Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) is contributing $200,000 to support the purchase of the Luke Creek property on the Wycliffe Bluffs between Kimberley and Cranbrook.

The 123 hectare parcel is being acquired by The Land Conservancy of British Columbia (TLC) to preserve its ecological value and increase the connectivity of surrounding protected areas.

"A focus of CBT's Environment Program is to assist the people of the Basin to create an environmental legacy, and being involved in this project helps CBT fulfill our commitment to that goal," said Neil Muth, President and CEO. "The Luke Creek purchase is an excellent opportunity to secure land that complements previous conservation purchases in the area, establishing an important wildlife corridor."

The purchase of the Luke Creek property, which is also being supported by the B.C. Hydro Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program and current owner Teck, will complete the Luke Creek Wildlife Corridor. The corridor connects to other conservation properties, several of which were purchased thanks in part to CBT, whose support has totalled over $680,000.

"We're thrilled to have Columbia Basin Trust's support to complete the Luke Creek Wildlife Corridor," said Kathleen Sheppard, TLC Director of Operations. "This purchase will protect a landscape that is important for wildlife and the people of the East Kootenay."

The area protects several vulnerable and disappearing habitats,including aspen stands, zones of ponderosa pine, grasslands and wetlands. It allows for the movement of large mammals like black bear, cougar, elk, moose and deer, plus offers prime habitat for fish like westslope cutthroat trout and birds like Long-billed Curlews, Lewis's Woodpeckers and Williamson's Sapsuckers. Badgers have also been sighted.

CBT provides funding for land conservation efforts, which assist in maintaining a range of community values on lands in the Columbia Basin. CBT works closely with the East Kootenay Conservation Program, which researches various parcels of land each year and recommends the highest priorities and best-suited projects to meet CBT's goals for the Land Conservation Strategy.

Since the program's inception, CBT has contributed over $2.8 million to conservation and securement opportunities in the Basin, helping protect nearly 100,000 hectares of land.