Conservation groups fundraising in hopes of purchasing Vancouver Island marsh
CBC
The deadline for the Regional District of Nanaimo to complete a major land acquisition to create a conservation site just north of the city is quickly approaching, with a massive fundraising effort underway to facilitate the purchase.
The Hamilton Marsh is a 360 acre parcel of land, located along Highway 4, just north of Nanaimo, B.C., near the Town of Qualicum Beach. The wetlands are a major part of the French Creek watershed and is home to over 120 species of birds.
Owned by Island Timberlands and managed by Mosaic Forest Management, the regional district struck a conditional agreement to purchase the full marsh site for $30 million in September 2025, with a requirement to secure $7.5 million of external funding by the end of January this year.
The Nanaimo Area Land Trust — best known for similar efforts back in the early 2000s that led to the creation of the Mount Benson Regional Park — is responsible for fundraising $250,000 of that by Jan. 30. With a week to go, it is just $25,000 shy of the goal.
“This is the third swing of the bat, trying to secure this land, and it’s the closest we’ve ever been,” said Paul Chapman, the executive director of the land trust.
“It's all part of how we're going to manage to have a robust, biodiverse natural systems in a place where most things are privately owned.”
According to the regional district, the Hamilton Marsh contains many priority West Coast region environmental values, including mature forest and ecologically significant wetland, located within the Coastal Douglas-fir moist maritime subzone.
The forest is projected to be re-classified as old growth within 150 years and is a rare opportunity to develop old-growth forests in B.C.
“Together, we can preserve this ecologically significant area for the benefit of the many species that rely on Hamilton Marsh for their survival, and for the enjoyment of generations of RDN residents and people beyond our region,” wrote Stuart McLean, district board chair, in a statement that was circulated in November when the conditional agreement was announced.
Ceri Peacey is with the Hamilton Wetlands Preservation Society and has been advocating for the preservation of the marsh for over 20 years.
She says, to see the Hamilton Marsh finally become public space and to see it preserved would be emotional.
“I used to think that birds were just there, I used to think water just came out of a tap, and I never, ever understood the ecosystems that we all depend on,” she said.
“It will be a very emotional moment when we do it. And 20 years of giving presentations, I’d like to see that draw to a close.”
Should the conditions of the purchase be met, the sale would be finalized by March 30.
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