About Us

History

The Friends of Strathcona Park (FOSP) was incorporated as a non profit society in 1987, largely through the efforts of Steve and Marlene Smith who now live in the Comox Valley. Our mission is:

  • to preserve and protect the natural beauty of Strathcona Park for the appreciation of present and future generations,
  • to promote public awareness, understanding and enjoyment of the Park, its natural features, environment and ecosystems, its trails and other amenities, and
  • to advance a sense of public responsibility and stewardship towards the Park, its natural features, environment and ecosystems.

The Friends accomplishments include:

  • Preventing mining in the park.
  • Pressuring the government of the day to reverse its deletion of large areas of the Park, specifically the Bedwell Valley.
  • Building a trail and suspension bridge connecting Bedwell Lake to the ocean.
  • Working with Sierra Legal Defense (now called Ecojustice) to sue the government over allowing TimberWest to build a logging road through the Park.
  • Successfully pressuring Minister of Parks, Joyce Murray, to reject a proposal to siphon water from lakes in the wilderness to provide additional power to the mine and to connect the mine to BC Hydro’s power grid.
  • Lobbying to turn down a proposal to run a private horse guiding operation in the Bedwell Valley.

Over the years Friends members have contributed to the creation of the Master Plan for the Park, and have met a number of times with various Parks Ministers to lobby for park protection.

The Friends continue to meet and work with Parks officials, and engage in political action to fulfill the mandate of preserving and protecting Strathcona Park.

Membership

Become a Member! (PDF)

The Friends of Strathcona is a not-for-profit organization. We rely on the generosity of our members to help us achieve our mission. ‘To preserve and protect…’ does not come easily. Our hard working volunteers are not paid for their time, but there are expenses that do need funding:

  • expenses for public meetings
  • legal expenses for court challenges
  • field expenses for outdoor civic action

You can help us financially by becoming a member for $10. Your membership also lends us moral support. If you feel especially generous please consider an extra donation either to us or to the Paradise Meadows Visitor Center Fund.

To become a member please download and print our Membership Form (PDF) and mail it to us.

Become a Volunteer!

We could use all the volunteers we can get, especially when the Park is under threat as it is now. Please consider volunteering for:

  • Trail Building
  • Outdoor civic action
  • Research (internet, library)
  • Legal assistance

You do not have to become a member to volunteer. Let us know by email, postal mail, or phone message who you are, how to contact you, what special skills you may have or how you may wish to help us.

  • email: friendsofstrathcona@gmail.com
  • postal: PO Box 3404, Courtenay, BC V9N 5N5

Thank you so much for helping to preserve our Park!