Golf Course, Rewilded: a New Nature Sanctuary for Wildlife and for People

A golf course on Vancouver Island, Canada, has been converted into an accessible nature sanctuary for people with disabilities. The rewilding project also benefits wildlife, allowing it to regain its rights.

“It evolves every day, that’s the beautiful piece of working with nature,” explains Jason Cole, CEO of Power to Be, a registered charity that took over the 32-hectare property seven years ago. “A listening approach has been something we take to heart. What’s happening during the seasons? How does water move through the site? How does the site want to reimagine itself, versus us forcing ourselves on the land?”

Power to Be has signed a 25-year lease agreement to run the property – formerly the Prospect Lake Golf Course – for $1 annually. The nonprofit organization gets most of its funding through donations and grants; last year, it raised $38 million to support programming and other initiatives. Where there was a sand trap, there is now a children’s play pit. The fairway now has grass up to shin height and rows of flowers. As for the old greens, they now serve as campgrounds. A few years back, the charity restored a buried stream on the land, and since then, plant species and wildlife, including frogs, cattails, migratory birds, deer, and bears, reappeared.