private land conservation

The Rocky Mountain Trench has been identified as an area of significant ecological value, both because it is a major migration corridor between two large protected areas, and because it contains the most productive and diverse habitat for a number of plant and animal species. Although there are a number of large protected areas in the region, most of them are situated at high elevations. The more highly productive ecosystems at lower elevations are significantly underrepresented within the current protected areas system. 

With the vast majority of ecologically significant low-elevation habitat in the Robson Valley privately owned, no legislative mechanism exists to ensure its protection. Voluntary measures such as conservation covenants and stewardship agreements thus present the most promising approaches for protecting ecologically valuable private lands.

The Fraser Headwaters Alliance supports the work of The Land Conservancy of BC and the Kiyooka Land Trust Foundation in the Fraser Headwaters region. Since 1997, TLC has worked as a land trust to protect over 80,000 acres of ecologically, historically, and recreationally significant land throughout British Columbia. With over 1000 members province-wide, the organization works in a business-like, non-confrontational manner to build relationships with landowners and local and regional governments. The Kiyooka Land Trust Foundation is a local, grassroots land trust that was created in 2021 and to date has successfully acquired and now protects a 29 hectare wetland/riparian property located in Tête Jaune Cache, BC. Its purpose is to conserve important wildlife habitat and to protect the ecological integrity of lands it holds in trust in the Robson Valley region. It also aims to provide educational opportunities for environmental stewardship, and to nurture sustainable, resilient communities.