To help preserve the environment she loves, Ruth Masters donated 7.3ha (18 acres) of the land she has spent her life tending to the Comox Valley Regional District to create Masters Greenway and Wildlife Corridor.
As part of the donation Ruth had a covenant registered on the land. This covenant prohibits the placement of any buildings, toilets, picnic tables, parking lots or garbage bins on the greenway. Ruth has helped nature reclaim the old fields, orchards and gardens on the property by planting ferns and trees rescued from construction sites such as the Courtenay Walmart development.
The Masters Greenway features both red and blue-listed (threatened and endangered) species while containing quality habitat to a wide range of wildlife. As part of a larger undeveloped corridor along the south side of the Puntledge River, the greenway allows larger species, such as bear, to move through the area.
Prior to donating her land, Ruth leased it to the regional district for five years. The lease allowed the public use of the land in exchange for the regional district paying the yearly taxes on it.
Want to find out how you can leave a lasting legacy by making an ecological gift to the Comox Valley Regional District? Email to learn more or discuss a donation.