Bequeathed to Macdonald Wood Park Society.
Fran Johnson moved to the Comox Valley in 1968 with her family. In 1979 she purchased the property on Isabel Road, Lot PT22, Plan2657, DL87. Comox Land District. She paid the owner the $30,000 he was asking. A couple of years later Fran moved to her 3 acres of woods. Fran built her basic home in a small clearing and developed her beloved garden at the south end of the property. Fran put 24 pages of very restrictive conservation covenants on the property, even though it limited the own use of her land. She had a vision and she protected her property fiercely.
Fran lived modestly, worked hard in her community, grew much of her own food organically, kept bees, fed the birds and adored her dogs. She loved the blues, and listened whenever she could. An avid reader, she kept up to date on a wide variety of subjects, and was a dedicated supporter of many worthwhile causes here in the Valley and elsewhere. These included such as the C.V. Naturalists, Seed-Savers, Greenpeace, Knowledge Network. She was a founder of MWPS and served, with great passion, on the Board of Directors for over 20 years. She worked as Area Librarian for the Vancouver Island Regional Library.
In Fran’s own words “This property carries a conservation covenant on title which places firm, definite restrictions on the use of this property. There can be no new buildings or structures or roads. No trees may be removed. The property is to remain in its natural state. This property does not have real estate value as there is no longer any potential for development.”
Fran describes her property as “This is a treed property – a little forest – a microcosm of what used to be in the Comox Valley. It is second growth after being logged in the early 1900s. Some trees are now over a metre in diameter. There are the usual small native trees with flowers and shrubs as well. There is a wetland in the northern end of the property. There is a small herd of deer that live here as well as many birds. The great blue herons use the tall trees for resting after fishing in the Comox Bay at Croteau Beach and roost here at night. The pileated woodpeckers, flickers and owls are plentiful. Cougars and bears have been known to roam through this property.”
Fran Johnson lived on her property until her death in 2016, at which time it was gifted to to the Macdonald Wood Park Society. The Society and its members are proud to honour this bequest, and to see that the covenants she registered with the Comox Valley Land Trust are upheld in perpetuity. It is a safe place for flora and fauna.
The Management Vision from the covenant:
This is a wooded residential property with special values. The Land is 630 feet from Comox Bay and 310 feet from Macdonald Wood Park This is mixed Douglas-fir forest sloping south toward Comox Bay. The northern boundary and panhandle contains a spring and svvamp area. Buildings ard human activity will remain at their present level, maintenance and replacement of structures to be carried out in a responsible manner. The management vision is to see the property essentially unchanged, except by natural processes.
Donations to MWPS to support the maintenance of this Wild Life Sanctuary are gratefully accepted, and are tax deductible.