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 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.