Lannan forest is a 40 acre parcel of second-growth forest located on the Comox peninsula on the east coast of Vancouver Island. As Crown land, it is rather unique in this part of Vancouver Island, where the E&N railway grant put most land under the control of a handful of large forestry companies. As older second-growth it is considered a rare ecosystem since most private forestlands are managed as short rotation plantations, old-growth is virtually non existent, and urban sprawl forms an almost uninterrupted ribbon from Victoria to Campbell River.
Lannan forest is representative of the very dry maritime coastal western hemlock sub zone (CWH xm 1). This zone is very under represented in terms of protected areas. According the Provincial Overview and Status report less than 2% of this sub zone and variant is in fact protected.
Unfortunately our MLA and former minister of Sustainable Development Stan Hagen feels that BC has enough parks. Initial efforts to sell this parcel by secret negotiation were thwarted by a petition campaign within the City of Courtenay. Not to be swayed by local opinion, Land and Water BC Inc. then put Lannan Forest up for auction to stimulate economic development according to its mandate. Despite a noble effort by the Comox Valley Land Trust working in conjunction with the Regional District of Comox Strathcona, the highest bid went to the Silverado Land Corporation, owners of the adjacent Golf course and development known as Crown Isle.
While the loss of this parcel may seem insignificant within the provincial scale, many here in the Comox Valley believe that the sale of Lannan Forest is very much a trial balloon for further sales of Crown lands throughout the province. We are appealing to the new minister George Abbott to review the decision, which would mean the loss this valuable public asset.
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Lannan Forest
Where is Lannan Forest?
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