From old-growth forests to grasslands, rainforests to dry forests, alpine mountaintops to rich valley bottoms – BC has the greatest diversity of ecosystems in Canada. The newly re-elected BC NDP government has an opportunity to ensure the protection of these globally renowned ecosystems for our health and well-being, to support a more sustainable, diversified economy, to support First Nations cultures, and to avert the extinction and climate crises.
BC must develop a provincial Protected Areas Strategy (PAS) where they proactively work with First Nations to protect priority endangered ecosystems, including our last big-tree old-growth forests and most endangered, least protected ecosystems.
The province must also:
Develop science-based targets to protect all ecosystems, known as “Ecosystem-Based Targets”.
Provide “solutions space” funding for First Nations to defer logging in old-growth forests where they currently generate revenues from timber operations there.
Close logging loopholes in conservation reserves like Old-Growth Management Areas (OGMAs) and Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHAs)
Implement greater incentives and regulations to ensure a sustainable, value-added, modernized, second-growth forest industry
Develop a Conservation-Based Economy Strategy of incentives and other support for new businesses to take advantage of an expanding protected areas system in order to scale up a modernized, sustainable and diversified economy.
Please SEND a MESSAGE to BC’s Elected Decision-Makers! (Below)
YOUR MESSAGE WILL BE SENT TO: BC Premier David Eby; Minister of Environment and Parks Tamara Davidson; Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar; Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Randene Neill; Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Christine Boyle; Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Kelly Greene; Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions Adrian Dix; Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport Spencer Chandra Herbert; BC Greens' interim leader Jeremy Valeriote; and your own MLA if you live in BC. You should also send an email to Opposition Leader John Rustad outlining your concerns John.Rustad.MLA@leg.bc.ca