The Nature Trust of British Columbia has transferred ownership of the longstanding Brant Wildlife Festival to the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR).
The Nature Trust of BC, one of the province’s leading non-profit land conservation organizations, had been organizing the popular summer festival since 2007.
“It has been tremendously fulfilling running the Brant Wildlife Festival over the last 16 years, and we are grateful to leave this important event in the hands of the MABR team,” said Dr. Jasper Lament, CEO of The Nature Trust of BC. “We are aligned in our values and dedication to protecting BC’s wildlife and nature, and it couldn’t be a better fit.”
The MABR is a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Region, located on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island.
The Brant Wildlife Festival was first created by the Mid Island Wildlife Watch Society in 1990 to connect the local community with nature and educate the public on the importance of conservation for biodiversity. In addition to The Nature Trust of BC, the festival has received longstanding support from the community and from organizations such as the Town of Qualicum Beach, City of Parksville, Regional District of Nanaimo, Parksville Chamber of Commerce, Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce, Mid-Island Co-op, the Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism Association, Arrowsmith Naturalists, Friends of French Creek Conservation Society, Qualicum Beach Streamkeepers, North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre, Mid-Island Woodworkers’ Guild, Oceanside Woodcarvers Club, DeCosmos Fine Arts Society, and the Hamilton Marsh Committee.
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“We are honoured to be able to champion this impactful event and are grateful for the incredible job The Nature Trust of BC has done running the Brant Wildlife Festival over the last sixteen years. Our work is rooted in collaboration, and we are excited to lead this work into the future while uniting our community in an unwavering passion for nature and wildlife,” said Mandy Hobkirk, Coordinator of the MABR
The next festival will take place from April 5-8 in 2024. The ‘Spring Celebration of Nature’ is dedicated to celebrating the arrival of migrating Brant birds as they return to Parksville and Qualicum Beach to feed and rest before making their way to their northern breeding grounds. The festival includes wildlife viewing, guided tours, and presentations designed to educate and inspire the community to care about nature and conservation.