Special wetland habitat on Saturna Island in the Gulf Islands is now protected thanks to the vision of a former owner, Murray Rankin. A covenant was registered on property that he owned with Ed Reimer and Derryck Smith. The wetland also formed the boundary between their land and a neighbour's property.

When Murray and his partners decided to sell their property, they wanted to ensure that the activities of the new owners would not compromise the wetland's integrity. They wanted a covenant that protected the rare wetland as an area for nature~in the long run.

Islands Trust Fund representatives assisted the landowners by creating the covenant and ensuring all the necessary details were addressed so the covenants would be successfully registered at the Land Title Office. This included letting the landowners know that a survey was needed to delineate the 1.8 hectares of land to be included in the covenant. The cost of the survey was shared among the landowners, the Islands Trust Fund and its partner covenant holder, the Habitat Acquisition Trust. Once completed, Murray and his partners were able to sell the land, secure in the knowledge that this valuable area would be protected in perpetuity. The Islands Trust Fund and Habitat Acquisition Trust, as joint covenant holders, have the responsibility to work with the new owners to ensure they understand the reasons for the covenant and the restrictions on use in the wetland area. They also monitor the covenant area regularly to make sure the new owners live up to the agreements made.

We have been told that this Saturna Island wetland is critical habitat; the conservation covenant will make a difference now and in the future. As owners, we were very pleased with the assistance that we received from the land trusts in helping us make this a reality.
Murray Rankin