Bob Campbell and Denise Campbell, who donated $50,000 to save a stretch of beachfront on Galiano Island, in Surrey, B.C., on Oct. 30.
Rafal Gerszak/The Globe and Mail
The organizers: Bob and Denise Campbell
The pitch: donating $50,000
The cause: to protect a stretch of land on Galiano Island
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Bob and Denise Campbell have been involved in environmental issues for years and they believe that the best way to protect wilderness is by helping conservation groups buy it.
“If you think the property is special enough then you should buy the property and preserve it forever,” Mr. Campbell said from the couple’s home in Surrey, B.C.
The Campbells have made donations to several organizations over the years that have purchased five properties, which have now been saved. One of the most high-profile campaigns came in 2019 when they contributed to a unique crowdfunding drive that raised $3-million for the B.C. Parks Foundation to acquire 800 hectares in Princess Louisa Inlet, about 100 kilometres northwest of Vancouver.
Their latest effort has involved saving 65 acres of pristine shoreline on B.C.’s Galiano Island, where the Campbells have a second home. The land has been owned by one family for 60 years and when it came up for sale recently, the Galiano Conservancy Association launched a drive to buy it. The association managed to raise $2.25-million to cover the sale price and establish an endowment fund to manage the property. That left them $100,000 short and they turned to the Campbells for help.
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The couple agreed to match all donations up to $50,000. The pitch worked and 130 islanders — roughly 10 per cent of the population — stepped up with contributions. The association has now raised more than enough to buy the land, which will form part of its 1,500 acre corridor of protected property on the island.
“The Galiano Conservancy is now the largest property owner on the island,” said Mr. Campbell, 68, a retired engineer who worked in the technology industry.
Mr. Campbell expects the purchase to close soon and he’s eager to participate in more projects. “I’m a huge fan of this model and quite happy to support it,” he said.
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