Hamilton Marsh Conditional Purchase

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) and Mosaic Forest Management are pleased to announce that a conditional Contract of Purchase and Sale (CPS) has been signed for approximately 360 hectares (ha) of land known as Hamilton Marsh. An offer of $30 million was accepted, with the sale anticipated to be completed by March 31, 2026.

Acquiring Hamilton Marsh as a conservation site has been a priority for the RDN, lands trusts and conservation organizations for many years.

Contributing to the Preservation of Hamilton Marsh

The RDN is required to secure $7.5 million of external funding by January 30, 2026. The RDN is actively pursuing contributions agreements from conservation groups and funding agreements with provincial ministries. Support from the Government of British Columbia, as well as funding support through federal grants, land trusts, individuals and corporations are essential to complete the acquisition.

The RDN has secured agreements with Nanaimo & Area Land Trust (NALT) and Mt. Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR). As new agreements are secured, updates will be posted to this page.

If you are considering contributing to the preservation of Hamilton Marsh, there are two options:

Nanaimo & Area Land Trust - Fundraising campaign
NALT has committed to raising $250,000 towards the purchase of Hamilton Marsh. For more information please visit our What's New article or donate directly at nalt.bc.ca/hamilton-marsh.

Mt. Arrowsmith Biosphere Region - Pledge Drive
MABR have launched a pledge drive to help raise part of the $7.5 million fundraising target. For more information please visit our What's New article or download your pledge form at mabr.ca/hamiltonmarsh.

About Hamilton Marsh

Owned by Island Timberlands and managed under Mosaic Forest Management, the Hamilton Marsh site is located south of the Town of Qualicum Beach with most of the land located within RDN Electoral Area F and a segment within Electoral Area G. The site is bounded by Hilliers Road on the north and west sides, Memorial Avenue on the east side, and the Island Corridor Foundation rail corridor on the south side.

The marsh, located on the north side of the property and approximately 36 ha in size, forms part of the French Creek watershed and connects with Beach and Grandon Creek in the Town of Qualicum Beach. It is formed through a combination of several wetland habitats including a prolific waterfowl brood marsh. Several species of wildlife that use the marsh and the surrounding mature, second-growth forest are listed by the Conservation Data Centre as species of concern or at risk.

The acquisition site contains many priority West Coast Region (WCR) environmental values including an extensive stand of mature forest. This ecologically significant wetland and mature forest is located within the Coastal Douglas-fir moist maritime (CDFmm) biogeoclimatic subzone. In the absence of a stand-altering disturbance the 100-year old mature forest will be classified as old-growth within 150 years; the area represents an important recruitment site for this rare type of old forest within the province.

For More Information and to Get Involved

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