The Brant Wildlife Festival has been operated by The Nature Trust of British Columbia for the past 16 years. Now, the Festival will be taken over by the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region. (Angie Ooms/Brant Wildlife Festival Facebook Page)

By Jordan Davidson

passing the torch

Mid-Island biodiversity group takes over operations of Brant Wildlife Festival

Nov 12, 2023 | 6:09 AM

PARKSVILLE — The Brant Wildlife Festival, (BWF) an annual celebration of nature and conservation, now has new local owners.

Operated by The Nature Trust of British Columbia since 2007, the BWF announced on Nov. 7 that ownership has been transferred to the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR).

In a statement posted on its website, the BWF said they “are grateful for their (Nature Trust) commitment to the festival over the last 16 years, along with integral support from Ceri Peacey and essential support from many individuals.”

MABR is a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) designated biosphere reserve, located on eastern Vancouver Island.

It was originally founded in 1996 by a research scientist to raise awareness of the biodiversity of local watersheds.

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MABR has been involved in a number of environmental and economic sustainability activities since the early 2000’s, including planting a thousand trees to combat carbon pollution and holding an annual biosphere blitz event where they encourage people to get outside and document what they see.

The Brant Wildlife Festival is named after Brant geese, who stop to feed and rest on eastern Vancouver Island during their migratory journey in February, with Oceanside beaches not allowing dogs during that time to avoid disturbing them.

The 2024 Brant Wildlife Festival will take place from April 5-8.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow