Island's first eagle preserve fundraiser receives $28K donation

The eagle preserve would be the first of its kind on Vancouver Island: (CTV News)

Nanaimo -

A fundraiser to turn a piece of land along the French Creek Estuary in Oceanside, B.C. into Vancouver Island’s first eagle preserve just received a significant donation.

The 100+ Women Who Care from Oceanside group donated $28,000 to the French Creek Conservation Society and the Save Estuary Land Society to help acquire the land.

Both societies have joined forces to create a 23-acre eagle preserve which will be the first of it’s kind on Vancouver Island. Eagle preserves are designed to protect critical habitats for eagles.

"It’s our turn to give back to nature and this is something we can do locally," says Denise Foster, chair of the Save Estuary Land Society. "It’s something we can be proud of by creating Vancouver Island’s first eagle preserve."

French Creek House Ltd., which owns the land, is also offering to gift over 12 acres of land for the eagle preserve.

Another $500,000 is needed to acquire the rest of the land. Some $180,000 of that has already been donated.

More information and how to donate can be found on the society’s website.