Showing posts with label Wildlife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wildlife. Show all posts

Friday, 3 January 2020

Have your say on BC Wildlife by Jan 9th at 4pm!


 https://engage.gov.bc.ca/wildlifeandhabitat/

The comment deadline is January 9th at 4:00pm

Vancouver Hunter responded with the following commentary:

1) Deadlines for action to protect habitat and begin restoring fish and wildlife populations are too far in the future, beyond 2021 and some even after 2025.  This pushes the start date to take action until after the next election.  It is not sufficient just to continue to make committees and monitor declines in wildlife and fish populations which are in crisis.

2) Dedicated funding from allocating 100% of hunting licence fees to conservation was a campaign promise by the NDP in the last election and they have not followed through.  I would support a reasonable increase in licence fees once 100% of fees are dedicated to conservation.

3) We need to end the professional reliance model where resource companies get to hire their own experts to sign off on resource extraction.  This is a conflict of interest which leads to wildlife populations suffering.

4) We need quarterly and annual reports with facts and figures, showing objectives and funding, successes and failures, as we try to reverse the declines of wildlife populations.

5) We need per capita funding comparable to US states which are enjoying wildlife population increases due to well managed habitat.  This means finding funding to grow the provincial budget from approximately $34 million to between $150 million and $250 million spent on conservation, habitat improvement, and wildlife management.


B.C.’s diversity of wildlife provides many environmental, cultural, social, and economic benefits to all British Columbians.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development has adopted a four-phase engagement process to develop a new and improved wildlife management and habitat conservation strategy for British Columbia. The ministry collaborated with Indigenous peoples, rural communities, wildlife organizations, natural resource development industry stakeholders, and the public to develop the draft strategy, called Together for Wildlife.

The first phase of engagement was held from May 22 to July 31, 2018. We received over 1,100 comments through the website discussion and close to 50 written submissions. You can read the archived public commentswritten submissions, and “what we heard reports” on this site.
The second phase of engagement focused on collaborative policy development from December 2018 to October 2019. During this phase, we worked closely with a newly established B.C.-First Nation Wildlife Forum and stakeholders from a range of sectors to identify priority policy options for the government to consider. This phase of engagement involved monthly meetings with the B.C.-First Nation Wildlife Forum, and a series of webinars and workshops with stakeholders.  You can read more about the results of this engagement on the Phase 2 Engagement page.

During the third phase of engagement, we are checking in with all First Nations in B.C., as well as with stakeholders and the general public, to make sure that the right actions are identified in the draft Together for Wildlife strategy. This phase began with workshops with the B.C.-First Nation Wildlife Forum and stakeholders in October 2019, and is continuing with broader engagement in fall 2019.  You can review the draft strategy and provide input on the Current Engagement page

The fourth and final phase of this initiative will be implementation of the strategy. Although full implementation is targeted for Spring 2020, aspects of the strategy are being implemented throughout all phases of this initiative.

Friday, 2 November 2018

The Guardian: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animal populations since 1970, report finds

Vancouver Hunter: All scientific sources are in agreement.  Habitat loss is the biggest threat facing animals.  As a hunter and conservationist, I feel strongly that we need to act to protect and restore habitat so that we can have strong natural biodiversity for generations to come.  It's our responsibility to advocate for the habitat and animals we care so much about because no one else is. No one else cares as much as us about what happens deep in the wild, far away from the easily accessible, eco-tourist friendly, provincial and national parks.  No one else ventures as deeply into the wilderness, spends as much time, or has as deep a connection to wild animals as we do.  Without habitat we will lose more animals.  Without animals we will lose hunters.  Without hunters we will lose advocates for wildlife and habitat.  Without advocates we will lose more habitat.  We need to reverse this cycle of decline.


https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/30/humanity-wiped-out-animals-since-1970-major-report-finds


Humanity has wiped out 60% of animal populations since 1970, report finds

The huge loss is a tragedy in itself but also threatens the survival of civilisation, say the world’s leading scientists
Humanity has wiped out 60% of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles since 1970, leading the world’s foremost experts to warn that the annihilation of wildlife is now an emergency that threatens civilisation.

The new estimate of the massacre of wildlife is made in a major report produced by WWF and involving 59 scientists from across the globe. It finds that the vast and growing consumption of food and resources by the global population is destroying the web of life, billions of years in the making, upon which human society ultimately depends for clean air, water and everything else.

“We are sleepwalking towards the edge of a cliff” said Mike Barrett, executive director of science and conservation at WWF. “If there was a 60% decline in the human population, that would be equivalent to emptying North America, South America, Africa, Europe, China and Oceania. That is the scale of what we have done.”

“This is far more than just being about losing the wonders of nature, desperately sad though that is,” he said. “This is actually now jeopardising the future of people. Nature is not a ‘nice to have’ – it is our life-support system.”

 “We are rapidly running out of time,” said Prof Johan Rockström, a global sustainability expert at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany. “Only by addressing both ecosystems and climate do we stand a chance of safeguarding a stable planet for humanity’s future on Earth.”

Many scientists believe the world has begun a sixth mass extinction, the first to be caused by a species – Homo sapiens. Other recent analyses have revealed that humankind has destroyed 83% of all mammals and half of plants since the dawn of civilisation and that, even if the destruction were to end now, it would take 5-7 million years for the natural world to recover.

The Living Planet Index, produced for WWF by the Zoological Society of London, uses data on 16,704 populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians, representing more than 4,000 species, to track the decline of wildlife. Between 1970 and 2014, the latest data available, populations fell by an average of 60%. Four years ago, the decline was 52%. The “shocking truth”, said Barrett, is that the wildlife crash is continuing unabated.

Wildlife and the ecosystems are vital to human life, said Prof Bob Watson, one of the world’s most eminent environmental scientists and currently chair of an intergovernmental panel on biodiversity that said in March that the destruction of nature is as dangerous as climate change.

“Nature contributes to human wellbeing culturally and spiritually, as well as through the critical production of food, clean water, and energy, and through regulating the Earth’s climate, pollution, pollination and floods,” he said. “The Living Planet report clearly demonstrates that human activities are destroying nature at an unacceptable rate, threatening the wellbeing of current and future generations.”

The biggest cause of wildlife losses is the destruction of natural habitats, much of it to create farmland. Three-quarters of all land on Earth is now significantly affected by human activities. Killing for food is the next biggest cause – 300 mammal species are being eaten into extinction – while the oceans are massively overfished, with more than half now being industrially fished.

 Chemical pollution is also significant: half the world’s killer whale populations are now doomed to die from PCB contamination. Global trade introduces invasive species and disease, with amphibians decimated by a fungal disease thought to be spread by the pet trade.

The worst affected region is South and Central America, which has seen an 89% drop in vertebrate populations, largely driven by the felling of vast areas of wildlife-rich forest. In the tropical savannah called cerrado, an area the size of Greater London is cleared every two months, said Barrett.

“It is a classic example of where the disappearance is the result of our own consumption, because the deforestation is being driven by ever expanding agriculture producing soy, which is being exported to countries including the UK to feed pigs and chickens,” he said. The UK itself has lost much of its wildlife, ranking 189th for biodiversity loss out of 218 nations in 2016.

The habitats suffering the greatest damage are rivers and lakes, where wildlife populations have fallen 83%, due to the enormous thirst of agriculture and the large number of dams. “Again there is this direct link between the food system and the depletion of wildlife,” said Barrett. Eating less meat is an essential part of reversing losses, he said.

The Living Planet Index has been criticised as being too broad a measure of wildlife losses and smoothing over crucial details. But all indicators, from extinction rates to intactness of ecosystems, show colossal losses. “They all tell you the same story,” said Barrett.

Conservation efforts can work, with tiger numbers having risen 20% in India in six years as habitat is protected. Giant pandas in China and otters in the UK have also been doing well.

But Marco Lambertini, director general of WWF International, said the fundamental issue was consumption: “We can no longer ignore the impact of current unsustainable production models and wasteful lifestyles.”

The world’s nations are working towards a crunch meeting of the UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity in 2020, when new commitments for the protection of nature will be made. “We need a new global deal for nature and people and we have this narrow window of less than two years to get it,” said Barrett. “This really is the last chance. We have to get it right this time.”

Tanya Steele, chief executive at WWF, said: “We are the first generation to know we are destroying our planet and the last one that can do anything about it.”


Saturday, 26 May 2018

BC Government News: Have your say on wildlife management, habitat conservation

 https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018FLNR0128-000969

The Government of British Columbia is starting a discussion on improving wildlife management and habitat conservation, Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, has announced.

“The diversity of wildlife in British Columbia is one of our province’s greatest treasures,” said Donaldson. “Working with Indigenous peoples, wildlife stakeholders and the public, we want to build a strategy that more effectively manages our wildlife for future generations. We’ve dedicated $14 million over three years to do so.”

The province's unique landscapes and climate is home to one of the richest wildlife resources in North America. Three-quarters of Canada's mammal species are found in B.C., with 24 of those species exclusive to B.C. In recent decades, alteration of habitat due to expanded human populations, expanded natural resource development and impacts from climate change have placed increasing pressure on certain wildlife populations, some of which are now in decline.

As part of the government’s commitment to implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, collaboration with Indigenous peoples is an integral part of developing a new provincial wildlife strategy.

The discussion paper, Improving Wildlife Management and Habitat Conservation in British Columbia, poses eight questions for discussion. Engagement is the first step in a four-step process to develop the strategy:
  1. Hold online engagement and face-to-face sessions with Indigenous communities and key stakeholders.
  2. Develop policy options to address priority concerns emerging from the engagement.
  3. Release a policy intentions paper for public engagement.
  4. Implement a new wildlife management and conservation strategy in 2020.
The comment period will end on July 31, 2018. The public is invited to provide input by visiting: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/wildlifeandhabitat

Saturday, 28 April 2018

Bear Viewing Tourism and My Family

Gear that I am lending my family
So, I have a rather extensive family in the Netherlands.  My maternal grandparents came to Canada in the 1950s, when my mother was very young.  They have maintained a close relationship over the years and now, with social media, it is easier than ever for me to stay in touch with some of my uncles, aunts, and cousins in Holland.  Over the years we have visited family in Holland and they have come to visit us here in Vancouver.  Without exception, one of the goals of any family member who is coming to visit us in Canada is to see a bear.

Family from Holland coming to see a bear has caused us plenty of concern over the years.  Much of Europe is so densely populated and devoid of real wilderness that there is no need for basic survival gear, let alone the deeply ingrained sense of caution most Canadians have when it comes to bears.  In Holland, towns are so close together that you really cannot get lost.  It's wonderful to always be within a few minutes bike ride of a cafe or cold beer.  It is in total contrast to the vastness of Canadian wilderness.

My grandparents like to tell a story about how when they first came to Canada and settled in Edmonton, they went camping in Jasper and spent the first night listening to bears tipping over the garbage cans all around their tent.  At one point my grandfather got out of the tent and tried to chase off a black bear so they could sleep.  My grandmother was a lot more concerned, but they really had little appreciation for the fact that bears are wild animals which deserve a fair dose of preparation and caution.

Fast forward to now.  Yesterday I welcomed some family from Holland at YVR and as I drove them to my parent's house, where they are staying for a few days, and on the way we discussed their holiday plans.  My uncle, aunt, cousin and her two kids are definitely excited to go and try to see a bear.  My uncle is an ecologist in Amsterdam, so he is really interested in wildlife.  Last time I was in Holland we chatted about how wolves are starting to migrate into the northern parts of the Netherlands from Denmark and repopulate their former ranges.  So, we discussed the basics of bear identification, and safety, but like each time family comes to visit and wants to go see a bear, I was left feeling like, are they sure they know what they are getting themselves in to? I remember as a kid seeing tourists getting out of their cars and trying to walk up to bears and elk in Banff and it left a strong sense of the fact that a lot of people just don't know that wildlife is wild.

So, I decided to send an email to my relatives last night with links to the government website from Parks Canada about bears, along with some YouTube videos about what to do if they charge, and how to use bear spray.  My email read:

https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/mtn/ours-bears/generaux-basics




Typically, bear charges occur when a mother grizzly is trying to protect her cubs.  Most grizzly charges are false charges.  Rarely is it an attack charge.  Black bears don't generally charge or attack.  Here are some videos of what can happen if there is a grizzly charge.

https://youtu.be/Asaj-hN-pSM

https://youtu.be/_bx-0Jg3tX0


Tomorrow I am seeing a friend of mine in the area near my parent's house, so I will bring for you my Bear Spray.  Please take it with you if you go into the woods to look for bears.  This shows you how to use it. 

https://youtu.be/aIvpLzHiCrg

Be careful.  It is very very powerful and   I will drop it off at my parent's house if you are away.  It can be used for bears as well as cats like a cougar.

I don't mean to worry you! It is fun to see bears.  However, it is good to be prepared with bear spray.  I think you will not be anywhere where you would see a grizzly, so there is much less to worry about.
As I went to get my bear spray I saw my GPS, survival kit, first aid kit... hell, I'll just put together a few things.  I got carried away according to my wife, but when you hear about all the tourists who go missing in the back country because they are unprepared, how could I not loan my family the minimum of what I would take.  I hope they get their wish and see a bear and I will sleep a lot more easily knowing they have some basic equipment to stay safe in the woods.  My wife points out, rightly so, that they will likely stay on well marked trails, but you never know.  People get lost in Lynn Valley all the time, so anything is possible.


Friday, 27 April 2018

Conservation Advocacy: MLA's office and BHA Pint Night

Yesterday, I managed to get out to my MLA's office for a meeting with one of her assistants.  I am still trying to arrange a second meeting with my MLA Judy Darcy, here in New Westminster, but with the legislature sitting right now, MLAs are away from their constituency.  I will continue to try to arrange a meeting for the next time the legislature breaks.

The meeting went well and I felt that I was able to convey my key points.  I'll discuss those in a moment.  

Later in the evening I went to my first BC Chapter of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Pint Night.  The Region 2 Rep, Mark Robichaud and the Communications Rep for Region 2, Jeff Chan, were there as well as some familiar faces such as Dylan Eyers of EatWild, Rob Chipman, Mitch who I head met at the BC Sportsman's Show when we were two of just a few people listening to Jesse Zeman's presentation about managing to zero, and Grady who I met at the Beers for Wild Things event in February.  I also met a lot of new people who were all very dialed in and passionate hunter conservationists.   It was an excellent event.

Mark had asked me to do a short presentation about my political activism, so I tried to summarize how I approach letter writing to politicians and my MLA, rather than just talking about how many letters I have written or what they said.

This is how I try to communicate the message that hunters care about habitat, wildlife, and the future of wilderness in BC.  

I want to first say that I have pulled a lot of catch phrases from a lot of places, podcasts, and presentations, so please accept my reuse as flattery.

Know Your Audience
It is important to remember who you are talking or writing to.  If it is a person, try to understand who they are or what they know.  If it is the public, assume they are hunting-curious and probably eat meat, but also that they likely don't know much about the issues.  They will all probably be shocked by both the sad state of affairs and how much you know and care.
 
Politicians:     
- They are just normal people.  Some are good, some are not so good, some care, some won't. When I met my MLA Judy Darcy, I felt like I was having a nice conversation with my mom.  It wasn't at all intimidating.
- They may not know much about the issues, so you may need to start at the beginning and summarize.
- The are probably curious and interested, like most of the public.

Hunters:
- This is our echo chamber.  Everything you say will be echoed back at you with cheers and agreement.  
- While it makes you feel good, it doesn't further the cause to spend too much time trying to convince people who already agree with you.
- I think it is worth trying to get hunters to talk to non-hunters

Anti-Hunting Activists:
- Tiny minority of people who you will never convince.
- Arguing with them is not worth your time and isn't productive.

The Non-Hunting Public:
- Most people eat meat 
- Caring where your food comes from is really popular these days
- Many will be curious about hunting and know very little other than what's on social media, TV or in movies
- Would probably love to try some game meat.  "Venison Diplomacy" wins hearts and minds via the stomach.

- They occupy the sane middle ground and we want to be there with them.  The protest at Antler, the restaurant in Toronto where the Chef, Michael Hunter, butchered a deer leg in the window out of exasperation for the weekly protests, gained huge public support and support from moderate vegans for the restaurant.  We have the best story and it is a sane, normal, everyday person story.  We just need to tell the complete story... More on that to come below. (There is a great Joe Rogan Podcast with Michael Hunter.  It is excellent.)

Have a Clear Message
It pays to be organized and concise.  I know that being concise is a weakness of mine, so I really try to organize my letters or talking points into 3 clear points per letter or meeting.  Any more than 3 points, in my opinion, will be hard to follow or seem like you are rambling.

Who you are:
- I like to start with who I am.  Where you live matters to your MLA.  They care a heck of a lot more if you live in their community.  I explain that I am a hunter who grew up in Vancouver and came to hunting as a adult.  Through hunting my eyes were opened to the habitat destruction and declining wildlife numbers and that is why I am reaching out.

What you want:
- If you want a meeting, then ask for a meeting at their earliest convenience
- If you want changes such as Clear Management and Recovery Objectives, Science Based Management, Increased Funding, Wildlife and Habitat to be a Priority, Changes to Policy and Legislation, Biologists to be Included in Resource Extraction Planning and Remediation, etc. state those objectives clearly.

Why you care:
- Explain why it matters to you (Food, Nature, Future Generations, Tradition, Family)
- Explain why the things you have learned are upsetting and worrisome.


Use Info-graphics and Visual Aids When Possible:
- A picture is worth a thousand words 


It's About the Habitat
I like to always keep it about the habitat.  It sets a good tone when you focus on habitat issues. All studies indicate that the habitat is the key to conservation and the recovery of wildlife populations.  It helps all hunters if we can be seen as a voice for habitat.  It shows us in a positive light.  If the discussion focuses too heavily on the animals as themselves, then the result will be a reduction in the hunting of those animals in order to preserve them.  It is far better for us to keep the discussion about enhancing habitat to increase or protect the total population.

Clear Management Objectives:
- One way to keep it about the habitat is to have objectives.  Protecting specific areas, road deactivation, biodiversity objectives, fish and wildlife population objectives, prescribed burn to restore habitat objectives, etc.
- The objectives have to include solid numbers, not ratios or soft goals, or else no one will be held accountable.
 
Science Base Management:
 - I like to discuss how provincial biologists should be included in forestry planning and replanting to ensure biodiversity and high quality habitat.
- I also like to discuss how it is about giving people who are already government staff the funding and authority to do what they already know needs to be done. 

Funding:
Inevitably it will come to how to pay for it all.  I would prefer that funding is widely distributed so that it is everyone paying a little for a larger total. This includes ideas about:

- 100% License fees allocation
- Modest increase to License fees
- Excise taxes similar to in the US
- Including other user groups paying their share (Skiing, Biking, Eco-Tourism, etc.)
- Show discrepancies with our neighbours and the scale of how little funding we are really asking for ($700 million roof on BC place, $820 million Port Mann Bridge)

We Show Up!
I am a real person, from BC, who cares so much that I wrote this letter or came to this meeting.  I care even when it is not in the spotlight and I still care even when things didn't go my way.  Our opposition, anti-hunting activists and organizations, way on the other side of this debate, aren't going to take the time to meet with their MLAs and continue to advocate for wildlife and habitat after it is out of the media or after they achieve an objective to end a hunt.  I still advocate for grizzly bear habitat, even though the hunt has been ended, because I genuinely care about the habitat and grizzly bear populations.  I hope that it does not go unnoticed that the opposition groups have stopped caring now that they have achieved their objective of ending the hunt.  I generally think that the grizzly bear topic is very sensitive and divisive and I only bring it up once I have established a rapport with someone.


We Are Here to be Productive!
- I try to do everything I can not to seen angry, but rather really worried, upset, and distressed
- I try to say thank you for any funding increases or positive actions, but make it clear that it is only a first step and that there is so much more to do.
- I am here to help and answer any questions, be a resource for my MLA, and friend in the community.

 
Change the Narrative
-I do everything I can to come across as just an average person who cares about BC's native plants and animals, their habitat and where my food comes from. I don't wear camo or hunting t-shits to meetings.
-I think it is important for us to all work to change perception so that when people think of hunters they think about us being the strongest and most passionate advocates for habitat and wildlife. 

Tell the Complete Story:
Part of changing the narrative is accepting we have an image problem.  It is easy for hunters to be vilified as blood thirsty killers who just want to trophy hunt to cover our walls with heads, hides, and antlers.  

We all know who nonsense that is.  So, why is it so easy for us to come across so terribly?  In my opinion, it is because we have done little to try to understand what non-hunters think about.

1) If you are going to post on the internet or social media, it cannot be just a "Grip and Grin" of a dead animal.  Post the whole story, the planning, the days without success, the story of the success, the animal, the processing, the meat, and food, the meals, the enjoyment, the recipes, the memories.  Steven Rinella and MeatEater do a great job of ensuring every episode is a complete story and ends with a meal.  We need to do the same.

2) When a non-hunter hears "Trophy Hunting", "Trophy Animal", etc. they think that is the only value that that animal has to us.  They think that we won't eat the meat or use the hide. They hear "Killing for the sake of killing". We've lost that battle.  It's over.  I prefer the term "Selective Hunting" so that it is harder for people to misuse.  "Selective Hunting" didn't get as warm of a reception when I mentioned it last night at the meeting, but I still like it.  Anyways, be careful with the words you choose and understand how they will be interpreted.

3) Many non-hunters probably don't really want to think too hard about where their food comes from.  In the media there are tons of documentaries which show the horrible conditions in factory farming and there are great cooking shows which champion knowing where the food comes from.  It is very popular and trendy to talk about food security and ethical sources of food.  I explain how that was a significant reason why I got into hunting in the first place.  If you gently force people to confront the issue of where there burger or chicken comes from and explain that their discomfort is why hunting is so important it can be a great way to bridge the gap and explain why you do what you do.

4) Venison Diplomacy is Steven Rinella's term for sharing a game meal with someone to help break the ice and normalize hunting.  No one will dislike hunters after eating an amazing meal.

5) Occupy the sane middle ground.  We have the best story.  Habitat protection and restoration, caring about the health of fish and wildlife populations, ethical, organic, and hormone free meat, are all issues everyone can get behind.  We need to build bridges starting with these points.  

Ambassadors of Conservation
We need to realize that everything we do, say, or post reflects on us as hunters.  We need to be careful so that we can build friendships, allies, and gain public support.  We need to be in it for the long game, not simply reacting to events.  We need to look towards where we want to get to in 5, 10, 25, 50 years and work diligently to protect and enhance what we care so much about.  If we fail, there will be no wild places for future generations to learn about and appreciate what we are fighting to protect.

"The “greatest good for the greatest number” applies to the number within the womb of time, compared to which those now alive form but an insignificant fraction. Our duty to the whole, including the unborn generations, bids us restrain an unprincipled present-day minority from wasting the heritage of these unborn generations. The movement for the conservation of wild life and the larger movement for the conservation of all our natural resources are essentially democratic in spirit, purpose, and method."
Theodore Roosevelt

Tuesday, 24 April 2018

Conservation Advocacy Meeting in Vancouver

Left to Right: Ferg, Dylan, Larri, Rob, me (Alex), Jesse
Yesterday evening I attended a productive meeting with some of Vancouver’s best habitat and wildlife advocates. The meeting was organized by Jesse Zeman of the BCWF and included Dylan Eyers of EatWild and noted conservationists and habitat activists such as Larri Woodrow of the Mission & District Rod & Gun Club and Salmon River Enhancement Society Langley, Rob Chipman, and Ferg McDonnell.  We discussed upcoming political issues, strategies, and what to do next. Ultimately, we all need to encourage as many people as possible to meet with their MLAs and express their concerns about the declining state of BC’s habitat. 

One new fact I learned from Jesse last night is that BC had protected a significant amount of caribou habitat... but it will take about 85 years to regrow to get to the point where it is viable to support caribou populations. Tragic

We need to act now. 

On that note, I just came across this today.  This is a great place for us all to provide some additional feedback.




Share your ideas on the Draft Caribou Recovery Program.
The provincial government is embarking on a new program to recover and conserve woodland caribou in British Columbia, and we would like your feedback.
The Caribou Recovery Program is a long-term commitment that will include all B.C. caribou herds in a comprehensive and uniform approach to conservation, based on traditional knowledge and science. The province has already committed to $27 million to ensure a strong start.
We value your knowledge, your experiences, and your ideas.

Please share your comments on the draft Discussion Paper.

To share your thoughts, click on the Draft Discussion paper link (above or in the sidebar) and there you can comment on each paragraph by selecting the comment icon, accepting the Terms of Use and submitting your comment. Each comment will be reviewed against the Moderation Policy and all approved comments will be posted publically for all to read.

Your comments will be reviewed and reflected in the final paper that we are targeting for completion in spring 2019.

Feedback will be accepted until June 15 at 4pm.


Saturday, 21 April 2018

BCWF: Decline in Biodiversity and Endangered Species in British Columbia


Did you know?

Our Province is in a State of Environmental Crisis.

 

  • Over the past 5 years the population in BC has grown exponentially, doubling in size from 2.2 to over 4.8 million people.
     
  • In the past 20 years, over 20% of government jobs dedicated to natural resource management have been removed. While at the same time, funding for natural resource management was cut in half.
     
  • There are approximately 230 species at risk in BC including several iconic animals: central mountain caribou, sturgeon, mule deer, steelhead, and many more. This list continues to grow every year.
     
  • Today,only 45 steelhead remain in the Chilcotin river and only 144 steelhead in the Thompson. One of British Columbia's most iconic populations of steelhead is almost completely wiped-out forever.
     
Everyday the BCWF is working to advocate on behalf of British Columbia's fish and wildlife. Some of the projects we are working include but are not limited to:
  • Combating devastating development on the Fraser River to protect sturgeon habitat.
     
  • Working to protect what's left of the Chilcotin Steelhead by recognizing them as endangered species.
     
  • Learning how to restore mule deer populations in BC by studying how landscape change and the predator prey community are affecting our current populations.
     
  • Leading numerous wetlands activities that result in habitat restoration, enhancement and conservation projects.
     
  • Working with the BC Government and local communities to help increase the abundancy of fish and wildlife that presently continue to decline.
Help be the voice of BC's fish and wildlife and speak for those who can't speak for themselves.
Donate to the BCWF Now
 

Did you know that BC is in a state of environmental crisis?

Help the BCWF advocate on behalf of British Columbia's fish and wildlife and

speak for those who can't speak for themselves.