About Us
The Ruby Lake Lagoon Nature Reserve Society works diligently to preserve and enhance the natural habitat and wildlife of the Ruby Lake Lagoon, to facilitate local environmental education and to assist in monitoring the ecological health of the region.
The Ruby Lake Lagoon Nature Reserve Society also provides facilities for study and research, fosters good stewardship ethics, promotes respect for First Nations history, cultural traditions and heritage, and promotes leadership in environmental building design.
The Lagoon Society was formed by a group of local residents in April 2002 to preserve 10 hectares of forested acreage surrounding the Ruby Lake Lagoon on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, Canada. After the purchase of this land, In 2005 we built and opened the Iris Griffith Field Studies and Interpretive Centre, a state-of-the art green building adjacent to the Ruby Lake Resort. The IGC is now a hub of activity for local families, sitting within our 10 hectare conservation reserve, which includes a restored wetland, small lake, forested acreage and numerous exhibits and displays. We also showcase many different sources of green energy, such as solar and wind power, and have beautiful wildflower gardens and landscaping using only native plants.
Our aim has always been to promote the preservation and enhancement of biodiversity throughout the Sunshine Coast. With this in mind we have continually engaged with the local community by inspiring curiosity and excitement in the natural world around us. Most of all though we are very proud to have initiated our flagship Nature School Program, which allows whole classrooms of kids to come and visit the Iris Griffith Centre for a whole week and to spend much of the time actually immersed in nature.
The Iris Griffith Centre has also become the venue for numerous environmental workshops, festivals, conferences and other events and has now grown into an established community of its own. The building of the Iris Griffith Centre has had a huge beneficial effect on the local economy and the visitors that we have attracted have added greatly to local commerce particularly through supporting local restaurants and hotels. We have also added over $5 million to the local economy through the hundreds of different grants, awards and bequests from which we have been fortunate enough to be the beneficiaries.
Our Board of Directors and committee members all volunteer their time and expertise to further the work of the Lagoon Society. We are also proud to work with skilled and talented people who help to facilitate the variety of programs and events we offer throughout the year: see our Staff and Partners pages for more on some of valued contributors.
The Ruby Lake Lagoon Nature Reserve Society is a non-profit society and registered charity incorporated in April 2002 (Charitable #: 85237 7530 RR0001).