Conservation Initiatives

Enhancing Salmon Habitat

In 2002, TimberWest initiated a partnership with the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) to help prioritize and administer enhancement programs for streams on TimberWest private lands. This ongoing partnership has, to date, distributed approximately $480,000 of TimberWest funds to stream keepers’ projects on Vancouver Island. TimberWest’s relationship with PSF ensures that all projects funded through the Community Salmon Program have clearly defined and measureable objectives and are successfully executed, clearly reported and within their approved budgets.

Major benefactors of this program include:

  • Sooke Salmonid Enhancement Society
  • San Juan Enhancement Society
  • BC Conservation Foundation
  • Cowichan Lake Salmonid Enhancement Society
  • Ladysmith Sportsman Club
  • Nanaimo Fish and Game Protective Association
  • Mid-Vancouver Island Habitat Enhancement Society
  • Alberni Valley Enhancement Society
  • Tsolum River Restoration Society
  • Oyster River Enhancement Society
  • Millard-Piercy Watershed Stewards.

For more information, visit the Pacific Salmon Foundation website.

Fish Hatcheries

In addition to supporting stream keepers’ groups through annual donations with the Pacific Salmon Foundation, TimberWest has donated land and building sites for fish hatcheries to allow stream enhancement groups to carry out their work in ideal locations. TimberWest land donations have allowed hatcheries to be built in the following watersheds:

  • Sooke River
  • San Juan River
  • Bush Creek (Ladysmith)
  • Englishman River
  • Tsolum River

Marmot Protection

TimberWest has been part of the marmot recovery team since 1997. The Marmot Recovery Foundation was formed in 1999 to implement marmot recovery plans and raise money for a captive breeding program.

In 2000, TimberWest committed $500,000 toward a three year partnership between the forest industry, provincial and federal governments, and public funding sources. Marmot populations at the time were perilously low (34 wild marmots left in 2001).

Since 2000, TimberWest has contributed an additional 1 million dollars to the Marmot Recovery Foundation and wild marmot populations have been growing by leaps and bounds. Since the inception of the program, wild marmot populations have increased from fewer than 50 marmots to over 250 in 2009.

There are currently 24 successful colonies established in three regions (meta-population sites) on Vancouver Island.

Learn more about the Marmot Recovery Foundation at www.marmots.org.