covenants and Ecological Gifts
Click here to watch the Zoom recording of Ryan McCracken’s (Farris LLP) presentation on Conservation Covenants and Ecological Gifts. Passcode: 9=MEr8&i
For more information:
BC Conservation Covenant Handbook:
https://www.wcel.org/sites/default/files/publications/bc-conservation-covenant-handbook_2023.pdf
A short synopsis of the topic (taken from WCEL, BC Conservation Covenant Handbook).
“Providing legal protection for special areas of privately owned land has become increasingly important in British Columbia during the past number of years. While private land makes up only about five percent of the land base in the province, much is concentrated in scarce and heavily-altered ecological zones such as Coastal Douglas-fir along Georgia Strait…. A conservation covenant is a long-term commitment to stewardship of the land by the landowner and the conservation organization or government agency. It facilitates the permanent protection of the important values of the land according to the terms of the covenant while allowing the landowner to retain possession and carry out compatible uses of the land…Landowners can receive significant tax benefits from granting conservation covenants over ecologically significant land. Further…The inherent and constitutionally protected title, rights and jurisdiction of Indigenous peoples must be recognized and upheld whenever management or disposition of land is considered.”
Islands Trust:
"A conservation covenant is one of the most powerful promises you can make. It is a formal legal commitment to protect your land for nature that still allows you to own your property, live on your property, and sell it whenever you want. The power of a conservation covenant is that it binds future owners to the same promises you made, meaning the land you've loved and cared for remains protected forever."
