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September 23 2020

Canada to prioritize nature and double protection of land and ocean by 2025

cpawsadmin News bcpoli, kaska, thronespeech

Canada to prioritize nature and double protection of land and ocean by 2025

CPAWS applauds federal government’s commitment to nature conservation as part of Canada’s recovery

September 23, 2020, OTTAWA, Ontario – The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) welcomes the federal government’s commitment in today’s Speech from the Throne to protect nature as part of Canada’s recovery from COVID-19.

Protecting and restoring nature includes working towards the federal government’s commitments to protecting 25% of Canada’s land and ocean by 2025 and 30% by 2030 and implementing nature-based climate solutions. Bold action is urgently needed to tackle the interrelated biodiversity loss and climate change crises, and today’s commitments are an important step forward.

Biodiversity loss and climate change dominate the World Economic Forum’s top five risks to the global economy, and the COVID-19 pandemic and, by extension, the resulting economic crisis, are a direct outcome of our unsustainable relationship with the natural world.

With today’s acknowledgement of the importance of nature, CPAWS is encouraged that the necessary investment to curb biodiversity loss and make Canada more resilient to climate change will be included in recovery plans. Nature conservation, including protected areas, nature-based climate solutions, and natural infrastructure, offer job opportunities for people across the country and have the potential to support highly-impacted, remote, and vulnerable sectors.

CPAWS highlights the importance of implementing these conservation and climate commitments in ways that advance reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. Federal investment in Indigenous-led conservation and stewardship programs such as Indigenous Guardians will be key to our collective success in conserving nature in Canada.

With our 13 community-based offices from Yukon to Newfoundland and Labrador, and a national office located in Ottawa, CPAWS is looking forward to continuing to work with governments at all levels, Indigenous groups, and other partners, to deliver on these significant commitments to land and ocean protection, nature-based climate solutions, and natural infrastructure in ways that effectively conserve biodiversity and help tackle climate change.

Quotes:

“We are pleased to see the federal government’s continued commitment to using nature-based solutions to fight climate change by protecting a quarter of Canada’s ocean in five years,” said Ross Jameson, Ocean Conservation Manager at CPAWS British Columbia (CPAWS-BC). “Protected areas will conserve biodiversity, advance reconciliation, and create healthy coastal communities.”

“This renewed commitment from the federal government is critical in advancing conservation initiatives in BC, in places like Kaska ancestral territory in the northern interior,” says Jessie Corey, Terrestrial Conservation Manager at CPAWS British Columbia (CPAWS-BC). ”BC has the opportunity to lead the rest of the country in meeting its biodiversity conservation targets, and we’re hopeful to see increased collaboration between governments in the coming years to follow through on these commitments.”

“While the link between healthy nature, human health, economic health, and climate stability was recognized before the pandemic, COVID-19 has created the space to consider these important links and to re-think our future,” said Sandra Schwartz, CPAWS National Executive Director. “Governments, including the European Union and New Zealand, are choosing to invest in rebuilding societies and economies that are more healthy, equitable, and green as they plan and implement recovery strategies for COVID-19 – and we are optimistic Canada is on the path to do the same.”

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For more information, please contact:

Skye Vallance
Communications and Development Coordinator
skye@cpawsbc.org| 604-685-7445 x 22

Background

According to the World Economic Forum, half of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is moderately or highly dependent on nature and the services it provides, and the global food-, land-, and ocean-use system provides up to 40% of the world’s jobs. As a nation that relies on its rich natural resources, protecting nature and the multitude of services it provides is critical to Canada’s economic recovery.
Many studies done across Canada have found that natural assets, if maintained, already have tremendous value, which will increase as the climate changes. As an example, urban forests in Toronto, Vancouver, and Halifax are valued at billions of dollars for ecosystem services such as control of stormwater runoff, air quality regulation, and carbon sequestration.
Protecting and restoring forest, grassland, and wetland (including eelgrass, saltmarsh, and riparian areas) to reduce and store greenhouse gas emissions would help to address the climate and biodiversity crises, create jobs, and expand a green economy in Canada. The same is true for using natural infrastructure solutions to increase our resilience to climate change.
The World Economic Forum estimates that transitioning industry to a more nature-positive model could result in up to $10 trillion USD in annual business value and could create 395 million jobs by 2030.
Terrestrial parks and associated visitor spending support 64,000 jobs, generate a return of 6:1 in GDP, and return 44% of government investment back in taxes. Canada’s parks and protected areas are becoming increasingly important for domestic tourism as COVID-19 restricts international travel.
Effective Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a key component of a strong Blue Economy. Recent studies show that protecting 30% of our ocean in effective and well-managed MPAs can restore ocean health and produce an economic return on investments of 10:1.
Read our Economic Investment in Nature backgrounder

About CPAWS

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is Canada’s only nationwide charity dedicated solely to the protection of our public land, ocean, and freshwater, and ensuring our parks and protected areas are managed to protect nature. Since 1963, CPAWS has played a leading role in protecting over half a million square kilometres. Our vision is to protect at least half of Canada’s public land and water in a framework of reconciliation – for the benefit of wildlife and people.

The CPAWS British Columbia chapter (CPAWS-BC) works to protect wilderness in every corner of BC and deep into the ocean. We have been defending BC since 1978, and are dedicated to keeping BC’s natural environment thriving forever. Nature is BC’s best hope.

www.cpawsbc.org

@CPAWSbc

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September 21 2020

Blueprint for the Coast

cpawsadmin Campaigns, Ocean Campaigns bc coast, coastal first nations, coastal marine strategy, coastal strategy bc, marine debris, ocean bc, ocean pollution, wcel, west coast

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British Columbia’s coastline extends for over 30,000 km and is home to diverse eco-systems and communities. That’s why it’s so hard to believe BC is one of the only coastal jurisdictions in North America without a coastal strategy and law to protect it.

BC needs a blueprint for the coast to leverage and coordinate the work of provincial ministries, local communities, First Nations, and stakeholder groups to better manage and protect our coast.

BC needs a Blueprint for the Coast

We need to send the message to our provincial leaders that a comprehensive plan is vital to the future of the coast. A blueprint that will:

Advance reconciliation in BC
Coordinate engagement from other orders of government
Establish a home for coastal issues within the provincial government
Implement enforceable coastal and marine zone plans
Signal to the world the importance of BC’s ocean and coastlines

Learn More

Panel Discussions

Join us for a discussion on coastal habitat preservation, as we learn how these ecosystems support biodiversity, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and benefit coastal communities.

Plastic debris, contaminated shellfish, and immune-compromised killer whales – it’s no secret that BC is facing a marine pollution crisis.

About

British Columbia has one of the largest coastal jurisdictions in the world. Yet, BC does not have a comprehensive coast-wide strategy or law. That is why CPAWS-BC launched a campaign with our partners at the West Coast Environmental Law – Blueprint for the Coast.

Coastal-marine areas are vital to our identity, culture, and economy. The coast provides key habitat for vulnerable marine life, such as salmon and orcas. Additionally, ocean-based activities contribute $17 billion annually to the BC economy and employ over 170,000 people across coastal communities.

Coastal jurisdiction can be complicated to navigate. Under Canadian laws, all orders of government – Indigenous, federal, provincial, and local – have a role in coastal planning, management, and protection. Indigenous peoples have sovereign powers over their territories, therefore Indigenous laws are applicable as well. Without a blueprint, the gaps and overlap in coastal jurisdiction results in a fragmented approach to provincial coastal management.

BC has the opportunity to become a leader in coastal management and protection. We can build upon examples from other coastal provinces, states, and countries that have effective coastal management strategies and laws. In collaborating with communities, rights holders, and governments across BC, we can develop a meaningful blueprint for the coast.

Many threats face the coast, including biodiversity loss, intensifying impacts of climate change, and increasing conflicts over resources. To make matters worse, we’ve inherited a jumble of regulations and laws overseen by different provincial ministries and departments. Without a coastwide plan that includes coordination between Indigenous, municipal, provincial and federal governments, issues will continue to be dealt with in an ad-hoc fashion, without considering the interaction of solutions and their cumulative effects.

We’re calling on the BC government to establish a Coastal Marine Strategy and law, co-developed with Indigenous nations. This initiative should coordinate coastal planning, management, and protection in collaboration with Indigenous, federal, and local governments.

We met with coastal Indigenous nations, communities, and local experts to learn about issues of concern surrounding coastal management and about how a BC Coastal Marine Strategy can provide meaningful solutions.

With your help, we’re keeping pressure on the BC government to ensure coastal marine ecosystems are healthy, protected, and secure for generations to come. Your support in sending letters and messages to the provincial government during the Coastal Marine Strategy Policy Intentions Paper public consultation period and BC budget 2024 consultation is helping shape a stronger future for the coast. Thank you!

We’re looking forward to the next steps of this strategy’s implementation.

📁Read the CPAWS-BC submission in response to the Coastal Marine Strategy Policy Intentions Paper public consultation period

📁Joint Feedback Letter from Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations on the British Columbia Coastal Marine Strategy Policy Intentions Paper

📁Read the CPAWS-BC submission to the BC budget 2024 consultation

To learn more, visit: www.BlueprintForTheCoast.ca

West Coast Environmental Law: wcel.org/program/bc-coastal-strategy

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.

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.

September 15 2020

Staycations and local spending: Survey finds parks provide local getaway opportunities amidst pandemic lockdowns

cpawsadmin News #fundbcparks, bc tourism

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

Staycations and local spending: Survey finds parks provide local getaway opportunities amidst pandemic lockdowns

For Immediate Release

September 15 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) highlights the benefits of provincial parks to BC’s economy, with 79% of respondents agreeing that tourism to parks can help the economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“People are visiting parks more than they ever have and are spending money in local communities when they visit. This is helping keep jobs in small businesses that have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic and underscores the importance of BC’s parks in rebuilding our economy,” says Tori Ball, Terrestrial Campaigner with CPAWS-BC.

Key findings of CPAWS-BC’s new survey include:

Parks are an essential part of BC’s recovery: 79% agreed that tourism to BC’s provincial parks plays an important role in BC’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parks are providing getaways close to home: 70% of respondents said they were likely to only travel within BC in the next 12 months

- 89% of people said they were more or as likely to travel to provincial parks in the next 12 months, compared to last year.

Tourism to parks benefits local communities: 94% of respondents agree or strongly agree that local businesses near BC’s provincial parks benefit from park visitors

Local businesses cash in: The majority of visitors to BC Parks spend money on accommodations, restaurants, and other local businesses.

- 80% of people said they spent more than $50 in or around a provincial park on a recent trip
- 53% of people said they spent more than $100 in or around a provincial park on a recent trip

This summer was one of the busiest on record for BC Parks, with Google mobility data reporting between 150 – 200% increases in visits to parks across the province throughout spring and summer 2020. Looking ahead, the majority of British Columbians expect to travel to parks just as much or more than they already do. This is raising concerns about whether or not parks will be ready to support more visitors when they’re already struggling and well over capacity.

“We’re already experiencing the consequences of an overburdened park system, with overcrowded trails and campsites being the new norm. This is really frustrating for people trying to follow provincial health orders by spending more time outside and close to home, who are unable to get a day use pass or camping reservation for their family,” says Ball.

CPAWS-BC is advocating for an increase in operational funding for BC Parks, to support British Columbians through the public health crisis and to help build back a better and more resilient provincial economy.

“The public health benefits of parks are widely recognized at this point, and the economic returns from investing in these places are well within reach. Parks need to be part of the solution, and now is the time for the province to cash in on these benefits by reinvesting in parks,” says Ball.

This survey was conducted online between September 3 and 8. Responses were collected from 979 British Columbians, with a 95% confidence level and a margin of error of plus or minus (±) 3%.

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

September 1 2020

Oceans Wise report recommends implementation of full protection for all of Howe Sound’s glass sponge reefs

cpawsadmin News conservation, cpaws-bc, dfo bc, glass sponge, howe sound, prawn, rockfish, ross jameson, sea to sky

For interview, please contact:
Ross Jameson, Ocean Conservation Manager
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society-British Columbia
778-953-2372
ross@cpawsbc.org

Oceans Wise report recommends implementation of full protection for all of Howe Sound’s glass sponge reefs

September 1, 2020

Unceded Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, BC — A new report from Ocean Wise has updated the health status of Howe Sound for 2020. While there is cautious optimism with some health ratings improving, the Ocean Wise report still has many labelled as critical or cautious, including glass sponge reefs which “remain vulnerable to mechanical damage and climate change.” The report recommends implementing full protection of glass sponge reefs throughout all of Howe Sound.

Long thought extinct, glass sponge reefs mainly grow off BC’s coast. Not only do these reefs provide important habitat for ocean life such as prawns and rockfish, they also filter ocean water, provide fertilizer for plankton, and store carbon.

Glass sponge reefs are particularly vulnerable to shattering from bottom contact fishing such as prawn traps as they are composed of the same material that makes glass. A DFO survey, in cooperation with the Marine Life Sanctuaries Society, not only discovered a dead reef near Ellesmere Creek at the north end of Howe Sound, but found historical damage from fishing activities in all of the surveyed reefs.

Climate change poses an urgent and even larger problem. A study cited by the Ocean Wise report included observation of glass sponge reef mortalities associated with the El Niño climate events of 2009/2010 and 2015/2016. Additionally, a study from UBC found that warming ocean temperatures and acidification drastically reduce the skeletal strength and filter-feeding capacity of glass sponges.

In March 2019, DFO announced the closure of the nine documented glass sponge reef complexes to bottom-contact fishing. A DFO report published earlier this year confirmed five more living glass sponge reefs in Howe Sound. However, these reefs are still open to bottom-contact fishing such as prawn trapping. Even if reefs are damaged, there are no threats of fines or legal recourse for the harmful activity.

Glass sponges are under siege from multiple threats. Without the chance to grow and expand, glass sponges will lock away less carbon, exacerbating the effects of climate change. “By removing the threat of bottom-contact fishing, glass sponges will be better able to adapt to a changing ocean,” says Ross Jameson, Ocean Conservation Manager for Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society British Columbia Chapter. We need the immediate designation of fishing closures for all of Howe Sound’s glass sponge reefs to protect these rare creatures for generations.

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For interview, please contact:

Ross Jameson, Ocean Conservation Manager
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society-British Columbia
778-953-2372
ross@cpawsbc.org

Resources
Miller A, Chapman J, Dearden A, Ross P (Editor). 2020. Ocean Watch Átl’ḵa7tsem/Txwnéwu7ts/Howe Sound Edition 2020. Ocean Wise Research Institute, Ocean Wise Conservation Association, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. 388 pp. ISBN: 978-1-7772408-2-0 available online at:https://ocean.org/wp-content/uploads/OceanWatch-HoweSoundReport2020-online.pdf

ID: Yellow quillback rockfish on white glass sponge reef — Quillback rockfish on glass sponge reef. Photo Credit: Diane Reid

Help Protect Howe Sound's Glass Sponge Reefs

August 24 2020

BC Budget Committee Recommends Increased Funding for BC Parks, Conservation Groups Applaud

cpawsadmin News #fundbcparks, bc parks funding, budget consultation 2021

For interview please contact:

Tori Ball

Tori@cpawsbc.org

604-685-7445 ext. 24

BC Budget Committee Recommends Increased Funding for BC Parks, Conservation Groups Applaud

CPAWS-BC recommends that the BC Parks budget be increased by $60 million, and that parks and protected areas be used as a key driving force for economic growth and recovery during and post-pandemic.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2020

Traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples/Vancouver, BC — The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC), is celebrating the BC Budget Committee’s recommendation report which advocates for an increase to the BC Parks budget.

Last Friday, the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, the Budget Committee, released their Report on the Budget 2021 Consultation. The Committee recommends to:

Increase operational funding for BC Parks and Recreation Sites and Trails BC to support staffing, monitoring and enforcement, maintenance, land management planning, oversight of public health and safety, and recreational infrastructure and services, including promoting and supporting volunteer efforts.

“We are thrilled to see this recommendation from the bi-partisan Budget Committee which recognizes the deep need for system-wide upgrades to BC’s beloved but beleaguered parks,” says Tori Ball, CPAWS-BC Terrestrial Campaigner. “Decades worth of underfunding is catching up with our parks, and the cracks in the system are showing.”

The BC Parks budget remained stagnant for decades while the system grew in size and demand of outdoor experiences soared. Compared to the 1980’s, the BC Parks budget and staffing levels have suffered a 90 percent decrease. The agency’s budget saw a modest increase after the BC Parks Future Strategy was released in 2016 yet fell again in the recent 2020 budget.

“The BC government has added $8.1 million this year as part of their efforts to address increased use during the pandemic, but this cannot cover the years of neglected infrastructure, unmonitored illegal activities and overflowing parking lots that have plagued the system for over a decade,” explained Ball. “Parks and protected areas are seeing a record number of visitors this year, and this is only from domestic tourism. We need to fix these problems before international tourism returns and we have to shut areas down because we didn’t prepare for the additional pressure.”

CPAWS-BC recommends that the BC Parks budget be increased by $60 million, and that parks and protected areas be used as a key driving force for economic growth and recovery during and post-pandemic.

“We are hopeful that BC Parks will see a $60 million increase in the 2021 BC Budget,” continued Ball. “Outdoor experiences have been critical to the health and wellbeing of people throughout the pandemic, and support economic recovery for communities across the province. This will continue to ring true as people prepare for further lockdowns and distancing measures as part of the second wave of the pandemic this fall.”

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For interview please contact:
Tori Ball
Tori@cpawsbc.org
604-685-7445 ext. 24

Download Media Release PDF

Resources:
Report on the Budget 2021 Consultation, Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services

ID: Person walks through mountain meadow of wildflowers. — Photo: Heather trail, Manning Provincial Park (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr

About CPAWS-BC:

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) is part of one of Canada’s oldest non-profit conservation groups. We protect wilderness in every corner of BC and deep into the ocean. We have been defending BC since 1978, and are dedicated to keeping BC’s natural environment thriving forever. Nature is BC’s best hope.

www.cpawsbc.org | @CPAWSbc

August 21 2020

Conservation groups welcome federal assessment process for Castle coal mine

cpawsadmin News #bcpoli, #cdnpoli, bruce passmore, canadian parks and wilderness society, castle mountain, coal canada, cpaws, cpaws-bc, elk valley, Fording River, grizzly bc, mining bc, Minister Wilkinson, teck, wildsight

For interviews, contact:
Bruce Passmore, Executive Director
bruce@cpawsbc.org
(604) 685-7445 x23

Conservation groups welcome federal assessment process for Castle coal mine

For Immediate Release

August 21, 2020

Unceded Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, BC — This week, Canada’s Federal Environment Minister announced that Teck Resources’ proposed Castle coal mine will undergo a federal environmental assessment. This assessment is a necessary step to ensure the safety of local wildlife, communities and downstream watersheds, including in the USA.

“The Castle coal mine’s potential negative impacts on important grizzly bear and other wildlife populations are particularly concerning,” said Bruce Passmore, Executive Director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia. “This is an important connectivity zone between BC, Alberta and the US. We applaud the federal government for making the correct decision and ordering an environmental assessment.”

Teck Resources coal mines have been under fire for high levels of heavy metals, in particular selenium, being released into waterways in the Elk Valley. Earlier this year, the US Environmental Protection Agency demanded that the BC government hand over selenium data and explain why the company has been allowed to exceed guidelines for toxic heavy metals. Multiple Indigenous nations in Canada and the USA have also expressed concern.

“Given the complexity of values and the history of pollution in the area, combined with the fact that BC still doesn’t have its own endangered species legislation, it’s critical that this project is looked at carefully,” said Passmore. “A federal assessment will consider the mine’s effects on Indigenous rights, local communities, and threatened species like westslope cutthroat trout and white sturgeon.”

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For interviews, contact:
Bruce Passmore, Executive Director
bruce@cpawsbc.org
(604) 685-7445 x23

Download Media Release PDF

Background information:

Minister’s response: The Castle Project

The Castle Project analysis report from the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry

ID: Elk river winds through mountain valley with peas in the distance. — Elk River. Photo via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

August 19 2020

Annual Report

cpawsadmin Uncategorized

Annual Reports

Annual Reports
Financial Statements

Looking for more? Contact us at info@cpawsbc.org

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.

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