bc parks

ID: Person raises arms over mountain peak sunrise.

September 17 2020

BC’s parks get a boost to support economic recovery

cpawsadmin News #bcpoli, #fundbcparks, bc parks, besthope.ca, bruce passmore, build back better, build bc back better, canadian parks and wilderness society, canadian parks and wilderness society british columbia, carol james, covid recovery, cpaws, cpaws-bc, economic recovery bc, economic stimulus bc, future for all, george heyman, green recovery, john horgan, marine debris, trails bc

For interview please contact:
Skye Vallance
Communications and Development Coordinator
skye@cpawsbc.org
604-685-7445 ext. 22

BC’s parks get a boost to support economic recovery

Economic recovery package announced Sept. 17 includes support for BC Parks trails, campgrounds and facility upgrades

Sept. 17, 2020

Unceded Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, BC – The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC), is welcoming the new injection of money for BC’s provincial parks. Today, the Premier announced a $5 million increase to BC’s provincial parks as part of a $1.5 billion investment to help build BC back better.

“BC Parks are the backbone of outdoor recreation in the province, which has seen a spike in interest over the past few years. This five million dollar bump for BC Parks will go a long way to improve trails, campgrounds and backcountry infrastructure,” said Tori Ball, Terrestrial Campaigner for CPAWS-BC. “Funding for parks has far-reaching benefits for nature and wildlife that are in crisis globally, as well as providing opportunities to relax and adventure close to home.”

Data shows that park usage has been steadily rising throughout the spring and summer of 2020. This is on top of annual increases in visitation to BC Parks, which has risen from 21 million in 2014/15 to over 26 million in 2018/19. A recent survey conducted by CPAWS-BC found that 89% of respondents were more or as likely to travel to provincial parks in the next 12 months, compared to last year.

That same study found that 94% of respondents agree or strongly agree that local businesses near BC’s provincial parks benefit from park visitors. “Our research demonstrates that BC Parks provide economic benefits to communities through visitor spending, in addition to providing jobs in conservation and tourism,” said Ball.

“This injection of extra resources will help the provincial park system to adapt to the continued rise in visitors, and mounting environmental challenges,” continued Ball. “Continued increases to the BC Parks budget are integral to a well managed, resilient parks system. Proper funding will ensure that these areas can support people and wildlife, and adequately protect and prepare for the years to come.”

CPAWS-BC is also encouraged to see funding and resources for watershed restoration to support wildlife recovery and jobs for communities hardest hit by the pandemic.

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For interview please contact:
Skye Vallance
Communications and Development Coordinator
skye@cpawsbc.org
604-685-7445 ext. 22

Key facts:

✔ A boost for BC Parks: $5-million to maintain and expand trails, campgrounds and other necessary park infrastructure.

✔ Money for restoration: Nearly $50-million will fund wetland conservation and species conservation, employing 1,000 people, focused on those hit hardest by the pandemic.

✔ Cleaning our coast: Nearly $15-million towards the removal of marine debris and derelict vessels.

✔ Conservation jobs for youth: The $1.8 million Youth Employment program is creating 25 new youth park positions and 18 positions in the conservation officer service.

ID: Person raises arms over mountain peak sunrise.

About CPAWS-BC

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) supports the creation of large, well-managed, connected protected areas where native plants and animals thrive, now and forever; and where people and communities can live off the land and ocean without impacting the ability of future generations to do the same.

August 5 2020

Conservation group applauds new youth conservation jobs

cpawsadmin News, Uncategorized bc parks, biodiversity, build bc back better, canadian parks and wilderness society, covid nature, covid-19 bc, cpaws, cpaws-bc, disease wildlife human, economic recovery bc, health wildlife, indigenous conservation, ipca, mental health nature, nature health, parks report, provincial parks, tori ball

For interviews, contact:
Tori Ball, Terrestrial Campaigner
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, BC Chapter
tori@cpawsbc.org
(604) 685-7445 x24

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 5, 2020

Traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples/Vancouver, BC — The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) is applauding a new initiative to hire young people into conservation jobs in BC. These new jobs, announced today by Environment Minister George Heyman, will help to safeguard nature across the province.

“We’re happy to see more conservation jobs being created for young people at a time when our park system needs more support,” says Tori Ball, Terrestrial Campaigner with CPAWS-BC.

“In the short term, these new jobs will help manage the impacts of increasing visitation on the outdoor places we love so much, by addressing long standing capacity issues within BC Parks,” she adds.

BC’s provincial parks were forced to shut down this spring due to concerns with understaffing and overcrowding, following a recent budget cut to operations earlier this year. Decades of underfunding to BC Parks has created a concerning shortage of staff as well as a significant backlog of maintenance issues and major delays in management planning for parks.

“These new temporary positions will help provide much-needed capacity to support overworked park rangers, which will better safeguard nature and improve people’s experiences in the outdoors,” says Ball.

“We hope to see continued investment in nature-based jobs and a commitment to a longer-term capacity increase for BC Parks, as part of the overall strategy to recover the province’s economy,” she adds.

–30–

For interviews, contact:

Tori Ball, Terrestrial Campaigner
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, BC Chapter
tori@cpawsbc.org
(604) 685-7445 x24

Resources

BC Government Media Release: Program offers young people work experience with BC Parks, COS (August 5, 2020)

About CPAWS-BC:

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia Chapter (CPAWS-BC) protects wilderness in every corner of BC and deep into the ocean. CPAWS-BC supports the creation of large, well-managed, connected protected areas where native plants and animals thrive, now and forever; and where people and communities can live off the land and ocean without impacting the ability of future generations to do the same.

In the past 50+ years, CPAWS has played a lead role in protecting over half a million square kilometres – an area bigger than New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador put together.

clouds-conifer-daylight-evergreen-388065

July 15 2020

New report highlights opportunity to put nature protection at the heart of economic recovery in Canada

cpawsadmin News bc parks, biodiversity, build bc back better, canadian parks and wilderness society, covid nature, covid-19 bc, cpaws, cpaws-bc, disease wildlife human, economic recovery bc, health wildlife, indigenous conservation, ipca, mental health nature, nature health, parks report, provincial parks, tori ball

For interviews, contact:
Tori Ball, Terrestrial Campaigner
tori@cpawsbc.org
(604) 685-7445 x24

New report highlights opportunity to put nature protection at the heart of economic recovery in Canada

For Immediate Release

July 15, 2020

Unceded Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, BC — A new report from the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) recommends that nature protection is put at the heart of Canada’s COVID-19 recovery strategies. The report highlights the enormous potential of BC’s provincial parks to provide accessible and affordable outdoor activities, and outlines urgent challenges posed by decades of underfunding.

“It’s become very clear that BC’s parks are essential to our health and well-being. Safe, accessible outdoor recreation in parks is a proven way to boost mental health and reduce stress,” says Tori Ball, Terrestrial Campaigner with CPAWS-BC.

“Unfortunately, decades of funding for BC’s parks has left communities with inequitable access to nature, and continues to put wildlife at risk,” she says.

The BC Parks budget was cut by 4% this year, exacerbating issues such as understaffing across the province. This has restricted or cut core functions such as monitoring and enforcement, research, and education.

The provincial and federal governments are making decisions on spending to restart the economy and recover from the economic downturn caused by COVID-19. CPAWS-BC is advocating for an investment of economic recovery funding into BC’s parks to better support the needs of communities across the province.

“This is our chance to get it right. We know that nature conservation is a driver of economic growth and provides essential community benefits that help build a resilient global economy,” says Ball.

”Now more than ever, we need to invest in these places so that our communities will be more resilient and better supported in the long run,” adds Ball.

CPAWS-BC’s recommendations to the Government of British Columbia:

Invest immediately in BC Parks, increasing staff capacity for visitor management, ecological monitoring, and management planning to better recognize the critical role that parks play in supporting our health, our communities, and our environment.
Support Indigenous-led conservation initiatives that enable reconciliation with Indigenous nations, protection and recovery of species at risk, and build sustainable long-term jobs in rural and remote communities

–30–

For interviews, contact:
Tori Ball, Terrestrial Campaigner
tori@cpawsbc.org
(604) 685-7445 x24

Download Media Release PDF

Additional Resource:

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. (July 15 2020). Healthy Nature Healthy People. https://cpawsbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/CPAWS-Parks-Report-2020-ENG.pdf

Photo by: Kirill Belotserkovsky via Pexels.com

TELL YOUR MLA: INVEST IN BC PARKS TO HELP BUILD BACK A BETTER BC

Stand Up For Parks snowshoe square image

June 10 2020

Protecting BC’s Provincial Parks

Skye CPAWS-BC Uncategorized #bcpoli, #explorebc, #explorebclater, #fundbcparks, #GreenRecovery, backcountry bc, bc parks, bc parks reopen, campaing bc, campgrounds bc, canadian parks and wilderness society british columbia, cpaws-bc, leave no trace, outdoor recreation bc, stand up for parks, tori ball, trail maintenance

BC Parks deserve a raise!

The COVID-19 public health crisis has shown us just how essential BC’s parks are for our physical and mental well-being. The pandemic has highlighted the urgent need to re-invest in BC’s parks, which have been chronically underfunded since the early 2000’s.

Throughout the month of June, the BC government is collecting feedback on how to set their priorities for next year’s budget. Send your comments by clicking the button below, letting the government know you would like parks to be prioritized with an additional investment of funding.

Our parks and the staff who take care of them are ill-equipped to support an influx of visitors as they gradually reopen. Staff shortages are making it difficult to enforce physical distancing requirements and maintain higher standards of facilities cleaning needed to keep visitors safe.

BC’s parks are in dire need of a funding boost to ensure that they’re able to support.

Speak Up for Parks

Click the button to edit your letter. A personalized letter triples your impact so add a personal note at the start of this letter. When you’re done, click send.

Protecting BC’s provincial parks

As British Columbians, we should be proud of the system of parks that has been created to safeguard some of our province’s most beautiful and unique places. From high alpine meadows to towering ancient forests and sweeping grasslands, BC is the most biologically diverse province and our parks steward some of the most spectacular natural wonders on planet earth. But with wildlife facing extinction and our parks facing humans pressures, we need to expand our parks system and give nature the protection it needs.

The Threat

The Threat
The Solution

BC’s provincial parks system is the largest in Canada – but it is also one of the worst funded.

Snowshoers at Cypress Provincial Park near Vancouver. Photo credit: Tori Ball

What does this funding crisis look like on the ground?

Massive shortage of park rangers: in 2016, there were just 7 full-time park rangers responsible for monitoring BC’s millions of acres of park lands. That means that during peak season, each park ranger was responsible for an area roughly two-thirds the size of Vancouver Island. Seasonal hiring has tried to fill gaps, but there’s still chronic understaffing in BC Parks. That means regulations meant to protect nature are left unenforced.
Doing more with less: with over 20 million visitors per year, BC Parks staff are under enormous pressure. But without adequate funding, they often don’t have enough resources for proper equipment or vehicles that help them monitor our parks.
Broken and missing infrastructure: tent pads, pit toilets, bridges, paths – these things cost money to build and maintain. Proper infrastructure makes for more enjoyable and meaningful park experiences for visitors, while also providing vital protection to sensitive ecosystems.
Threats to nature and wildlife: without enough park rangers, sufficient resources, or safe infrastructure, BC’s parks are becoming “paper parks” – protecting in theory but not in practice. That means severe degradation of irreplaceable ecosystems from the influx of visitors and their litter. For wildlife, it means losing habitat and more dangerous interactions that lead to conflict. Without adequate funding, our parks cannot do the job they are legislated to do: protect and conserve wilderness for generations to come.

Parks don’t protect themselves. We can see a better future for BC’s provincial parks and the wilderness that they protect, but only if we stand up and demand action from our government.

CPAWS-BC volunteers #StandUpForParks – Photo credit: Moe Nadeau, Wedge Lake in Garibaldi Provincial Park.

In order to safeguard our province’s wild spaces, BC Parks needs more funding. Without resources to hire park rangers, maintain infrastructure, and enforce park regulations, BC’s provincial parks – and the wilderness within their boundaries – will continue to suffer.

You can add your voice to the many other British Columbians calling on the provincial government to:

Increase base funding for BC Parks to $60 million per year
Continue annual increases to eventually match levels of leading Canadian park agencies, like Alberta Parks and Parks Canada
Increase the number of park rangers

BC Parks is the largest provincial park system in the country, protecting the most diverse landscapes of anywhere in Canada. We have a golden opportunity for wilderness conservation: since these areas are already legally protected, we just need to ensure they have the resources they need to safeguard the wilderness they contain.

Photo credit: Miki Eslake.

Speak Up for Parks

May 29 2020

New survey shows British Columbians want increased funding for BC Parks

cpawsadmin News, Uncategorized #fundbcparks, bc parks, bonnie henry, british columbia parks, camping bc, camping reservation, covid outside, covid-19 parks, cpaws, healthy bc, provincial parks, summer bc, tori ball

For interview, please contact:

Tori Ball, Terrestrial Campaigner

604-685-7445 x 24

tori@cpawsbc.org

New survey shows British Columbians want increased funding for BC Parks

For Immediate Release

May 29, 2020

Traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples, Vancouver BC — A new online survey from the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – BC Chapter (CPAWS-BC) confirms that parks are a key priority for British Columbians, and that 73% want the BC government to increase funding. Parks present affordable and accessible opportunities to spend time outdoors, which has consistently been a top recommendation from BC’s Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

“As more people turn to parks through this pandemic, concerns for the health of our parks are becoming increasingly connected with concerns for the health of British Columbians,” says Tori Ball, Terrestrial Campaigner with CPAWS-BC.

“This week saw a record-breaking number of camping reservations with BC Parks and widespread challenges in accessing the online reservation system because of the surge in interest,” says Ball. “This, along with the new survey results, underscores the important role parks are playing in supporting communities through the current public health crisis.”

It also highlights an urgent need to address long standing issues with chronic underfunding of the parks system. For decades, the province has struggled with increasing visitation, while trying to protect wildlife and nature in these special places. BC Parks once again had its budget cut by 4% this year, leading to understaffing across the province that has restricted or cut core functions such as monitoring and enforcement, research, and education.

“Decisions are being made right now about how BC will spend $1.5 billion in economic stimulus funding. This is a huge opportunity for the province to recognize the value of parks for the province’s health, and economy,” says Ball.

“Investing some of this funding into the park system to better support what British Columbians are asking for is a no-brainer, and something that will pay off in the long run,” she adds.

Key findings of the survey include:

Access to nature provides mental health benefits. 94% of respondents said access to nature is important to their mental health.
Supporting parks supports communities. 75% of respondents ranked the reopening of parks as a priority in BC’s pandemic response plan.
Investing in parks should be part of BC’s Restart Plan. 71% of respondents support an immediate investment of economic stimulus funding into BC Parks for jobs and park infrastructure projects that will improve visitor experience and better support health and safety of park users.
British Columbians support a long-term investment in parks. 73% of respondents support more funding for BC Parks in the long term to protect wildlife and nature, and to support visitor health and safety.

–30–

For interview, contact:

Tori Ball, Terrestrial Campaigner

604-685-7445 x 24

tori@cpawsbc.org

Media Release PDF here.

Additional Images here.

Key findings of the survey:

About CPAWS-BC:

In the past 50+ years, CPAWS has played a lead role in protecting over half a million square kilometres – an area bigger than New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador put together.

May 6 2020

BC’s parks critical for recovery, desperate for resources

cpawsadmin News, Uncategorized #bcparks, #explorebc, bc parks, bonnie henry parks, british columbia covid-19, camping bc, covid-19 bc, cpaws, hiking bc, john horgan parks, mental health nature bc, parks day-use, provincial parks reopen, reopen bc, tori ball

For interview, please contact:

Tori Ball, Terrestrial Campaigner

604-685-7445 x 24

tori@cpawsbc.org

B.C.’s parks critical for recovery, desperate for resources

For Immediate Release

May 6, 2020

Traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples/Vancouver BC – On Wednesday, the B.C. government announced that they will begin to reopen BC Parks on May 14th as part of a multi-staged plan to reopen B.C. The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society’s BC Chapter (CPAWS-BC) is encouraged by this news, and recommends immediate action and investment by the province to support our struggling provincial parks system to be able to keep people safe.

“Consistent underfunding of BC Parks over decades has created long-standing issues with failing and unsafe infrastructure,” says Bruce Passmore, Executive Director of CPAWS-BC. “Under-resourced and overworked staff has left parks ill-equipped to handle a surge in visitors at the best of times.”

Provincial parks have been off-limits to the public since April 8th. BC Parks has had limited resources and an overall lack of capacity to support physical distancing measures, and to maintain visitor facilities to a standard that would meet public health guidelines. Numerous surveys over the past month have concluded that most people across the province want to see the reopening of parks prioritized.

“The current public health crisis has put a spotlight on these long-standing issues. It has highlighted the urgent need for the province to invest in BC Parks to carefully plan for improving visitor safety and the conservation of nature in these places we love,” adds Passmore.

“Investment in parks and outdoor recreation should be a priority for the B.C. government to support our health and wellbeing,” says Passmore. “Unfortunately, the BC Parks budget was cut by 4% this year, which has put extra pressure on our parks while demand for outdoor recreation continues to surge.”

CPAWS-BC is urging the government to direct some of the economic recovery funding to BC Parks to hire more people into front-line park jobs, and to improve park infrastructure like trails, campgrounds and other visitor facilities. This will help build a robust park system that will support the health and safety of British Columbians using these spaces during the current pandemic and well into the future.

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For interview, contact:

Tori Ball, Terrestrial Campaigner

604-685-7445 x 24

About CPAWS-BC:

In the past 50+ years, CPAWS has played a lead role in protecting over half a million square kilometres – an area bigger than New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador put together.

Ready to Take Action?

Tell Premier Horgan and Finance Minister Carole James to Invest in BC Parks to support green jobs, healthy lifestyles and keep wildlife safe.

Take Action

April 28 2020

Colour your way across BC’s parks

cpawsadmin Blog, Uncategorized adult colouring, animals bc education, bc parks, colouring book, conservation, covid-19, cpaws, cpaws-bc, kids activities, kids art, okanagan, pathway to target 1, teach environment, thing to do, things to do bc

As the weather warms, we’re dreaming of getting back into BC’s parks. It may be a while before our boots hit the trails so we’ve created four stunning colouring pages to remind you of the beauty that awaits.

The pages, with scenes from stunning BC parks, are designed with beginner and expert artists in mind. Enjoy bringing these lively scenes and creatures to life:

Golden Ears Provincial Park – The traditional territories of the Katzie, S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō) and Kwantlen peoples, this park is home to black bears, beavers and mountain goats.

Wells Gray Provincial Park – The traditional territory of the Secwepemcúl’ecw (Secwépemc) peoples, this park is home to the elusive wolverines and mighty grizzly bears.

Grasslands of Similkameen Valley – The traditional territory of the Syilx peoples, the grasslands of the Similkameen Valley are home to rare species like burrowing owls and sage thrashers.

Strathcona Provincial Park – The traditional territories of the nuučaan̓uuɫɁatḥ nism̓a (Nuu-chah-nulth), K’ómoks, Kwakwaka’wakw nations, Strathcona Provincial Park is home to Roosevelt elk and endangered Vancouver Island marmots.

Enter your contact details to download and print your colouring pages. Share your creations on Facebook and Instagram with the hashtag #colouringBCParks.

March 27 2020

Don’t Go To Parks

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Don’t Go To Parks

Tori Ball, Terrestrial Campaigner

Please excuse the dramatic (read: clickbait) title…

Here at CPAWS-BC, we spend a lot of time and energy trying to help people get outside safely. The science behind the benefits of spending time outdoors is solid. Being outside can boost energy and creativity, improve your mood, and provide free aromatherapy. One study from the American Academy of Ophthalmology found that children with outdoor recesses had a reduced risk of nearsightedness.

Many people in Greater Vancouver base their weekend plans around time outside. A province that boasts the most diverse parks system in the country also has a great enthusiasm for outdoor recreation. Hopeful park visitors have recently been given a different message from multiple park agencies with the closing of parks of all types including provincial and federal parks. In alignment with our health authorities, we the “parks people” are also asking that you and your families don’t go to the parks.

Travelling to towns with terrific tourism options is a great way to spend your weekends and support our neighbours, yet right now it puts them at risk. An influx of visitors threatens not only to spread the novel virus COVID-19, but to overwhelm the capacity of smaller, rural hospitals.

Squamish and Whistler have both issued statements asking visitors to stay away, for now. These sentiments have been echoed from Tofino all the way down to Bishop, California. When these communities are open for business, we encourage you to head out and experience their trails, and stay for a while to enjoy other food and fun they have to offer. But right now, please stay put.

Just because you aren’t travelling to hike up Black Tusk or camp in Golden Ears this weekend doesn’t mean you need to seperate yourself from nature. There are cherry blossoms popping out across many streets in Vancouver and Victoria. My personal favourite springtime tree, the forsythia, is bursting with yellow flowers.

Photo: Forsythia in bloom.

If you’ve got a window, you’ve got the opportunity to become a birder. Spring is one of the best times as migratory birds are coming back to their northern ranges. Check out 18 common birds in BC. Download one of these apps recommended by Bird Watching HQ that can help you identify birds.

Photo: Tree swallows

Your afternoon walk doesn’t need to be in a wooded area to still reep the benefits of getting outside. Natural sunlight (in moderate levels) helps to mitigate pain and provides you with Vitamin D, helping you to absorb calcium, prevents osteoporosis and reduces inflammation.

Our public health officials are saying this physical distancing is “for now.” This isn’t easy, shifting our plans and normal ways of being. It pains me to ask the CPAWS community of nature lovers to stay away from the majestic, awe-inspiring parks system.

Like many of you, I have summer camping reservations that are sitting in limbo. The best chance for all of us to be able to get outside and connect with each other in nature is to forgo this in the short-term.

Note: CPAWS-BC is not a public health organization. This information was developed based on current information from the BC Centre for Disease Control. Please consult your local health authority for advice and updates in your area.

Cover Image by Tori Ball

You can find a list of federal and provincial closures from:

May 2 2019

Mining proposed next to cherished parks & important headwaters

cpawsadmin Blog, Uncategorized bc parks, blog

The small unprotected patch of land surrounded by Skagit Valley and E.C. Manning Provincial Parks is under threat from logging and mining. Help protect this cherished area!

Imperial Metals has applied for a 5-year exploratory mining permit in a little patch of land, nicknamed the Donut Hole, between Skagit Valley and Manning provincial parks. If granted, this would further the impacts created by logging in 2018. These parks are iconic recreation areas and important wildlife habitat that deserve protection, not extraction.

Aerial view of the recent logging in the Skagit Donut Hole taken above Silverdaisy Ridge.

Photo credit: Wilderness Committee

To make matters worse, this mining is being proposed by the company responsible for the Mount Polley mine disaster, Imperial Metals. This disaster saw a four square kilometre sized tailings pond full of toxic copper and gold mining waste breach, spilling an estimated 25 billion litres of contaminated materials into neighbouring lakes, contaminating drinking water sources and major spawning grounds for sockeye salmon. Imperial Metals has not been fined or charged in response to the disaster, leaving landowners and business operators out to dry.

The Skagit Valley parks are headwaters for an internationally significant watershed which leads back to the Salish Sea. Mining would threaten recent efforts to recover salmon and bull trout in the US Skagit River. Metals, especially copper, are toxic to salmon – a necessary food source for the southern resident killer whales, already imperiled from multiple factors including lack of their salmon-dependent diet. Allowing mining to occur here would put these salmon and whales at an increased risk from damaging that Upper Skagit, referred to as the crown jewel of the Salish Sea.

This Skagit Valley parks are the northern tip of a system of connected protected areas which reaches all the way into California. The North Cascades Grizzly Bear population unit is one of the most imperilled in the province. These protected areas are important habitat to maintain wildlife connectivity and provide recreation opportunities for people to connect with nature.

We stand with many partners including 22 US conservation organizations who voiced their opposition to the application. This project would be a disaster for species from spotted owl to the iconic orcas and grizzlies who make their home in BC’s land and waters. By joining the chorus of opposition to this project, you can ensure a safe home for these species and the enduring protection that this area deserves.

Take action to protect the Skagit.

Photo credit: Wilderness Committee

October 19 2018

BC’s Provincial Parks

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BC’S PROVINCIAL PARKS

It’s no secret: if you’ve ever hiked, paddled, or rode on horseback through one of BC’s provincial parks, you’ll know they contain some of the world’s most beautiful and wild places. From high alpine meadows bursting with wildflowers to towering ancient forests and crystal clear lakes, BC’s +1000 parks are places of peace—places we can connect to nature and find reprieve from the hustle and bustle of city life.

GOOD NEWS

Sadly, all is not quite well within our existing parks. With human pressure increasing in these places, we need to take care of our parks, like they take care of us.

CPAWS-BC and its partners have been campaigning for bold budget action for years. Provincial parks are key players in the fight against climate change and species extinction—crises that we hope to halt, so that nature can thrive forever.

Thankfully, our call was heard! In early 2021, the BC government announced a historic $80 million boost over three years to BC’s provincial parks—one that’s been overdue for decades. These funds could help hire more parks staff, build more backcountry trails, repair old guest facilities, and more.

TIMELINE

2000: BC’s Parks receive huge budget cut
2010: BC Auditor General finds that BC Parks isn’t meeting mandate to preserve nature in parks
2016: $35M budget boost over three years, BC Parks Foundation created
2021: $83M budget boost over three years announced in Budget 2021

PRESSURES CONTINUE IN BC’S PARKS

Though the 2021 budget increase was welcome news, our parks continue to face tremendous pressure as more people visit them. This massive increase means that park rangers are still stretched thin, trying their hardest to enforce regulations that protect nature.

Nature, animals, plants, and humans suffer in parks without enough funding. As visitation increases, so does littering, dangerous wildlife interactions, and off-trail ventures. When bridges, paths, outhouses, and tent pads break or go missing, they aren’t repaired or replaced—ultimately taking away from enjoyable and meaningful experiences in parks.

Together, let’s make sure the provincial government knows that having world-class provincial parks is a top priority for British Columbians.

Your support makes this work possible. Will you make a gift to defend BC’s lands and waters today?

Yes! I'd like to support BC's provincial parks