FRPA Engagement Responses

 The deadline is July 15th, 2019 at 4pm, so there isn't much time left to respond.  Here are my responses to the questions.  These answers have been informed by the conservation organizations I am a member of, the podcasts I listen to and my firsthand experiences in the backcountry.

How should the Province identify opportunities and priorities for adapting forest management to a changing climate, such as mitigating the effects of beetle infestations, drought and fire?

 

The Province should seek input from provincial biologists on how to manage forests for climate change.  The primary goal should be to maintain native biodiversity in both plant and animal species in the many climates and ecosystems of BC.  Second to that, maintaining forests with natural biodiversity for usage by both recreational users and industry should be balanced with the long term effects of climate change to ensure sustainability of plant and animal populations.  

What factors should be considered in the planning of forest operations to reduce the risks of wildfire around your community?

 

The mono-culture of pine trees by the forestry sector by spraying glyphosate and excessively eliminating fire from the landscape has had a catastrophic impact on the risk of wildfires across BC.  The mono-culture of only planting one type of fast growing tree has increased the fire risk which is naturally mitigated by biodiversity and leads to a the compounding effect of pine beetle kill.  Ultimately, when forests are managed as a large farm for the forestry sector, blights and disasters such as fire will have an increased impacted on both communities and the forest itself.  The best thing to reduce the risk of wildfires is to manage forests for natural biodiversity.  Forests go through a natural cycle of recovery after fire or deforestation, where grasses first, deciduous second, and finally coniferous trees reclaim the landscape.  Failing to replant a natural collection of plants and trees in favour of pine cultivation is detrimental.

A vital step in landscape-level planning is understanding what is important to the public. Based on what is important to you or your community, what information on the condition of resource values such as species-at-risk habitat do you think is necessary to support the planning process?

 

 The most important thing for me, my family, and my community is maintaining healthy and thriving habitat for wildlife and fish populations for the purpose of hunting and fishing.  For me and my community, hunting and fishing plays a central role in our lives.  It allows us to put organic, natural, healthy and ethically sourced food on the table and allows us to enjoy BC's natural beauty.  It is distressing to see the gradual loss of hunting and fishing opportunities as forestry sector and other resource sector jobs damage the environment with no accountability or enforcement or requirement for meaningful restoration and habitat recovery.  Jobs in rural BC are obviously very important as well, and the solution is not to simply halt forestry or create protected areas which the public has limited access to.  It is critical to balance both the jobs of rural BC with how imperative it is to protect, maintain, and enhance habitat to recover and increase wildlife populations.  This can be done with careful planning and the inclusion of provincial biologists in protecting and ensuring recourse activities have a net positive impact on habitat and wildlife populations through using increased fees paid by the resource sector to be directed back into wildlife management.  It is critical that provincial biologists and conservation officers have the funding and enforcement powers needed to manage habitat and wildlife for long term sustainability and growth.  The resource sector and healthy wildlife populations are not inherently opposing priorities.  Many jurisdictions in the United States have thriving and growing populations of game species as a result of habitat restoration and protection paid for by fees from the resource sector and excise taxes on outdoor recreation equipment.  It is not impossible to have your cake and eat it too in the area of enhancing wildlife populations and allowing sustainable resource sector jobs.

How would you like to be involved in the planning process?

 

I would like to be involved by having a single location online where I can sign up for notifications and read about planned activities in BC forests.  Also, it should be incumbent on anyone wishing to be involved in the planning process to prove their legitimacy as a stakeholder.  It is my deep concern that foreign funded organizations play an illegitimate role in shaping policy in forest and wildlife management.  The UK cosmetics company LUSH spends huge amounts of money funding anti-hunting organizations masquerading as environmental groups and mobilizes well-meaning but uninformed urbanites who have never and will never venture into the woods to support their anti-meat agenda, while the American forestry company Weyerhaeuser pretends to be advocating for jobs when really they are looking at profits.  Neither group is a legitimate stakeholder in how BC forests and wildlife should be managed.  The people who live, spend time, and make a living in the regions where the planning is taking place are the only legitimate stakeholders.  Please consult First Nations, hunters and anglers, outdoor recreation groups, and local residents of the region where the planning is taking place.

Resource roads are a valuable asset in the province as they provide access for the forest industry, ranchers, other resource users, and the public for commercial and recreation purposes. Yet, these same road networks are costly to maintain and have potential negative impacts on wildlife, water quality and fish habitat. What values do you believe are important to consider when planning new roads, road use and maintenance, and deactivation in your area?

 

 Roads have a scientifically proven impact on habitat, fish, and wildlife.  Numerous scientific papers confirm this.  Deactivation by simply pulling culverts has a negligible impact on mitigating their impact on ecosystems.  Reforesting roads is required to restore and recover habitat.  Obviously, a balanced approach is required to allow access for both industry and the public without unnecessarily or irreversibly harming wildlife and fish populations.  This is where scientific monitoring by provincial biologists and conservation officers should inform decision making on road deactivation and reforestation.  Wildlife and fish populations are the canary in the coal mine to inform decision making about the level road deactivation and reforesting that is required.  If wildlife or fish populations are declining, then deactivation and reforesting is more urgent.  If populations are sustainable or growing, then road density can be maintained.  Ultimately, we need to manage our forests for the long term health of BC plant and animal species.

How can the Province improve transparency and timelines of information regarding proposed operational and landscape-level objectives, plans and results?

 

It is critical that the government publish, in an easy to read format, at a central location online, objectives, plans and results of landscape-level planning.  It is also critical that objectives be measurable and meaningful with sufficient resources to monitor and enforce.  For decades we have seen the slow decline in fish and wildlife populations which indicates that the process is clearly failing, yet there is no transparency and even less accountability.  It should be mandated that having a net-positive impact on habitat, fish and wildlife populations, and biodiversity be a condition of resource sector operations which is planned for and monitored by provincial biologists and enforced by conservation officers and police.  

 

What information will help inform your feedback on plans that may impact you, your community or your business (e.g., maps of cutblocks and roads planned in your area, hydrological assessments, wildlife habitat areas or recreation opportunities, etc)?

 

Detailed maps, reports from biologists on native biodiversity, fish, and wildlife populations, and the criticality of the habitat, as well as a detailed plan of how the habitat impacts will be reversed  or restored following the resource sector operations or how they will be offset or mitigated would greatly help inform feedback on the impacts of planned resource extraction.

What additional values should be considered in FRPA that will allow us to manage forest and range practices in a better way?

 

 The values of hunter and angler conservationists should be considered in the FRPA.  Hunter and angler conservationists want to ensure fish and wildlife populations thrive in BC.  It is easy to assume this is simply because we want to hunt or hook these animals and fish.  While we do enjoy hunting and fishing, and enjoy the food it puts on the table, the main reason every hunter and angler I have ever met wants to ensure healthy and abundant fish and wildlife populations in BC is because when you spend weeks or months in the woods, quietly learning about the habitat and animals of BC, you gain an unparalleled love for the beauty and preciousness of nature.  The nature of BC is one of a kind and once it is gone, it may never come back. Healthy and thriving fish and wildlife populations mean that there is a healthy ecosystem with native biodiversity.  We are the custodians of this great natural beauty which can sustain us through hunting and fishing, recreation, and also industrial activities if they are managed carefully for long term sustainability.  Hunter and angler conservationists don't see nature as something to be exploited for profit or tamed for agriculture, but rather appreciate the richness of it simply remaining wild.  There are many countries in the would which have lost their native species hundreds of years ago to the ignorance or greed of development and there are many poor countries today that are trading their natural heritage for socioeconomic development.  BC stands at a crossroads where we can either become like Europe, which has lost most of its biodiversity, or make a serious stand and invest in protecting and restoring forests, fish, and wildlife populations so that we can still call ourselves Beautiful British Columbia for generations to come.

 

In what ways should the province strengthen government oversight and industry accountability regarding forest and range activities to better address the challenges of climate change and the interests of all British Columbians?

 

The province should strengthen oversight and industry accountability by funding forest, wildlife and habitat management to levels comparable to jurisdictions which are succeeding in maintaining healthy fish and wildlife populations.  This means roughly a ten times increase in funding.  The increase in funding can come from fees levied on resource extraction and forestry, excise taxes on outdoor recreation equipment, fees for tourism sector groups such as ski hills and whale watching, increased fees on hunting and fishing licences. With adequate funding, provincial biologists would have the resources to monitor the health of forests, streams, and wildlife, participate in planning of resource sector activities, monitor impacts, and recovery efforts, and work with conservation officers to enforce and maintain accountability.  Right now, provincial biologists and conservation officers barely have the funding required to monitor the free-fall declines in certain fish and wildlife populations, but do not have the resources to prevent, or reverse the trend.  Fish and wildlife managers across north America have proven they know how to use science to restore and maintain healthy wildlife populations if they have the resources and enforcement powers to do so.  We must use the best science and adequate funding to manage the effects of climate change so that we can maintain healthy wilderness in BC.

Alert: Have your say on Forest Practices in BC in 3 easy steps!

Alert: Have your say on Forest Practices in BC in 3 easy steps!

The government wants to hear from British Columbians about how forests should be managed in BC.  Other environmental and industry groups will certainly be making their voices heard.  This is your opportunity to ensure that lots of hunters and anglers are part of the conversation.  Every comment counts! We need you! The deadline is July 15, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. so don't wait!

What to do:

1) Read the Discussion Paper to learn about the issues.

2) Click on the online feedback form to have your say!

3) Last, take 1 minute to send this form letter to the minister in charge, Doug Donaldson.  Enter your address, postal code, and country on the left and click GO.  Follow the instructions and customize the letter if you have more to add.  Then all you have to do is click SEND.  If you want to write your own letter then you can send it to engagefrpa@gov.bc.ca.

... and you're DONE! That was easy!!!!

If you want a little guidance on what the BCBHA thinks about these issues, here is a cheat sheet.

Region 2 BCBHA Cheat Sheet:

• "Landscape level management" could be a good thing.
• Set limits on the combined impact of forestry, mining, oil and gas, roads, etc. on habitat
• Include measurable objectives to restore habitat and wildlife populations.
• Enforce the limits and recovery objectives! There are lots of smart scientists and conservation officers who know how to restore habitat and increase wildlife populations.
• Leave it better than you found it! It shouldn't matter if you are a forestry company, snowmobiler, or hiker.  It should be the law that you leave the backcountry better than you found it.
• Let's work together on climate change. Everyone needs a voice at the table to make sure our precious backcountry is still around for the next generation.

If you are interested in the detailed and nuanced BCBHA official position, here is some additional reading which may help inform your response. 

The Official BCBHA Position

BCBHA supports changes to FRPA proposed in the provincial Discussion Paper that will improve conservation and environmental stewardship. In particular, BCBHA wants to see FRPA improvement include the following key points:

• Revise FRPA to provide clear, enforceable legislation that guides landscape level management for forests and grasslands. 
• Include measurable objectives for the management of cumulative effects from industry, forestry, recreation and development
• Landscape level management requires integration between FRPA and other legislation and ministries. Wildlife, habitat, and access management need to be incorporated into landscape level planning.
• Require resource and recreation users to have net-positive impact on biodiversity, water quality and critical wildlife habitat.
• Improve collaboration in planning by developing stakeholder groups that meet with government officials and industry.

Join BCBHA in commenting on the FPRA Improvement Initiative. Public feedback will be collected by the provincial government until July 15, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. Participate by completing the online feedback form.  BCBHA has detailed our thoughts on how FRPA should be improved in this comment guide to help you answer the questions. Or, if you are short on time, send this letter to Minister Donaldson letting him know you support the improvement of FRPA for the benefit of ecosystems and wildlife.

Yours in conservation,

British Columbia BHA
http://www.backcountryhunters.org/

Letter to the Premier and Response

Alexander Johnson

XXX XXX Street

New Westminster, BC

XXX XXX

(XXX) XXX-XXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXX@gmail.com

Dear Premier Horgan,

RE: Great First Steps on Habitat and Wildlife in BC

In the last year the provincial government has made some fantastic steps in the right direction when it comes to habitat and wildlife.  I want to say thank you and say that I hope your government will keep up the momentum on issues related to habitat and wildlife issues in BC.  We still lag behind many of our neighbours in funding and concrete plans for the recovery of the habitat, rivers, and streams that our wildlife and fish need to thrive. 

Specifically, I would like to thank you for the $14 million in increased funding for conservation, the $27 million allocated for caribou recovery, and the provincial round table which is looking at the declines in moose populations. 

Now is time to build on those steps and make even more significant improvements which will protect habitat and restore wildlife populations.  Specifically, I would like to advocate for the following:

1)     Ending the professional reliance model where resource companies can hire their own experts to evaluate the impact of their own projects.  This is an obvious conflict of interest.  Provincial registered profession biologists should be given the power to oversee and minimize the impact of the resource sector on habitat.

2)     Dedicated funding for habitat conservation from a slight increase in price of fishing and hunting licences as well as resource extraction royalties to offset impacts and enhance habitat.  Please give the scientists and wildlife managers the funding needed to ensure habitat and wildlife populations recover and thrive.

3)     Enhanced investigative and enforcement powers for conservation officers and registered professional biologists to investigate instances when property owners or resource industry activities violate laws or practice standards.  There are numerous cases of property owners violating protective covenants in the Fraser valley, damaging critical chinook salmon bearing creeks, while municipalities have looked the other way.

As a hunter, angler, conservationist, and British Columbian these issues are of critical importance to me as well as my friends and family. 

Sincerely,

Alex Johnson 

=============================================================

to ENV, me

Dear Mr. Johnson:

Thank you for writing about conversation in British Columbia. We appreciate your taking the time to write and have noted your recommendations.

On your behalf, we have shared a copy of your message with the Honourable George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. His staff will ensure that your comments are included in any upcoming, related discussions.

Thank you, again, for writing. We wish you all the best.

pc:       Honourable George Heyman

OfficeofthePremier, Office PREM:EX

10:40 (1 hour ago)

KTW: Province planning steelhead sport fishery shutdown

http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/news/province-planning-steelhead-sport-fishery-shutdown-1.23344870

The B.C. government is planning to shut down the coming steelhead trout sport fishery as fish return to the Thompson and Chilcotin rivers.

Although the official word has yet to come down from government, one official, who asked not to be named, said the shutdown is “in the works.”

he move would be the latest effort to save the steelhead, which have returned in diminishing numbers in recent years.

Last year, fewer than 200 Thompson steelhead and fewer than 50 Chilcotin steelhead returned — the lowest levels since record-keeping began.

On Feb. 13, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (an advisory body to the government) assessed the Thompson River and Chilcotin steelhead as endangered and recommended an emergency order to place the fish on the endangered list under the federally controlled Species at Risk Act.
That order would mean changes to commercial fisheries, where bycatch — like steelhead caught incidentally alongside salmon — means increased mortality among stocks.

So far, the federal government hasn’t taken action.

Mike Simpson, Thompson region senior manager with the Fraser Basin Council, told KTW the province’s move might mean a little or it might mean a lot.

“Well, this is the thing that’s been disputed. I don’t think there’s clear science on what the impact of sport fishing — catch and release only on Steelhead — I’ve heard some people say it’s only a one per cent mortality,” Simpson said.

“I’ve heard other people say that it’s a lot and I know First Nations, who we engage on steelhead, don’t like that there’s any catch and release,” Simpson said.

But whether the impact is small or large, Simpson said that might not matter.

“Given that the numbers are so low, even if it is one per cent mortality, I think a lot of people would say it makes sense to have a sport fishing ban,” he said.

Spicy Breaded Rainbow Trout

I caught this rainbow trout near Vanderhoof BC.  This is one of my favourite ways to make trout.

Ingredients
-1 Rainbow Trout
-1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
-1/3 Cup of Grainy Mustard
-1/2 Cup of Seasoned Breadcrumbs
-1 Tbsp. Red Pepper Flakes
-Salt
-Olive  Oil

Steps

1) Filet and debone. Use cooking tweezers or clean needle nose pliers to remove the pin bones.

2) Remove skin.

3) Portion into 6 equal weight pieces. 

3) Combine mustard and lemon juice in a bowl.  Mix together.
4) Combine seasoned bread crumbs and red pepper flakes on a plate and season to taste with salt.  Mix together.

 

5) Put the trout into the lemon and mustard mixture. 

6) Heat olive oil in a pan on medium high heat.

7) When olive oil just begins to slightly smoke, bread the trout evenly and place in the pan.  Do not overcrowd the pan.  

8) Adjust heat to ensure the trout does not burn.  If the pan is smoking after trout is added, reduce heat slightly. It only takes a few minutes per side.  Check regularly. Cook until golden brown on the under side and then flip.

9) Cook until the second side is golden brown and then serve.

 10) Enjoy!

BCWF RESPONDS: Government Deliberately Fails to Protect BC`s Native Fish

 

BCWF RESPONDS: Government Deliberately Fails to Protect BC`s Native Fish
 

On behalf of its client, the BC Wildlife Federation, the University of Victoria Environmental Law Centre has submitted a request for examination of Canada’s failure to protect endangered Pacific salmon and anadromous trout species under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) to the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development and the Office of the Auditor General of Canada.

The University of Victoria Environmental Law Centre’s Legal Director, Calvin Sandborn, put together the 57-page submission on BCWF’s behalf, detailing the federal government's, and its designated management agency the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, systematic refusal to protect and restore at-risk West Coast marine fish species.

To read the full submission, click the link here https://buff.ly/2HMSash

#SaveBCFish #SaveBCSteelhead #SARA