To protect BC's diverse ecosystems, BC needs "Ecosystem-Based Targets" to ensure the adequate protection of all ecosystems - including the most endangered and least represented ones. Please SEND a MESSAGE! (Below)
In November of 2023, the BC government released a draft policy, the "Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework" that when finalized (in early 2025) could place ecosystem-integrity first to guide all land-use, forestry and conservation policies. A strong policy would result in a vast increase in the protection of BC's most endangered ecosystems - those most impacted by industry and least included in the protected areas system, such as productive old-growth forests and lower elevation, valley bottom forests, grasslands, wetlands and other at-risk ecosystems. If done right, it could ensure an ecological "paradigm shift" - as called for by BC's appointed Old-Growth Strategic Review panel's recommendations in 2021.
While BC has adopted the national target to protect 30% of the province's land area by 2030, there are currently no specific targets to ensure the protection of all of the diverse ecosystems in BC. Without legally-binding "ecosystem-based targets", protected areas will continue to emphasize protection of ecosystems with the lowest value to resource extraction industries, in particular for logging - typically alpine, subalpine and far northern ecosystems with low to no timber values (ie. no trees or small trees in cold climates) - and minimize protection for ecosystems typically at lower elevations in southern BC where most biodiversity, species at risk and endangered ecosystems reside, and which are most coveted for logging and development.
If done well, the resulting legislation and policies of the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework (BEHF) would make BC a global leader in conservation - or it could be a squandered opportunity. Right now is the most important time for you to speak up!
Please SEND a MESSAGE below!
YOUR MESSAGE WILL BE SENT TO: BC Premier David Eby, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change George Heyman, Minister of Forests Bruce Ralston, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Murray Rankin, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Nathan Cullen, Minister of Jobs, BC Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau, Green Party MLA Adam Olsen, and your own MLA if you live in BC. Also Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
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A strong Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework (BEHF) could up-end the status quo in conservation policy that has always sought to minimize the impacts of conservation policies on resource extraction industries (in particular in BC, to minimize the impacts of protected areas on the available timber supply for logging) and for the first time could put ecological integrity first. In turn, this will exert pressure on BC industries to operate with greater efficiency and to increase their value-added operations, such as by developing a modernized, value-added second-growth forest industry.
The BC government under Premier David Eby's leadership should be thanked for taking major steps forward over the past year in conservation, committing to expand the protected area system from 15% now under legislated protection to 30% by 2030, kick-starting a Conservation Financing Mechanism with $300 million to support Indigenous protected areas and conservation initiatives, and also ushering in a $1 billion federal-provincial BC Nature Agreement to expand the protected areas system. Now they are proposing a policy framework that could save the most endangered ecosystems in BC.
We need the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework (BEHF) to result in policies and legislation that:
Ensures ecosystem-based protection targets devised by science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge committees.
Ensures ecosystem-based targets are sufficiently fine filter to include all ecological communities (site series) and that make “forest productivity distinctions” (ie. sites that tend to grow small trees vs medium vs large trees - this is just about the most important conservation consideration and also by no coincidence the hardest hill to climb, in terms of timber industry opposition).
Ensures that ecosystem-based targets are stringent enough (ie. of sufficient scale) to ensure the long-term persistence of all ecosystems, using the latest science in conservation biology to ensure a low risk for each ecosystem of losing their biodiversity and ecological integrity over time.
That guides both the expansion of the legislated protected areas system including of new Provincial Conservancies, Parks and Protected Areas (ie. it must guides the expenditure of BC Nature Agreement and Conservation Financing funds) and of conservation reserve regulations, like Old-Growth Management Areas (OGMA's) and Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHA's) (ie. it must guide land-use and forestry planning tables).
That upholds protected areas integrity, ensuring strong standards and permanency of boundaries. Loopholes must be closed in conservation reserves such as Old-Growth Management Areas (OGMA's) which can be moved around under timber industry lobby pressure (ie. to log the big trees and save sites with smaller trees instead) and to continue logging within many types of Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHA's). Any new Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) designation must ensure permanent designations that forbid all commercial logging (as opposed to cutting of individual trees by First Nations for cultural purposes, such as cutting monumental cedar for dugout canoes, longhouses, and totem poles for community use), mining or oil and gas development within them.
Emphasizes Provincial Conservancies and other strong, legislated protected area designations as the primary means to protect the core areas of ecosystems, rather than conservation reserves that are designated via regulations (ie. not through a vote in the provincial legislature) that are more tenuous and filled with loopholes that continue to allow resource extraction or boundary shifts.
That ensures protection targets are legally-binding, with accountability and transparency on the progress towards meeting overall and ecosystem-based protection targets. Independent advisory committees of ecologists and Traditional Ecological Knowledge Holders need to develop the overall ecosystem-target methodology, followed by specific targets for each ecosystem. Policy implementation committees of policy and legal experts including First Nations should develop implementation plans on how the province can reach those targets. Independent audits of how well government is meeting these targets must occur and be publicly reported, and the province must develop plans to remedy any shortfalls.