Conservationists are applauding the leadership of the Ahousaht, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and BC NDP government for yesterday declaring the protection of 76,000 hectares of land – an area about the size of Manning Provincial Park - in new conservancies in Clayoquot Sound near Tofino. Most of the lands committed for protection are comprised of some of the grandest and most intact coastal old-growth temperate rainforests on Earth, and the new protected areas will represent the largest old-growth forest protected areas victory in BC since the Great Bear Rainforest conservancies were announced in 2006. The historic milestone also includes major support from provincial, federal and conservation sources to facilitate sustainable economic development opportunities for the communities to facilitate their economic and social well-being.
Read moreNew protected areas law a ‘game-changer’ for nature and biodiversity protection
OTTAWA, ON - Today, conservation and environmental groups are applauding the federal environment Minister’s introduction of the Nature Accountability Bill, in keeping with commitments under the United Nations Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
This first-of-its-kind law would, if passed, enshrine Canada’s biodiversity protection targets into law, including its commitment to protect 30% of lands and water by 2030. There is clear evidence that nature and biodiversity is in crisis, with a million species at risk of extinction over the next few years, according to scientists. Without action, nature will remain in a dangerous decline.
Read moreThe Narwhal: Did B.C. keep its old-growth forest promises?
It’s been four years since a pair of professional foresters hired by the BC NDP government urged the province to take a radically new approach to old-growth forests.
In their strategic review, Garry Merkel and Al Gorley said the government should manage B.C.’s old forests as ecosystems rather than a source of timber. They also called for an immediate deferral of logging in old-growth forests in B.C. at risk of irreversible biodiversity loss.
Read moreSEND a MESSAGE: Protect BC's Old-Growth Forests and Endangered Ecosystems - "Ecosystem-Based Targets" are Vital!
To protect BC's diverse ecosystems, BC needs "Ecosystem-Based Targets" that are sufficiently refined and stringent to guide the forthcoming expansion of its protected areas system.
Speak up directly through the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework process by writing your own feedback at biodiversity.ecosystemhealth@gov.bc.ca by January 31st, 2024 and SEND a MESSAGE!
Read moreYear end Grassroots Fundraising Goal!
Top: Old-growth temperate rainforest on Vancouver Island; Middle: Aspen Parkland ecosystem in Saskatchewan; Bottom: Hardwood swamp forest along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec.
Hello friends, please help us reach our Year End fundraising goal of raising $100,000 (tax receipts provided, and donations of securities also accepted).
We have just landed a $1.1 billion BC-federal protected areas funding agreement, the BC Nature Agreement, after years of intense campaign work emphasizing the centrality of conservation financing to support First Nations protected areas initiatives! We continue to work to close the loopholes in BC old-growth and protected areas policies, including by ensuring ecosystem-based protection targets, protected areas standards and integrity, funding for Indigenous old-growth deferrals, and other key policies to save the most endangered and least protected ecosystems.
Read moreOctober Fundraising Goal - Please Help!
Hello friends, please help us reach our October fundraising goal of raising $50,000 (tax receipts provided, and donations of securities also accepted - see below).
We are a small but powerful organization that punches far above our weight! However, we have not fundraised nearly enough this year - having been over-the-top busy campaigning, which is what our supporters want. But we need significantly more funds ASAP to fund our staff and projects, so we can continue to undertake major engagement with First Nations, non-traditional allies (businesses, faith, outdoor recreation groups, etc), government and the general public, to document endangered ecosystems in the field, to do vital policy analyses and writing, and to undertake major social and news media engagement to reach millions of Canadians.
Please DONATE here as generously as you can - we guarantee you that your funds will do great things for this planet!
Read more