Across the province, Local Conservation Funds are an approach that a growing number of communities and local governments are taking. Local Conservation Funds provide much-needed financial support for important local projects that contribute to the health of wildlife, habitat and water. The Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund, established in 2008 in the East Kootenay, was the first of its kind in Canada’s history. Local residents agreed, by referendum, to pay a parcel tax of $20 per parcel per year to this dedicated fund for conservation projects. The service was so successful, the Columbia Valley’s Regional Directors voted unanimously to remove the sunset clause before the service was due to expire so it would continue after 2018.