Only about 15% of BC’s lands and waters are legally protected for long-term conservation. Most of those protected areas are tiny fragments, and many highly threatened ecosystems are left out.
Our mission is simple and clear: to secure ecologically important land in BC and protect it forever. Our conservation areas safeguard the remarkable animals, plants, and fungi that live there and the ecosystems they rely on. Since 1971, NTBC has acquired more than 590 parcels of land in British Columbia to protect these important habitats.
NTBC uses a decision framework to prioritize potential conservation areas that are the most ecologically significant.
Land parcels available for conservation are evaluated by the types of ecosystems and species present, areas of conservation concern in BC, urgency of threats to those lands, and by the means by which the parcel can be secured.
We assess each potential conservation area using a systematic evaluation we developed called a Relative Ecological Assessment tool. It evaluates lands and waters based on seven different ecological concerns using provincial spatial data in Geographic Information Software (GIS).
Biodiversity BC assesses the level of conservation concern of each biogeoclimatic zone in British Columbia. For example, Bunchgrass and Coastal Douglas-fir are two of the biogeoclimatic zones most at risk. Lands in at-risk biogeoclimatic zones score higher in our assessment.
We evaluate each potential conservation area for how well its ecosystems are represented in areas that are already protected. We prioritize areas with ecosystems that have less existing protection.
We measure whether an ecosystem located on the potential conservation area is degraded compared to other, similar ecosystems found within BC. Healthier ecosystems score higher.
Parcels with a greater number of plant and animal species score higher.
Lands with a greater number of rare species or ecological communities receive a higher score.
Lands that are close to existing protected areas are more viable since large, connected natural areas are more resilient to both human activities and climate change. And they provide corridors for species to move freely across the landscape.
We score the quality and extent of wetland and riparian ecosystems found within a potential conservation area. Areas with more and/or higher quality wetland and riparian areas score higher.
Once a potential conservation area has been identified as being ecologically significant, a site visit is undertaken to assess the condition of the parcel, as well as the effort and cost of stewarding those lands in perpetuity.
NTBC’s Board of Directors of renowned scientists and business leaders make the final decision on the potential conservation area based on their depth of knowledge and a detailed Potential Acquisition Review report. If approved, we commence fundraising to secure the lands and protect them forever. These securement criteria help us make the best decisions in our quest to conserve BC’s biodiversity.
If funds are available, NTBC may purchase the land at fair market value. If you are interested in selling your land to ensure it’s protected, forever, please contact NTBC at info@ntbc.com or (604) 924-9771.
Donations of land may also be gifted to NTBC, including under the federal Ecological Gifts Program. This program offers increased tax benefits to the donor. If you want to see if your land is a good candidate for conservation, you can reach out to NTBC at info@ntbc.com or (604) 924-9771
Learn how the NTBC Team manages and stewards the lands that are purchased.
Learn about how the NTBC team implements plans to restore the purchased lands forever.
We gratefully acknowledge that our Vancouver office is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, who have been stewarding this land since time immemorial. Our work and conservation areas encompass many lands throughout the province, and we humbly acknowledge the First Nations communities who live on and steward these lands.
Stay connected to the landscapes you help protect. Receive updates from the field, stories of conservation in action, and opportunities to support and experience BC’s natural places.
Stay connected to the landscapes you help protect. Receive updates from the field, stories of conservation in action, and opportunities to support and experience BC’s natural places.