INVESTING IN BC CONSERVATION SINCE 1981

Conservation Lands

O&M

Overview
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Reporting

The Conservation Lands Operations and Management (O&M) Program provides funding to the Conservation Lands Program of the Province of British Columbia for the management of ministry-administered conservation lands. The program is delivered in partnership with the Nature Trust of British Columbia (NTBC) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) (in the South Coast region), including work undertaken on lands leased to the Province from NTBC. Funding for this program is provided primarily through endowment funds given to HCTF by the Province of British Columbia. This program is limited to a specific set of eligible sites and activities.

Program Applications

The Province and NTBC jointly submit an application before each three-year funding cycle, developed in partnership with DUC in the South Coast Region. In accordance with the Endowment Agreement between HCTF and the Province of British Columbia, application packages are made publicly available. To request copies of earlier applications, please email grants@hctf.ca.

Program Reviews

HCTF has periodically undertaken a financial and field review of a selected region within the Conservation Lands O&M Program. These reviews ensure the program aligns with the guiding principles and provides conservation outcomes on the ground. The most recent reports are available here:

NTBC and the Province work together on regional applications, along with DUC for the South Coast region. Regional applications are reviewed by the provincial project leader prior to submission to HCTF.

Application packages and instructions are distributed directly to regional project leaders.

Capital Asset Requests

In order to maximize the on-the-ground impact of every conservation dollar, HCTF will consider requests for capital assets where they are necessary to complete the project and where the cost per asset does not exceed $3,500. This threshold may be lifted in certain circumstances, such as for immobile assets (e.g. cattleguards, aerators, etc.). Please contact HCTF to discuss if you wish to request an asset over $3,500. Note that any asset purchased must only be used for conservation purposes.

Eligible Activities List

Please review the Eligible Activities List for information on the specific activities that are eligible under this program. If you are uncertain whether an activity is eligible, please email grants@hctf.ca.

Conditional Grant Agreement

For Provincial Government project leaders, HCTF coordinates one agreement with the Province that encompasses all approved Government projects. It is the responsibility of all Ministry project leaders to become familiar with the requirements and conditions of their Conditional Grant Agreement, and they are also encouraged to request and review their specific agreement from Headquarters.
Project Change Requests

HCTF must be contacted for a project change request if you wish to re-allocate funds for a single activity requiring more than 30% of your regional budget or $15,000, whichever is lower. For example, there may be a site where a derelict barn has been deemed a safety hazard and requires demolition at significant expense. A project change request is required if the barn demolition was not planned and not in the budget for that site and if it requires more than $15K or 30% of the total regional budget.

A project change request is also required if you wish to spend funds at an eligible site where a property/complex plan was not included in the 2025-2028 approved application package. An updated plan must be submitted as part of the project change request, even if funds have been spent at the site in previous funding cycles.

Please email grants@hctf.ca if you wish to complete a project change request; the form is provided here.
HCTF Acknowledgement

The support provided by HCTF must be acknowledged in any publicity issued, printed or distributed, including signs, displays, reports, announcements, articles, press releases, or media interviews. Full information on HCTF communications guidelines and copies of the HCTF logo are available here.

The Conservation Lands O&M Annual Summary Reports are due April 22^nd each year. Regional project leaders must submit to the provincial project leader approximately one week prior to this final deadline.

Report forms and instructions are circulated to regional project leaders in March. Please email grants@hctf.ca if you have any questions.

Submitted Annual Summary Reports

Each region funded under this program completes an annual report. Each region’s summary report is shared with the public, as per the Endowment Agreement between HCTF and the Province of British Columbia.

2024-2025 HCTF Conservation Land Management Summary Report

2023-2024 HCTF Conservation Land Management Summary Report

2022-2023 HCTF Conservation Land Management Summary Report

2021-2022 HCTF Conservation Land Management Summary Report

2020-2021 HCTF Conservation Land Management Summary Report

2019-2020 HCTF Conservation Land Management Summary Report

2018-2019 HCTF Conservation Land Management Summary Report

2017-2018 HCTF Conservation Land Management Summary Report

2016-2017 HCTF Conservation Lands Management Summary Report

2015-2016 HCTF Conservation Lands Management Summary Report

2014-2015 HCTF Conservation Lands Management Summary Report

2013-2014 HCTF Conservation Lands Management Summary Report