Gospel Rock: Conservation Area
Gospel Rock is a rocky bluff looking over Howe Sound and Georgia Strait, just north of the town of Gibsons. It is one of the most spectacularly beautiful and ecologically sensitive places on the entire Sunshine Coast, and is home to the last stretch of natural waterfront within the Town of Gibsons.
Trees over a century and a half old stand in the mature dryland Douglas Fir-Arbutus forest which stretches from the upper bluffs down to the shoreline.
This type of forest grows exactly where people want to work and live - in sunny areas near the shoreline. As a result, almost all the stands like it on the Sunshine Coast have been logged and developed. Gospel Rock is one of only a couple of small parcels like this that remain between Gibsons and Pender Harbour.
As of March 30, 2022 - after more than 35 years of community, non-profit, and local government effort - 16.6 acres of rare and sensitive forests on “Gospel Rock” are now permanently protected!
We Fought to Save Gospel Rock for Years
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Why Protecting Gospel Rock Matters
Sunshine Coasters have known in their hearts for generations that the Gospel Rock area is special. Currently available scientific information, provided through the Province's Conservation Framework, strongly supports this widely held point of view.
The land in the Gospel Rock Neighbourhood Plan area is within the Coastal Western Hemlock very-dry maritime biogeoclimatic subzone;. one of the most heavily disturbed ecosystems in the lower mainland and along the coast, second only to the Coastal Douglas Fir moist maritime.
Approximately 8% of this type of subzone occurring on Crown land in the Sunshine Coast Regional District has been protected. Less than half of this land is in old growth condition, due to the history of human settlement and industrial, agricultural and forestry-related uses.
The particular site type of the standing forests above and below Gower Point Road is naturally rare. The Province recognizes these stands as Imperiled and Imperiled to Vulnerable.
Updates on Gospel Rock
Wasn’t that a party?
We had a fantastic party at the Hall on November 17 for our annual Celebration of Conservation. Long time supporters, Sweet Cascadia, were joined this year by a host of amazing and generous musicians. Kenji Akimoto entertained us on guitar while we welcomed everyone to the event and then Dan’s Daughter’s took over with their […]
Gospel Rock: Waterfront development voted down
On Tuesday, October 16, at the regular meeting of Gibsons Town Council, Mayor Rowe and all four councillors unanimously agreed to move Option B, an amendment to the Gospel Rock Neighbourhood Plan which will disallow waterfront development (delete cluster housing on the waterfront from the plan and maintain the designation of “green space”). Council also voted […]
Gospel Rock – Make Your Voice Heard by June 30!
The Town of Gibsons has sent a survey to all households in the Town asking for public feedback on the Draft Gospel Rock Neighbourhood Plan. This survey is also available online at the Town’s website . Two draft development options are being presented. Both proposals would preserve much of the forest, but Plan A calls […]
Gospel Rock – Oct 2011 Update
Gospel Rock has been off the radar lately, but the issue is far from asleep. On September 14, 2011, Town of Gibsons Council received a staff report outlining potential ways of resolving outstanding issues in the Gospel Rock Neighbourhood Plan, Draft Version 3.1. Staff recommended tabling the whole process in light of the property owners […]
Gospel Rock Recommendations
The Town of Gibsons is now receiving comments from the public on the draft Gospel Rock Neighbourhood Plan. Your written comments to the Town are critical for achieving a positive outcome to the planning process. The SCCA has written a summary of our Recommendations for fixing the plan. Also, Town of Gibsons’s development consultant Michael […]
Questions about Gospel Rock
On June 18, 2010, SCCA Executive Director Dan Bouman emailed a list of questions to the Conservation Data Center. His email is here, and the answers he received are below.
Questions about Gospel Rock
On June 18, 2010, SCCA Executive Director Dan Bouman emailed a list of questions to the Conservation Data Center. His email is here, and the answers he received are below. From: Daniel Bouman To: Carmen Cadrin Just further to our conversation today, I’d like to make a request for information. Could you comment, based on […]
Conservation Values in the Gospel Rock Neighbourhood Plan Area
Sunshine Coasters have known in their hearts for generations that the Gospel Rock area is special. Currently available scientific information, provided through the Provinces Conservation Framework, strongly supports this widely held point of view. To continue reading this article, click Read more, below. Read the Questions to the Conservation Data Center about Gospel Rock Carmen […]
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