Gabriola’s first NAPTEP property
From the Islands Trust: Gabriola Island couple become first to join property tax exemption program.
Stanley and Maxine McRae are the first landowners on Gabriola Island to receive an annual property tax exemption recognizing the permanent conservation covenant they placed on their property.
The Islands Trust introduced the Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program (NAPTEP) to the Gabriola Island Local Trust Area in 2009 to encourage private land conservation in the region. The program offers a 65% reduction in property taxes to landowners who register a covenant through the program.
Saving money isn’t the biggest reward for the McRaes’ conservation efforts. Since purchasing the property thirty years ago, the McRaes have been delighted with the colourful displays of camas, fairy-slipper orchids, and shootingstar in the spring. The McRaes’ forest full of Douglas-fir, cedar, and arbutus provides habitat for passing wildlife throughout the year.
The luscious fern undergrowth in our forest and the colourful wildflowers in the meadow are just two of our favourite places scattered throughout the propertysaid Maxine.This property remains as one of the island’s last untouched properties. It’s peaceful to share this special place with the wildlife that visits us.
It’s important that this wildlife continues to have a sanctuary, a safe place to retreat to as our population grows and development continues,added Stanley.The McRaes’ covenant protects more than seven hectares of land. The covenant ensures that the property will remain in its natural state forever, regardless of who owns it in the future.
The press release is here, in .pdf format, on the Islands Trust website.
Filed in environment,Gabriola Island,Gabriola people One Response so far
One Response to “Gabriola’s first NAPTEP property”
rick on 26 Feb 2010 at 10:54 am #
Congratulations and thank you to the McRaes for their foresight. The location of their property makes this particularly important – and ironic – for the island. This relatively untouched patch of local flora and fauna is virtually surrounded by commerce, with frontage on the busiest sections of both North and South Roads. It is nice to think that it will remain much as it is. Without the covenant, it would almost certainly have become commercial in use- if not zoning.