Our differences must be set aside to protect nature

Half-measures are simply not enough, Tori Ball says.

The abundance of fish and wildlife in B.C. — creatures large and small, iconic and obscure, common and rare — has dwindled to scarcity in less than a single human lifetime.

We now have endangered steelhead and caribou flirting with extinction, along with record low populations of salmon, moose, mountain sheep and mule deer.

In fact, 782 plants and animals are at risk of being lost forever.

At a time like this, half-measures are not enough. We need to protect species before they get to the point where they are threatened or endangered. When the provincial government established a new ministry called Land, Water and Resource Stewardship earlier this year, it probably didn't expect the name to immediately spill into popular usage under the acronym Land WaRs. The government no doubt finds this initialism regrettable, but we come in peace with an appetite to work together.

We are a diverse array of nature lovers that includes environmental groups, hunters, fishers, butterfly enthusiasts, guide outfitters, tourism associations and wildlife watchers from across B.C. Together, we represent 25 organizations and 273,000 British Columbians.

Biodiversity is the backbone that our economy, health and climate resiliency is built upon. That means radically changing the way our government manages the natural assets we all share and hope to pass on to future generations.

The provincial government claims that more than 19 per cent of our province is protected. We agree that most of that, 15.5 per cent, is indeed protected. But the province is trying to include another four per cent where it allows mining and oil and gas extraction to occur or where protection is easily moved when it's inconvenient.

According to the international and Canadian standards that B.C. has adopted, harmful industrial activities must be prohibited in all areas set aside for conservation.

B.C. also uses wildlife habitat areas to designate some of the most important habitats in the province for species such as spotted owl, caribou and grizzly bears. And while there are some restrictions related to forestry, there is no protection from the impacts of mines, oil wells, pipelines and roads.

Does that sound like protection to you? It doesn't for those us who are passionate about protecting nature. Nor for the 1,000 naturebased businesses we represent that depend on B.C.'s abundant wildlife for their livelihood.

Fish and Wildlife decisions should not be made by the Ministry of Forests, which has a culture that has for so long treated fish, wildlife and habitat as constraints on timber objectives.

We hope the new ministry will take a more co-ordinated approach to protecting plants and animals, to help species at risk recover.

The stakes are only going to get higher. Last year's heat dome killed more than one billion marine animals. The pressures on our lands and waters, both from people and climate impacts, are getting more and more intense.

Ultimately, the province needs to protect more of its lands and waters. Putting aside its overestimations, 15.5 per cent of the province is protected. Poll after poll has shown an overwhelming support for the local and global movements to increase protected areas. Canada has signed on to international protection targets for land and water of 25 per cent by 2025 and 30 per cent by 2030. B.C. is absent on these targets, but could and likely should meet and exceed them.

Regardless of age, gender, location or political affiliation, B.C. residents express strong support for nature.

A recent Nanos Research poll showed that the overwhelming majority of British Columbians want government to do far more work with communities and Indigenous Peoples to protect the environment. Seventy per cent of respondents said they would be more likely to support a government that adopted the goal of protecting 30 per cent of Canada's lands and waters by 2030. More than 68 per cent said that better protecting wilderness is one of the best ways Canada can fight climate change.

We have set aside any differences we have in order to stop this crisis from worsening. It's time for elected officials from all parties to do the same and step up for fish, wildlife and habitat.

Tori Ball, terrestrial campaign manager, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, B.C. Chapter, with the support of the B.C. Wildlife Federation, Wildsight, Guide-Outfitters Association of B.C. and the Commercial Bear Viewing Association.