A massive swath of lush green space on southern Vancouver Island has been officially declared protected park space, according to the Capital Regional District.
The CRD has purchased more than 150 hectares of parkland at a cost of roughly $6.5-million.
Eighty one hectares of forested property near Thetis Lake and Pike Lake was acquired with the hope of connecting existing park space. The area encompasses portions of salmon-bearing streams and patches of old-growth and fully grown second-growth forests.
CRD board members have also approved the purchase of a highly important wildlife corridor in the Sooke hills area. A patch of forest, 68 hectares in sizes, in the Jack Lake and Waugh Creek watershed was bought for $1-million.
“The CRD, with the support of our partners, has acquired more than 4,200 hectares of land valued at $58.7-million through the Land Acquisition Fund since it was established in 2000,” said CRD Parks and Environment Committee Chair Ben Isitt. “In that time the regional park system has grown from 8,400 hectares to more than 13,000 hectares.”
Following the purchase of these parklands, the Capital Region’s bank account for Land Acquisitions sits at $2.8-million.
The fund expires at the end of 2019, but board members are expected to discuss an extension in the near future.
