Re: “TLC, partners maintain connection to nature,” letter, May 3.
As a member of The Land Conservancy of B.C. since 1999, I want to recognize the significant achievement of protecting, in perpetuity, 28 conservation properties across the province, which will now be transferred to another land trust.
But I want to know: What happened to the Wildwood Ecoforest?
Wildwood is a world-class example of sustainable forestry practices, thanks to the pioneering work of Merv Wilkinson. It has educated and inspired people from all over the world.
Hundreds of people raised more than $1 million to protect this legacy, and TLC declared it would protect it forever. It was deemed inalienable, and under TLC’s bylaws can never be sold. And yet, under this process to settle debt, that is exactly what TLC is doing.
In the plan of compromise and arrangement filed in the Supreme Court in February, TLC stated its intent to sell Wildwood. If TLC proceeds with this plan, not only will it breach the community’s trust, but it will likely face a costly lawsuit for contravening the Charitable Purposes Preservation Act.
We have more than 1,000 signatures collected on a petition to date, and are waiting for TLC to announce that it is scrapping this plan to sell and will be transferring Wildwood to the hands of another charitable trust.
We invite people to sign the petition at chn.ge/1JDbHBN and to get involved by emailing savewildwood@gmail.com.
Jessica Snider
Errington
