Malaspina Land Conservancy Society

Malaspina Land Conservancy Society was incorporated in August 2008 and became a Canadian Charity in January 2010. Annual general meetings are held in late October, early November.

Our Board:

Rob Southcott – President

Rob has been a strong supporter of MLCS since stepping onto the board in 2012. He believes in drawing community together to achieve community prosperity and that includes preservation of what we have now for the generations to come. Rob is involved with local politics as a member of the City of Powell River council. He is the retired chief of the BC Ambulance Service in Powell River.

Gord Kennedy – Treasurer

Gord has been an active member of MLCS for eight years, taking on the role of Treasurer five years ago and learning the nuances of charitable bookkeeping. He has a sound knowledge of the outdoors, volunteering with cabin building and trail maintenance in the backcountry.

Rachel LeBlanc – Secretary

Rachel, who was born in Powell River, is thrilled to be back after living and working all over BC and beyond; moving to a property that was deeded to MLCS was an unexpected bonus, and is very special to her. Rachel has a background in social work, project management and practice analysis for provincial government but prefers to be outside doing anything that requires rubber boots.

Justin Frazer – Vice-President

Justin joined MLCS in 2016 with his partner Rachel after he and his family purchased a Powell River property that has a conservation covenant in place. Justin was born and raised in Hawaii but has been a BC fisherman for over 12 years, developing a keen interest in ecological sustainability and stewardship. He, too, is happiest outside and looking forward to working and volunteering in Powell River.

Lesley Thorsell – Director

Lesley became involved with MLCS in 2010 when creating the Naturally in Nature calendar as a fundraiser for breast cancer research and land conservation. She donated half of her proceeds from the sale of the calendars to MLCS, designating the money for forest and riparian area preservation. She has continued to be a strong project initiator and the Ted Talks Through Trees project, started in late 2019, is almost entirely her own creation.

Our Staff:

Janet Southcott – Executive Director

Janet moved to Powell River in 2005, attracted by the quality of life a small, isolated, coastal community provides. She is a freelance editor and writer and enjoying the artist’s journey with her paintings. She co-founded MLCS in 2008 while still working as a Realtor. She brings her knowledge of land and property ownership, and office administration together with many years volunteering in nature-based organizations to the society.

Kelly Chapman – Ecologist, Environmental Planner

Leeanne Barr – Website Manager

Past Board Members:

Ted Crossley

Rachel Walker (nee Botting)

Wendy Cocksedge

Anne Parkinson

David Parkinson

Nola Poirier

Paul Schachter

Denise Reinhardt

Eva Van Loon

Maureen Simmonds

Judy Watts