Press Release
October 2, 2003
Federal-Provincial Agreement Applauded – Critical step in protecting three nationally important ecosystems
VANCOUVER – Today's signing of a federal-provincial agreement to protect three of BC's unique and valuable ecosystems fulfills a long-standing dream for many Canadians, especially in BC, says the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS). The National Park and National Marine Conservation Areas Action Plan for British Columbia includes the proposed Southern Okanagan National Park, and the proposed Southern Strait of Georgia and Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Areas.
"We are delighted that the Prime Minister continues to follow through on his September 2002 announcement to expand the national parks system to include new parks and marine conservation areas," said Stephen Hazell, National Executive Director of CPAWS.
"This is a major step forward in the protection of some of this province’s most important and threatened marine and terrestrial ecosystems," said Sabine Jessen, Conservation Director CPAWS – BC Chapter (CPAWS-BC).
The BC Chapter of CPAWS has been working for over five years with local people in the Gulf Islands to advance the national marine conservation area in the Southern Strait of Georgia. This area supports an abundance of marine wildlife and could include up to 1500 square kilometres of marine waters that surround the southern Gulf Islands.
"The Southern Strait of Georgia NMCA will complement the protection of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve announced in May 2003. Given the many threats to marine life in this area, including the proposed Georgia Strait Crossing pipeline (GSX), we expect that the feasibility study will provide the information on which to base sound conservation measures to protect threatened marine species such as southern resident Orcas."
The 3400 square kilometers of marine waters that comprise the Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area are among the richest and most diverse on the BC coast. Located at the southern end of Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands), home to the Haida for over ten thousand years, these rich marine waters support 15% of all breeding seabirds on the BC coast. In addition to the seventeen species of whales and dolphins that move through the area, Gwaii Haanas also supports a Stellar sea lion colony, and vast kelp forests.
"Despite commitments dating back to 1988 to protect the waters that surround Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve / Haida Heritage Site, these waters have remained unprotected," said Jessen. "We look forward to continuing our work with the Haida Nation, Parks Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and interested stakeholders to make real progress in furthering protection of this world-renowned area through the development of a management plan that will include strong conservation measures together with some continued resource uses."
The proposed Southern Okanagan National Park will be BC's first grasslands national park. The majority of BC's native grasslands have been lost to agriculture and urban development.
"BC's interior grasslands are home to over one-third of BC's endangered and threatened species. So the proposed South Okanagan National Park is an encouraging step forward in protecting these species and one of the most endangered ecosystems in Canada," said Bob Peart, Executive Director of CPAWS-BC.
While the National Park and National Marine Conservation Areas Action Plan for British Columbia is an important step toward the completion of the national parks and national marine conservation areas systems in BC, future work remains.
"As promised by the Prime Minister in his announcement last year, CPAWS is expecting future agreements between the federal and provincial governments to expand Waterton Lakes National Park into the Flathead Valley and the establishment of another national park along on the BC / Yukon border," noted Peart.
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society is Canada's grassroots voice for wilderness. CPAWS is a national not-for-profit organization with 11 Chapters and 20 000 members. CPAWS is highly respected for our science-driven campaigns to establish new protected areas and to ensure that nature comes first in the management of existing parks. Since our founding in 1963, CPAWS has have played a significant role in protecting over 100 million acres of Canada's wild spaces.
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Contact:
Sabine Jessen
Conservation Director, CPAWS–BC
Office: 604-685-7445
Cell: 604-657-2813
Stephen Hazell
Executive Director, CPAWS
Tel: 1-800-333-9453
CPAWS - British Columbia Chapter