The Narwhal: ‘Put away your power saws’: First Nations leaders, conservationists have a new plan to protect old-growth

November 23, 2020 Ken Wu

A new piece by The Narwhal highlights First Nations and the Endangered Ecosystems Alliance’s Founder Ken Wu’s vision for BC and its endangered ecosystems.

Ancient forest advocates are weary of political promises that have so far been unable to slow the pace of clearcut logging in B.C. Here’s how visionaries think the province should move forward to protect beloved trees and critical habitat while making good on commitments to uphold Indigenous rights

B.C. should finance old-growth protections, advocates say

Media Release: BC’s Endangered Old-Growth Forests get International Exposure at the UK’s largest media arts festival opening today showcasing a film by renowned Canadian art Professor Kelly Richardson

October 22, 2020 Ken Wu

The endangered old-growth forests of British Columbia are about to get some international exposure starting at the United Kingdom’s largest media arts festival, the York Mediale, which opens to the public today with the exhibition of the film Embers and the Giants by internationally renowned Canadian artist Kelly Richardson.

First Nations, conservationists, scientists and politicians call on the BC and Federal Governments to Finance the Protection of Old-Growth Forests in their Budgets and Recovery Plans

October 15, 2020 Ken Wu

Media Release
October 15, 2020

Earmarking a subset of the federal $1.3 billion Canada Nature Fund today could ensure the protection of old-growth forests across Canada, or new funding can be provided in the upcoming federal budget.

Provincial funding for Indigenous Protected Areas and First Nations land use plans to protect old-growth must accompany government-to-government negotiations.

EEA Commends the Old-Growth Forest Resolution of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs

October 15, 2020 Ken Wu

Media Release

October. 8, 2020

Conservationists Commend the Union of BC Indian Chiefs’ (UBCIC) call for the BC Government to Expand Old-Growth Logging Deferrals in Consultation with First Nations, Adopt all of the 14 Old-Growth Strategic Review Panel Recommendations, and Support Indigenous Protected Areas and First Nations Land Use Plans.

Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) Resolution on Old-Growth Forests in BC

October 8, 2020 Ken Wu

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Article 26(1): Indigenous peoples have the right to the lands, territories and resources which they have traditionally owned, occupied or otherwise used or acquired. (2) Indigenous peoples have the right to own, use, develop and control the lands, territories and resources that they possess by reason of traditional ownership or other traditional occupation or use, as well as those which they have otherwise acquired. (3) States shall give legal recognition and protection to these lands, territories and resources. Such recognition shall be conducted with due respect to the customs, traditions and land tenure systems of the indigenous peoples concerned.

Calling all nature photographers and videographers! (yes, that includes pics and vids from your amazing smart phones!)

October 6, 2020 Ken Wu

Place your photos and videos in the service of conservation!

We need the best photos and video clips you've taken of the amazing native ecosystems, wildlife, plants, and landscapes (including their destruction too) across Canada.

We'll use your photos and videos to massively scale-up public awareness via social media and the news media on the magnificence of and threats to Canadian ecosystems.

BC's New Old-Growth Policy: Missing the heart of Old-Growth Forests, But shows some promise

September 11, 2020 Ken Wu

Big Lonely Doug, Canada's 2nd largest Douglas-fir, surrounded by a clearcut in 2014 - and today surrounded by a second-growth tree-plantation that lacks the old-growth dependent species, carbon storage, tourism value, and cultural value of the origi… — Big Lonely Doug, Canada's 2nd largest Douglas-fir, surrounded by a clearcut in 2014 - and today surrounded by a second-growth tree-plantation that lacks the old-growth dependent species, carbon storage, tourism value, and cultural value of the original old-growth forest that once surrounded Doug.

Media Release
Sept. 11, 2020

BC NDP Government’s Old-Growth Plan:

Some important progress and potential, while missing the “ecological heart of old-growth forests” which remain in danger (no moratoria on the grandest and most endangered old-growth ecosystems), plus more heel dragging (“re-elect us and we’ll do it sometime after”).

SEND a MESSAGE: Support a federal Green Recovery Plan that Protects Nature

September 1, 2020 Ken Wu

Recently Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland referred to the federal government’s plans for a “Green Recovery” in response to the economic downturn created by the Covid crisis.

SEND a MESSAGE: Stop open-pit coal mining in Alberta's Rocky Mountains!

July 31, 2020 Ken Wu

Stop Open-Pit Coal Mining in Alberta!

On May 15, 2020 the Alberta government announced that it would be removing the environmental protections implemented through its 44 year old “Coal Policy”, devised by former premier Peter Lougheed in 1976, that prohibited open-pit coal mining in vast swaths of the province’s Rocky Mountains and foothills.

EEA's Submission to BC's Economic Stimulus and Recovery Plan

July 24, 2020 Ken Wu

The Endangered Ecosystems Alliance, with about 13,000 British Columbian supporters at this time, would like to suggest several key items to include in an economic stimulus package.

Sustainability analysts around the world all point out that it’s critical that these funds do not provide a life jacket to keep destructive and dying industries afloat, like coal, tar sands, and oil and gas. Rather, the opportunity provided by the brief but major reductions in global emissions, the change in consumer behaviour, and the shift in global markets during the lockdown presents the most critical opportunity to redirect our societies’ path dependencies away from these destructive dead ends.

2021 BC Budget Submission - Time to Support the Protection of Nature

June 24, 2020 Ken Wu

The following is the Endangered Ecosystems Alliance’s submission to the BC Budget 2021, where the BC government is soliciting public input on what items they want to see included.

Please take the time to let them know major funding is needed for expanding protected areas in the native ecosystems and old-growth forests of BC

Media Release: New Province-Wide Analysis on BC’s Old-Growth Forests shows a Dire Situation

June 4, 2020 Ken Wu

The first major, province-wide analysis on the status of old-growth forests in BC has just been released by an independent science team - and the results are dire.

Read the full, independent report from Dr. Rachel Holt, Dr. Karen Price and Dave Daust at Veridian Ecological.

STRP Presentation on Protecting Old-Growth Forests and 50% of Canada by 2030

May 16, 2020 Ken Wu

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Here is an online Zoom presentation by the Endangered Ecosystems Alliance’s Ken Wu from May 14 at the Dutch STRP Festival - a European forum on art, technology, nature and society with an emphasis on ecology with presentations from various artists and professors including Antónia Szabari & Natania Meeker, Becky Ripley & Tim Atack (Forest 404), Ersin Han Ersin (Marshmallow Laser Feast), and Ken Wu. Moderated by Puck van Dijk.

SEND a MESSAGE: Expand Alberta's Protected Areas System! SEND a MESSAGE!

May 15, 2020 Ken Wu

HALT the CLOSURE and/or ELIMINATION of ALBERTA’s PARKS and PROTECTED AREAS!

Take Action DOWN BELOW!

The Alberta government is planning to "de-protect" or eliminate at least 19 Provincial Parks and Natural Areas (10 provincial parks, 9 natural areas), which could open them up to industrial resource extraction or commercial development, as well as eliminating 146 Provincial Recreation Areas, totaling 16,000 hectares (including threatened and endangered grasslands, aspen parkland and foothills ecosystems).

PBS Mini-Doc on Protecting BC's Old-Growth forests with Ken Wu

May 11, 2020 Ken Wu

Here is a new PBS mini-documentary on the old-growth forests of British Columbia and the work of the EEA’s executive director Ken Wu to save them, in the Human Elements series of Crosscuts, a KCTS news program based out of Seattle on science and the environment. In the Lower Mainland around Vancouver, only about 3% of the original high-productivity, low elevation, valley bottom old-growth forests remain, the rest being clearcut and largely second-growth, farmland, or city and suburbs now. While we support the immediate protection of BC's endangered old-growth forests, we also support a sustainable, value-added, second-growth forest industry (as well as protection of high conservation value second-growth stands). This was filmed in early March at the Echo Lake Ancient Forest (of which about 60% is protected but 40% remains at risk) near Mission in Sts'ailes territory:

Earth Day Covid Environmental Deregulation Interview

May 11, 2020 Ken Wu

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See a CHEK TV piece with the EEA's Ken Wu on Aprilb22, 2020 on the 50 year anniversary of Earth Day regarding the threat of environmental deregulation by opportunistic governments during the covid crisis, such as the Alberta government under Jason Kenney, the Ontario government under Doug Ford, and the US government under Donald Trump, who have suspended reporting and/or compliance on various environmental regulations

Op-Ed (Times Colonist): Rediscovering Nature in a Time of Lockdown, by Ken Wu

April 29, 2020 Ken Wu

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A commentary by Ken Wu, the executive director of the Endangered Ecosystems Alliance.

“In crisis lies opportunity,” so the maxim goes. As terrible as COVID-19 is, the resulting lockdown has given us a vital opportunity.

TODAY: Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary – Support Nature in the time of COVID-19!

April 22, 2020 Ken Wu

To Ecosystem Enthusiasts!

TODAY, April 22, 2020 is the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day held back on this day in 1970 that touched off the modern environmental movement!

Alberta government about to "de-park" or eliminate protected areas in Alberta

March 5, 2020 Ken Wu

Dinosaur Provincial Park will experience the closure of a campground, while 19 protected areas will be eliminated.

The Alberta government is moving to "de-protect" or eliminate by May 1st at least 19 Provincial Parks and Natural Areas (10 parks, 9 natural areas), which could open them up to industrial resource extraction, as well as 146 Provincial Recreation Areas, totalling 16,000 hectares (including threatened and endangered grasslands, aspen parkland and foothills ecosystems).

Manitoba Tour Success - THANK YOU!

February 21, 2020 Ken Wu

World renowned conservation biologist Dr. Reed Noss and the Endangered Ecosystems Alliance's executive director Ken Wu finished a series of presentations last week in Manitoba on Feb. 10 and 11 speaking on the science and politics of expanding the scale of ecosystem protection in Canada. It was a great tour! Thanks to Dr. Kristen Lowitt for organizing the Brandon talks as well as Dr. Chris Malcolm, the Brandon University Faculty of Science, and Lowitt's colleagues for supporting the Brandon talks, and in Winnipeg to Emily Thoroski for organizing the presentations, and to the Wildlife Society of Manitoba, Dr. Nicola Koper, Dr. Rick Baydak, Dr. Jim Roth and Dr. Jane Waterman of the Faculty of Environmental Science and Studies and their grad students at the University of Manitoba for supporting the events! And thanks to all the enthusiastic conservationists who showed up!

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