Conservancy board backs policy changes and budget revisions

The board recommended changes to the draft Islands Trust Policy Statement and approved a revised 2026/27 budget for submission to Islands Trust staff.

The Denman Firestarter · Governance · 2026-01-30 · updated 2026-10-20 · Trust-wide: this decision binds every local trust area, so every island edition carries this report.

The Islands Trust Conservancy Board recommended that Trust Council approve Draft Bylaw 183, with changes including adding local Indigenous knowledge to a cooperation principle and clarifying terms such as habitat fragmentation and environment.^[1]

The board also recommended adding a general guiding principle on climate change adaptation and mitigation, giving the health of natural ecosystems high priority in Goal 3, and including the importance of protecting a minimum of 30% of land and water in the Trust Area.^[1]

On the Conservancy’s proposed 2026/27 budget, the board defeated a request to delay the start of a proposed Indigenous Relations Advisor position from June 1, 2026, to October 1, 2026.^[1] It approved reducing in-person board meetings from two to one, reducing the Professional Services budget by approximately $3,000, and allocating 12% of the Property Management Fund to offset the Protected Areas Management Operations budget.^[1]

The board approved the revised proposed budget and directed staff to provide it to the Director of Administrative Services and the Director of Trust Area Services for inclusion in the Islands Trust draft 2026/27 budget.^[1] It also asked the chair to write to Trust Council in support of funding a full-time Registered Professional Biologist position in the 2026/2027 budget.^[1]

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