BC has announced a plan towards the conservation and stewardship of B.C.’s wildlife, with a governing council to oversee the strategy.
The Together for Wildlife strategy plans to utilize diverse perspectives together to lead the Province in making sound decisions for wildlife stewardship.
The province’s strategy focuses on climate change and cumulative effects are increasingly putting pressure on wildlife populations and their habitats. Hoping to link wildlife and habitat values to other stewardship initiatives and programs across government.
“For many of us, the simple existence of wildlife is important, a fundamental value,” Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations, and Rural Development said in a press release.
“Our rich natural diversity is inextricably linked to our way of life. We need to ensure that wildlife and their habitats are resilient as we face challenges like climate change.”
Back in 2018, the government provided $1 million to support engagement to develop the strategy and $3 million in 2019 for continued engagement and early implementation of actions.
Now in 2020, $10 million is going towards the strategy’s ongoing implementation.
The province outlines that the strategy will be the basis of the government’s actions toward wildlife. Five goals are the focus for the principles, including:
- All British Columbians have a voice in wildlife stewardship.
- Data, information, and knowledge drive better decisions.
- Stewardship actions achieve tangible benefits for wildlife and their habitats.
- Accountability and transparency build trust and confidence.
- Collaborative wildlife stewardship advances reconciliation with Indigenous governments.
Indigenous peoples worked in collaboration to help develop the strategy. Input was also collected from over 1,400 members of the public, rural communities, academic institutions, and a wide range of resource industry, conservation, hunter, trapper, guide, recreation, and tourism stakeholder organizations.
A wildlife advisory council has been formed to oversee the implementation of the strategy. The council will advise the minister on provincewide wildlife and habitat issues.
For more information on the Together for Wildlife strategy, visit the government website.