DCHP-3

ecological gift

DCHP-2 (Oct 2016)

Spelling variants:
ecogift, eco-gift, EcoGift

1n. — Administration

a donation of land or rights to it to government or a charitable organization, which in turn protects the land as marshland, forests etc. in order to sustain biodiversity and environmental heritage.

Type: 1. Origin — The "Ecological Gifts Program" is the name of a governmental program administered by Environment Canada that was established in 1995. This program is made possible by the terms of the Income Tax Act of Canada and the Taxation Act in Quebec and offers significant tax benefits to donors. See also Environment Canada reference.
See also COD-2, s.v. "ecogift", which is marked "Cdn".

Quotations

2000
An ecological gift is defined as a donation of natural lands or a donation of a conservation easement on such lands to a recognized conservation organization. The gift may involve an actual transfer of ownership. It may also take the form of a permanent conservation easement, which is a commitment that the land, while remaining in private hands, will always be protected as a conservation area.
2004
Environment Canada's Ecogift Program allows a tax receipt for the fair market value of the donated land.
2006
The land, which was donated to the village by Weldwood for preservation as an "ecogift" in 2002, must only be used for rebuilding of the heritage Chinese and Japanese communities, and as ecological preservation areas, according to a restrictive covenant on the land title.
2007
Their donation is the largest ever in the history of the Canadian EcoGift Program.
2015
As a result of the financial difficulty, we are transferring 26 eco-gift properties to the NCC for protection, but in order to do that, we have to amend the bylaws to put into the bylaws, the provision of [a] court order, Shields said.
2v. — Administration

to donate land or partial interest in land for this purpose.

Type: 1. Origin — See meaning 1.

Quotations

2010
Examples of this stewardship approach for landowners include: following guidelines or best management practices to support species at risk; voluntarily protecting important areas of habitat on private property; establishing conservation covenants on property titles; ecogifting of private property, in whole or in part; and sales of part or all of their property to protect certain ecosystems or species at risk; or selling their property for conservation.
2011
"You put certain things in that 'forever and a day' concept that you can never change it. I think this allows this document to breath a bit to allow the nature of that area to have the natural protection but also to take into account the different lot sizes and configurations and if someone is going to ecogift half of their property, why wouldn't we want to consider that, and not be hamstrung by an overly proscriptive OCP?"
2013
Little Levin Lake - this was ecogifted to The Nature Trust of BC by Margaret & Jim Little. The area is prime habitat for waterfowl, especially Western Grebes, rare plant species such as the calypso orchid, and other wildlife. The Littles held a special event to announce the gift of the property.

References