This biodiverse and beloved forest will never be logged. Read our media release here.

The 100-hectare (247 acre) forest is on BC Hydro’s property along the Puntledge River, just below Comox Lake. When we learned that the forest was subject to logging, we knew we had to find a way to buy it. The Puntledge Forest is a beloved recreational area and a rare local example of a mature, biodiverse forest. Mature forests are extremely important for biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and for providing opportunities for people to spend time in nature. The Puntledge forest supports dozens of species of conservation concern, including an endangered summer run of Chinook salmon. The forest and river are highly valued by the K’ómoks First Nation for fish habitat and cultural values.

Campaign Milestones

We secured federal funding to purchase 29 hectares of the timber reservation in March 2023, and another 32 hectares in April 2024. Both purchases were funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The third and final phase of the campaign began in June 2024, and required us to raise $2.4 million dollars in just seven months! We were delighted by the community support, and by the support we received from five separate granting agencies and from the former timber rights holder, Manulife Investment Management, and the landowner BC Hydro. Phase three protects the final 37 hectares of the forest from logging, forever.

History of the Site

The Puntledge River is at the heart of the K’omoks First Nation’s traditional territory. It was officially named in 1854 after the PE’ntlatc tribe – one of several tribes now affiliated with the K’omoks First Nation – who lived along it. However the Puntledge Forest has been privately owned since 1884, when most of eastern Vancouver Island was granted to the coal baron Robert Dunsmuir in exchange for building a railway.

Mining operations began on the site in 1902, and a company town was built by 1911. The mining operations continued for 20 years, supported by electricity generated through a dam and associated infrastructure at the outlet of Comox Lake, The abandoned town, surrounding lands and infrastructure were acquired in the 1950’s by a predecessor of BC Hydro. However, the original landowners retained rights to the trees through a Timber Reservation registered on the land title. This means that while BC Hydro owns the land, they do not own the trees. This became clear in 2020 when the then-owner of the Timber Reservation, Manulife Investment Management, began planning for tree harvesting.

Ecological and Recreational Values

The Puntledge Forest was logged during the mining era, making it 100 to 120 years old.

It was allowed to regenerate naturally, which means it has much more biodiversity than a tree plantation. In a century this forest will be considered “old growth.” As a mature forest it already serves many important functions. It includes up to 30 listed species (i.e. of conservation concern), and 22 plant communities that are listed as rare (i.e., endangered or threatened). As a low elevation coastal forest, it also has very high carbon capture and storage potential, making its preservation an important natural climate solution.

The Puntledge River is one of the most significant salmon producing rivers in the Strait of Georgia (Salish Sea). On average it is the second largest producer of Chinook, coho and pink salmon, and fourth largest producer for chum salmon. It has two Chinook runs: a fall run and a smaller, endangered and genetically distinct summer run. It also has a winter and summer run of Steelhead, and resident trout including Cutthroat, which is a listed species in BC. The Forest connects to the Comox Lake Bluffs Ecological Reserve to the south and Nymph Falls Regional Park to the North, providing a biodiversity corridor along the Puntledge River.

The trails in the park are maintained by BC Hydro, and are a beloved destination for the community. This stretch of the Puntledge River is also a popular destination for swimmers and paddlers.