The family that owns the property has allowed community access to it for the past 50 years. They have decided to sell but have given HAT the opportunity to purchase the property so it can be protected from development. The CRD has pledged $2 million toward the $3.4-million purchase price, and more than 200 individuals have donated since the fundraising campaign began in December. Habitat Acquisition Trust is aiming to raise the remaining $1 million needed by April 22 Earth Day to complete the purchase. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to purchase a significant coastal fir forest and protect it into perpetuity,” said Katie Blake, executive director of Habitat Acquisition Trust. “It is hard to not feel your soul fill up a little bit when you visit the property.”