Heritage Forest

Heritage Forest in Qualicum Beach is a protected old-growth sanctuary on ancestral Pentlatch territory, rich in Indigenous history, community-led conservation, and natural beauty

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Location

Qualicum Beach
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About

Qualicum Beach is located on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Pentlatch (also known as the Qualicum First Nation).
The name Qualicum means “Where the Dog Salmon (chum salmon) Run” in the Pentlach language.
For thousands of years, the Qualicum People lived in harmony with their environment—seasonally gathering camas flowers in the spring, harvesting chum salmon in fall, and processing seafood in smokehouses before returning home.
Welcome to the heart of Qualicum Beach—home to a forest with a history as rich as its roots.
This land is more than a beautiful forest—it’s a landscape shaped by centuries of Indigenous presence and stewardship.
Over a century ago, the land now known as the Heritage Forest was part of a vast estate owned by the Merchants Trust and Trading Company.
In 1913, Brigadier General Noel Money purchased the property, which later became the glamorous retreat of oil tycoon Bobby Brown.
The Crown Mansion (formerly the Brown Mansion) once welcomed stars like John Wayne and Bing Crosby.
By 1995, the surrounding 55 acres of pristine forest faced the threat of development—but the people of Qualicum Beach had other plans.
Led by locals Anne and Leo Klees, the community formed the Brown Property Preservation Society (BPPS), raised $1.25 million, and partnered with the Town to protect the land.
Today, the Heritage Forest is a protected sanctuary of old-growth Douglas-fir—some over 500 years old.
Heritage Forest is just over 20 hectares in size and has approximately 2km of wide flat trails.
Home to owls, woodpeckers, and rare native plants, it’s a living legacy of conservation, community spirit, and natural beauty—preserved for generations to come.