The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) is now accepting applications for the Habitat Acquisition Grant. Applications must be submitted through HCTF’s online application system by 4:30pm on Monday, April 17, 2023 (PST).
Each year, the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation provides approximately $500,000 in Habitat Acquisition grants to help fund acquisition projects that secure and manage conservation properties in British Columbia. One such project is Project Perseverance a 90.5-hectare (224 acre) watershed and habitat protection project near the Village of Cumberland on Vancouver Island. This property was secured in 2020 via the purchase of privately owned forest lands and now protects an ecologically rich habitat corridor that is home to a host of species including Western toads, Little Brown bats, and Roosevelt elk. The waterways support Coho salmon as well as Rainbow and Cutthroat Trout. Project Perseverance is now part of the Cumberland Community Forest Park, a 225-hectare park which includes three other areas purchased and protected by the Cumberland Community Forest Society since 2006. These areas are all protected through a Section 219 Conservation Covenant. To find out more visit www.cumberlandforest.com.
For 2023, HCTF will continue to prioritize acquisition applications that seek to increase conservation outcomes for fish, wildlife, and their habitats, provide access for a variety of uses such as hunting, fishing, and non-motorized recreation and fit one or more of the following criteria:
- Contribute to the conservation of wetland or grassland habitats.
- Increase connectivity to adjacent protected lands or important habitats to further build complexes of intact habitat.
- Contribute to the conservation of habitats near urban settings to increase opportunities to connect people to nature.
- Demonstrate resiliency to climate change and/or address stressors linked to climate change impacts.
Please visit our FAQ Page to find useful tips and guidance for the online Survey Apply system. Please note that HCTF cannot accept applications submitted by email.
For questions related to the Habitat Acquisition Grant, please contact Barb von Sacken at bvonsacken@hctf.ca or 250-940-3013.
