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May 10 2022

Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxʷiqak – Tsig̱is MPA: A Deepsea Oasis

cpawsadmin Campaigns, FrontPageOurWorkSlider, Ocean Campaigns biodviersity, canadian parks and wilderness society, hydrothermal vent, marine protected area, pacific offshore area of interest

ID: purple octopus curls tentacles showing suction cups on yellow rocky reef

Photo: Ocean Networks Canada (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxʷiqak – Tsig̱is MPA: A Deepsea Oasis

Thousands of metres beneath the swells of the open ocean west of Vancouver Island is the Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxʷiqak – Tsig̱is (ThT) Marine Protected Area (MPA). This mysterious Deepsea Oasis is teeming with life.

The waters of Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxʷiqak – Tsig̱is have enriched the lives of the Haida, Nuu-chah-nulth, Pacheedaht, Quatsino Peoples for millenia. Pronounced Tung – Gwun, huch/khwi/kuk, tsee-geese, the marine protected area name consists of:
– a Haida word meaning deep ocean (Tang.ɢwan),
– a Nuu-chah-nulth and Pacheedaht word meaning deepest part of the ocean (ḥačxwiqak),
– and a Quatsino word referring to a monster of the deep (Tsig̱is).
Whales and seabirds on the ocean surface have long signaled a rich ecosystem below. First Nations are working with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to protect and co-manage their fishing territory.

In these dark waters, seamounts rise 3000 metres above the seafloor, extending higher than Whistler Mountain. These underwater volcanoes are biodiversity hotspots offering a buffet for marine wildlife. Like the Galápagos Islands to the south, each of the nearly 50 identified seamounts is unique, providing critical habitat.

Hydrothermal vents, which are like deep sea hot springs, release superheated water and minerals from under the Earth’s crust. These vents are home to 10 species recorded nowhere else in the world.

Did you know? The such as a sea spider and a microbe that can live here in hot waters reaching as hot as 121°C. Some marine life, like tube worms, have adapted to create energy without sunlight.

Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxʷiqak – Tsig̱is encompasses all of Canada’s hydrothermal vents and 75% of its known seamounts.

A Hotspot for Marine Protection

Canada created its first marine protected area, Endeavour Hydrothermal Vents MPA, in this region in 2003. Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxʷiqak – Tsig̱is MPA would give stronger, permanent marine protection for this Deepsea Oasis – an area four times the size of Vancouver Island.

A Hotspot for Marine Protection

Canada created its first marine protected area (MPA), Endeavour Hydrothermal Vents MPA, in this region in 2003. The proposed Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxʷiqak – Tsig̱is MPA would give stronger, permanent marine protection for the Deepsea Oasis – an area four times the size of Vancouver Island. It would be the biggest protected area of any kind in Canada, and add a welcome boost toward Canada’s commitment of 30% ocean protection by 2030.

TIMELINE

2003 – Endeavour Hydrothermal Vent in BC designated as Canada’s first Marine Protected Area under the Oceans Act (was announced as a pilot MPA in 1998)
2009 – Pacific Offshore listed by the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat as one of 13 bioregions which inform marine planning exercises including MPA network development
2017 – Fisheries and Oceans Canada declares the Offshore Pacific Bioregion area of interest for a potential MPA
2017 – Marine refuge declared for the large Offshore Pacific area of interest. The Fisheries closure, categorized as an Other-Effective Conservation Measure (OECM) with partial protections, encompasses a number of seamounts and hydrothermal vents – identified as Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs)
2023: Memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Haida Nation, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, Pacheedaht First Nation, Quatsino First Nation, and the Canadian government (MPA) signals final consultation through Canada Gazette to become an MPA

MPA Protection Standards

BC’s rich deep sea ocean life is under threat. Bottom-contact fishing such as longlines, trap fishing, and trawling is highly destructive to the seafloor. Deep sea mining could destroy fragile habitats on seamounts and hydrothermal vents.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada designated a large portion of the current MPA as a fishing closure in 2017, prohibiting bottom-contact fishing. Under the new MPA protection standard ThT now has stronger protections: banning bottom trawling, dumping, oil and gas exploration and deep sea mining.

ID: grey smoke clouds rise from ocean floor

Hydrothermal vents expel hot plumes of mineral-rich gases. Photo: Ocean Networks Canada (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

ID: white small octopus with elephant -like ears floats on seafloor

ID: Purple clear jelly-like tube creature with antena and 8 legs moves on seafloor.

Meeting MPA Minimum Standards

Fisheries and Oceans Canada designated a large portion of the Deepsea Oasis as a fishing closure in 2017. This prohibits bottom-contact fishing, but it still allows, other harmful industrial activities. A marine protected area would enforce Canada’s MPA minimum standards: banning bottom trawling, dumping, oil and gas exploration and deep sea mining.

More than 60% of BC’s marine protected area waters are not effective at protecting biodiversity. Canada needs to implement its minimum standards to safeguard biodiversity and fight climate change.

Hydrothermal vents expel hot plumes of mineral-rich gases. Photo: Ocean Networks Canada (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

Learn more about the Deepsea Oasis at www.DeepseaOasis.com

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December 15 2021

Dene Kʼéh Kusān, “Always Will Be There”

cpawsadmin Campaigns, FrontPageOurWorkSlider, Parks Campaigns, Pathway to Canada’s Biodiversity Targets 25% by 2025, 25x25, conservation, dene kayeh, indigenous protected and conserved area, ipca, kaska

Since long before provincial land borders were drawn, the Kaska Dena people have lived in BC’s far north, southeast Yukon, and southern Northwest Territories.

Their ancestral lands extend across a wilderness larger than Vancouver Island. Imagine four million hectares of sweeping wilderness: wild rivers, stretches of alpine, canyons, freshwater lakes. A place with no roads and no power lines, filled with diverse wildlife like caribou, moose and mountain goats. A place where you can walk along ancient Indigenous trails for weeks without meeting another human soul.

Dene Kʼéh Kusān: Protecting more of BC

At the heart of the Kaska’s ancestral lands sits the largest intact landscape in BC: Dene Kʼéh Kusān. It means Always Will Be There.

At CPAWS-BC, we’re working with the Kaska Dena to bring Dene Kʼéh Kusān to life. Together, we want to ensure that the Kaska and their ancestral lands will thrive today and in the future. Together, we’ve built a plan for protecting this vital piece of northern BC, which would add 4% to BC’s protected area percentage. We’re humbled to play a role in this work.

Right Now

In the face of worsening forest fires and severe loss of biodiversity, and in the spirit and practice of reconciliation, we’re asking the federal and BC governments to support the Kaska’s plan for an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA).

This conservation plan builds on existing special management zones inside the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area, designed to sustain and create jobs for Kaska communities and conserve biodiversity. Conservation areas protect animals, plants, and cultural places while minimizing overlap with existing mining, oil, and gas extraction sites.

This plan asks governments to ensure Kaska Territory:

Does not suffer the devastating effects of climate change and biodiversity loss we’re seeing across BC, Canada and around the world
Remains intact, which is critical to preserving Kaska peoples’ material, cultural and spiritual lives
Continues to shelter seven key herds of Whūdzī (Caribou), a species struggling to feed itself and reproduce in other parts of the province
Sustains and creates economic opportunities for Kaska and others in northern communities
Becomes a world-class protected area for British Columbians to explore and enjoy
Creates a climate change safe haven for other at-risk species like Wood Bison, Barn Swallows, Wolverines, Grizzly Bear and more

Take Action

The Kaska Dena are working with partners to protect Dene K’éh Kusān in a way that creates jobs, supports a thriving Kaska culture, shelters threatened species and becomes a world-class Protected Area. Add your name to the Dene K’éh Kusān Statement of Support here.

Sign the Statement of Support

December 15 2021

Skagit Donut Hole

cpawsadmin Campaigns, FrontPageOurWorkSlider, Parks Campaigns, Pathway to Canada’s Biodiversity Targets donut hole, mining

Photo: Wilderness Committee

The Skagit (pronounced ska-dj-ut) donut hole is a 5,800 hectare “hole” in provincial park protection between Manning Park and Skagit Valley Provincial Park. Skagit River’s sparkling headwaters and lush forests are home to hundreds of animals, including 200 bird species, chinook salmon (an orca food staple), and already struggling Grizzly bears. People on both sides of the Canada/US border love this area, too—it’s important to the Upper Skagit, Stó:lō, Syilx and Nlaka’pamux Peoples, and beloved by one million outdoor enthusiasts who hike, fish, ski, snowshoe, paddle, and horseback ride here every year.

For years, the Skagit donut hole has been under attack from logging and mining companies who want to develop and destroy it. Already, logging has carved holes into the landscapes that will take decades to re-green.

We need to protect this special place before it’s too late.

GOOD NEWS

Thanks to the hard work of several groups including CPAWS-BC, the BC Minister of Forests and Minister of Environment announced that logging would be banned in Silverdaisy and 26 Mile valleys in December 2019.

In January 2022, CPAWS-BC celebrated a huge win when the BC government announced that Imperial Metals—the company that has held mining tenures in the donut hole—had surrendered their rights to the area.

This announcement comes off the heels of relentless efforts by an international coalition made up of nearly 300 conservation and recreation organizations, Tribes and First Nations, elected officials and local businesses, as well as over 6,000 individuals, who have opposed Imperial Metals’ application to mine in the Skagit for years.

TIMELINE

1995: Donut hole formed by creation of Skagit Valley Provincial Park and adjustments to the boundaries of Manning Provincial Park
2018: Clearcut logging begins in donut hole
2019: Imperial Metals’ files gold mining application for Skagit headwaters (in donut hole)
2019: Woohoo! BC bans logging in donut hole
2022: Woohoo! Imperial Metals surrenders mining rights in donut hole

RIGHT NOW

With a dam, mining, and logging out of the Skagit donut hole, it’s time for the BC government to work closely with local First Nations to fully protect it.

Together, we can encourage them to do just that. Join us in sending the BC government a note of thanks!

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October 22 2018

Gwaii Haanas

cpawsadmin FrontPageOurWorkSlider, Ocean Campaigns

Gwaii Haanas: wet wilderness. Huge rains. Swelling, deep seas. Rivers rolling from mountaintops. Water creates the life and breath of this ancient world. Gwaii Haanas is known for its diverse ecosystems, distinct flora and fauna, living Haida culture, and cooperative management model. By safeguarding these marine ecosystems along with the land itself, the Haida Nation and Canada have the potential to create one of the greatest protected areas on Earth, from mountain top to sea floor.

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On June 11, 2010, the House of Commons and Senate Committees approved the proposal to establish the Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve (NMCA) and Haida Heritage Site! This was Canada’s first NMCA.

CPAWS congratulated the Haida Nation who worked for decades with Parks Canada, CPAWS, and many others to conserve this special place.

The 3500 square kilometre seascape surrounds the spectacular Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve. The land and sea ecosystems are interdependent, and both are now officially joined. This means that an area stretching from the mountain tops of Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve to 2500 metres below the sea surface in a deep, ocean valley of the National Marine Conservation Area Reserve will be conserved.

Currently, the Haida Nation and the Government of Canada have drafted the Gwaii Haanas Gina ‘Waadlux̲an KilG̲uhlG̲a Land-Sea-People Management Plan. This plan will determine the management and protection measures in Gwaii Haanas for the next 10 years, and set a precedent for decades to come.

People-land-sea

In addition to conserving this sensitive ecosystem, the Haida Nation and Canada have also protected the living culture of the Haida people. The ocean connects the Haida people, and is as much a part of their heritage, as the earth and stone of their islands.

SGang Gwaay, or Anthony Island, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and provides a stunning example of living Haida culture and the enduring relationship between the Haida and the land and the sea.

Totem poles, Gwaii Haanas

Sea urchin, starfish, and sponges of the Murchison Lagoon in Gwaii Haanas. Photo credit: Sabine Jessen.

The National Marine Conservation Area Reserve (NMCAR) in Gwaii Haanas – extending 10 kilometres offshore – protects 3,500 square kilometres of ocean.
The Queen Charlotte shelf drops 2500 metres from the islands creating an underwater “ecological edge” with biological bounty.
The Gwaii Haanas marine ecosystems support kelp forests, hundreds of species of fish, seabirds, sea lions, dolphins, porpoises and many different whales, including humpback, orca, and minke whales.
More than 6,800 species of flora and fauna have been found in Haida Gwaii.
Gray whales pit-stop in these waters on their migration to Alaska.
In Burnaby Narrows alone, over 200 species of animals, including sea stars and snails, have been identified in huge concentrations.
Over 40 species at risk can be found in Gwaii Haanas.

Where the land meets the sea in Gwaii Haanas. Photo courtesy of Parks Canada.

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

October 18 2018

Grizzly Bears

cpawsadmin Campaigns, FrontPageOurWorkSlider, Wildlife Campaigns coast to cascades

Grizzly bears have been admired by inhabitants of these lands for generations: they are fiercely protective mothers, strong and fearless when called for, and share homes with us across the province—homes that are shrinking and dividing rapidly because of us.

Of the 50,000 kiʔlawnaʔ that used to roam freely across North America—from Mexico to the northern shores of the Arctic Ocean—mere hundreds remain in BC and Washington’s most critical populations. We need urgent conservation measures to protect these animals.

BC’S GRIZZLY BEARS ARE IN TROUBLE

In BC, there are 55 Grizzly Bear populations, and 60% of them are threatened. In the southwestern part of the province, there are fewer than 300 Grizzly bears remaining in six populations, with as few as 24 bears in the Stein-Nahatlatch population and six bears in the North Cascades population.

Map with black bear icons shows red population density in six southwest regions — Grizzly Bear Population Units of Southwest BC | Coast to Cascades

Habitat destruction and fragmentation from roads, logging, and human interactions are the top reasons that BC’s grizzly populations are hurting. Though Grizzly Bear trophy hunting is banned in the province, defensive shootings, garbage-related conflicts, and vehicle collisions continue to threaten them.

WHY THEY SHOULD BE PROTECTED

Grizzly Bears are a keystone species in North America, which means their presence in a landscape shows us how healthy or harmed an ecosystem is. Losing them means that other animals like moose can grow in number and decimate local vegetation, hampering biodiversity and leaving less food for other species that depend on it

They also help disperse berry seeds through eating and excreting plants, aerate soil when they dig up tubers in the fall, and introduce nitrogen to riverbed soil when salmon carcasses are left to decompose.

For the St’át’imc, sməlqmix / suknaʔkinx (Okanagan), Stó:lō, Nlaka’pamux, Sk̲wx̲wú7mesh Úxumixw (Squamish), and Secwépemc (Shuswap) Peoples, Grizzly Bears are of high cultural importance. They are healers and teachers, showing communities where to find food and how to raise children. Several of these First Nations have advocated for better protection of BC’s Grizzly Bears.

Despite the obstacles they face, there’s hope for our Grizzly Bears. Learn more about how these communities are protecting Grizzly Bears with support from Coast to Cascades, a coalition (including CPAWS-BC) working to sound the alarm for grizzlies in BC:

Video: Grizzly Bear Translocation Initiative: A Hope for the Stein-Nahatlach Grizzly Bear Population

If you go out in the woods today and see a Grizzly Bear, please call the reporting hotline: 1-855-GO-GRIZZ (1-855-464-7499)

Want to talk with someone who shares your love for bears? Call Sarah, Development Manager for ways you can support Grizzly Bear conservation efforts in BC. Call 604-685-7445 x33 or email: sarah@cpawsbc.org

Support Grizzly Bears

October 17 2018

South Okanagan-Similkameen National Park Reserve

cpawsadmin Campaigns, FrontPageOurWorkSlider, Parks Campaigns, Pathway to Canada’s Biodiversity Targets okangan

Photo: Graham Osborne

With its semi-arid deserts of fragrant sagebrush, and its valleys dotted with ponderosa pine, the nxʷəlxʷəltantət (South Okanagan-Similkameen) grasslands are a place where birds like the Flammulated Owl soar, and North American Badgers burrow to build their homes. In the coming years, these animals—along with over 200 other red listed species in BC—will be better protected through a new National Park Reserve (NPR) that will bring several smaller protected areas together into one continuous park.

Grasslands are one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. Protecting these grasslands should be a top priority—doing so will honour the cultural values of the sməlqmix / suknaʔkinx (Okanagan First Nation), slow species extinction, keep huge amounts of carbon stored in the ground, and provide meaningful recreation opportunities through birdwatching, hiking and more. It would also boost local economies in nearby communities like Osoyoos and Oliver.

GOOD NEWS

After nearly 20 years of hard work from local communities and CPAWS-BC advocating for protection in the South Okanagan-Similkameen, three levels of government—the syilx/Okanagan Nation, provincial, and federal–signed iʔ sc̓ax̌ʷtət, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to begin formal work on establishing a National Park Reserve (NPR) in the area. This park would span 27,300 hectares and protect dozens of species that need our help.

TIMELINE

2003: Canada and BC sign an MOU to assess the feasibility of an NPR in the South Okanagan
2012: Okanagan First Nation completes feasibility study for potential park
2017: Okanagan Nation Alliance, Canadian and BC governments renew promise to create park
2018: Consultations on park begin
2019: Woohoo! MOU signed to solidify commitment to park
2020: Negotiations begin

RIGHT NOW

Currently, negotiations between the syilx/Okanagan Nation, BC, and Canada are underway: this process can take up to four years. In an August 2021 newsletter, Parks Canada noted that no new mining or logging ventures could take place until a final decision on park establishment is made.

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