Vol.30 No.3 Spring 2011 Published by the Wilderness Committee

FREE REPORT 'S SPECIAL PLACES

Time to Double BC’s Park System Joe Foy National Campaign Park Reserve. The Canadian government list of spectacular wild places that people nation – or twice the percentage of Director, and the Haida Nation now cooperatively are working to see saved from logging, BC's protected area system – for the Wilderness Committee manage this world famous protected area mining and hydro developments all purpose of conserving wild nature.4 off the mainland of BC's northwest coast. across the province. Read on to learn more about some In 2008, after over 10 years of Let’s look to other nations’ world class of the priority endangered wilderness work by the Squamish Nation and park systems for inspiration. The people areas being proposed for protection. his year is the 100th anniversary of conservationists, the Upper Elaho Valley of New Zealand, for example, have With your help, we can double BC's TBC's wildly spectacular provincial was designated as a conservancy in the legally protected over 30 per cent of their park system in a decade. park system. When Premier Richard Coast Mountains west of Whistler. McBride created BC's first provincial These are but a few of the many Photo top: Purcell Mountains (Michael Wheatley). park, Strathcona, on successful campaigns undertaken over Right: Lost Valley (Jeremy Sean back in 1911, I wonder if he could have the past century to create and to expand Williams). Below: Northern Saw- whet Owl (Gordon Court). Bottom: foreseen the rising tide of citizen activism BC's park system. As a result, 14.27 per BC camping and Northern Lights that would persist and grow stronger cent of BC, or 13.5 million hectares, is now (John E. Marriott). with each succeeding generation. Ever protected. This includes national and since 1911, with greater and greater provincial parks as well as conservancies determination and passion, people from and ecological reserves.2 all parts of the province have worked to BC's park system is now the largest improve and expand BC's park system. provincial park system in . It's a Even during the dark days of the tremendous accomplishment – but is it Second World War the BC government enough? followed the lead of concerned citizens The answer to that question is a and designated several huge new resounding no. Scientists tell us that we provincial parks, including Wells Gray and need to be working towards protecting E.C. Manning.1 at least 50 per cent of our land base.3 In more recent times it was the Haida The growing list of plants and animals Nation that in 1985 designated Gwaii endangered by ongoing industrial Haanas as a Haida Heritage Site. After encroachment on their habitats proves a widespread grassroots campaign to that BC's current park system is not large see the area protected, in 1988 it was enough and needs to be substantially designated by the Government of expanded before important wild areas are Canada as the Gwaii Haanas National despoiled. That’s why there is a growing PRIORITIES FOR PROTECTION... 1 Taku Watershed 3 Walker Rainforest Wilderness ncompassing over two million Tlingit First Nation are still magine an ancient temperate A local group, Save the Cedar or conservancy to put a stop to the Ehectares, the Taku watershed concerned that the mine Irainforest where chinook League, has been working for industrial logging operations that are in northwest BC is virtually pristine. road project may yet go salmon power their way up years to see this forest protected. fragmenting the forest. Private hydro It is the largest intact salmon river ahead. The best solution whitewater rivers to spawning And they have met with some power projects also threaten the area, system in North America. Rising in the for the Taku grounds where grizzlies patiently success, seeing significant areas unless park protection is gained. This interior boreal forests of BC, the river Watershed await. In this lush place groves set aside as wildlife habitat. But area is home to grizzlies, salmon, eventually makes its way through the and the of redcedar trees, some over more needs to be done. The entire wolverines, cougars, wolves, lynx and coastal mountains and across the Alaska people, 10 metres in girth and many Walker Rainforest Wilderness must endangered mountain caribou. It's panhandle to empty into the Pacific salmon and centuries old, tower over well be designated as a provincial park time to fully protect the Walker! Ocean near Juneau. wildlife that worn animal trails that lead to the For more information, visit: None of the Taku is currently depend on river bank. This is the 200,000 SaveTheCedarLeague.org protected and it is increasingly under it would be hectare Walker Rainforest pressure from a proposed mine which to preserve Wilderness, the largest would come with a 160 kilometre road it all as a unprotected wilderness area through the heart of the watershed. The conservancy. Photo above: Marsh and Coast Range peaks in Taku River Valley remaining in the world's only Taku River Tlingit First Nation oppose For more (Doug Milek). Right: Grizzly Cub (Roberta Olenick). inland temperate rainforest the proposed mine road project and information, check out the region. It's located hundreds have entered into negotiations with the website of Rivers Without Borders, of kilometres away from BC's government of BC over a land-use plan one of the conservation groups This map represents the collective coast in the Robson Valley work of many British Columbians for the Taku which is expected to result working to protect the Taku. who have over several decades put region on the western slopes in extensive protected areas.5 (RiversWithoutBorders.org) forward their proposals to the of the , east Photo: Walker Rainforest Wilderness (Carol Fairhurst). Photo: Grey Wolves (Grambo Photos). provincial government for an Conservationists and the Taku River expanded park system. of Prince George. The 50 proposed parks 4 we’ve listed on this Flathead Valley 2 Clayoquot Sound map are some of Photo: Mountain Goat the finest natural (Robert McCaw). his wildlife rich wilderness trophy hunting. The Canadian Parks he name Clayoquot (pronounced some sort of park protection but, areas left anywhere Tarea is located in the extreme and Wilderness Society, Sierra Club in the world. This T"Klak-wot") Sound conjures up 68,000 hectares of the finest pristine list, however, is by southeast corner of BC, right on the BC and Wildsight are calling for the visions of ancient forests, emerald valley ancient forests remaining on no means a complete US border. The Flathead adjoins protection of the southeastern third islands and surf pounded shores, Vancouver Island have no formal list of the natural areas the world famous Waterton-Glacier of the Flathead Valley as a national required to double a 250,000 hectare slice of paradise protection recognized by the province BC’s park system. See the International Peace Park. The park, and for the establishment on Vancouver Island's wild western side of BC. To help remedy this, the Tla-o- back page of this report for Flathead is an important refuge of a Wildlife Management Area in information about how you around the village of Tofino. Clayoquot qui-aht First Nation, one of the First can put forward your proposed and key travel corridor for large the rest of the valley and adjoining Sound, for many, also means successful Nations of Clayoquot, have declared natural areas for inclusion in BC’s animals such as grizzly bears and habitat. For more information, visit: environmental protest. Many Canadians their territory off limits to logging in expanded protected areas map. Let’s wolves. Conservationists have met flathead.ca work together to double BC’s park remember that the largest civil intact valleys by designating two tribal system in a decade, and make it one with some success, including disobedience campaign in the nation's parks -- Meares Island and Ha’uukmin of the best on Earth! promised provincial recent history occurred in Clayoquot Tribal Parks.7 legislation to prohibit during the logging blockades of However, time is running out. The mining and energy 1993. Over 800 people were arrested BC government has just granted development in the for peacefully protesting logging of Iisaak a logging road permit to access Flathead Valley. ancient forests in the area's remaining a pristine valley on Flores Island, in But other threats unprotected pristine valleys. After the heart of Clayoquot Sound. Iisaak remain, including the massive protests logging is being pushed into logging the logging and companies stopped trying to log in intact valleys to help pay off debt. British Columbia's Five Priority the pristine valleys and began to sell The province needs to step in now Endangered Wilderness Areas Photo: Flathead Valley (Garthlenz.com). their logging interests to the First and provide debt relief and economic The five areas featured on the centre page of this report Nations whose territories encompasses development funding for the First – Taku Watershed, Walker Rainforest Wilderness, Clayoquot 5 South – Similkameen Clayoquot Sound. Nations owners of Iisaak, and grant Sound, South Okanagan – Similkameen, and the Flathead The First Nations formed their own official protected area status for the Valley – all require action NOW to ensure that they are protected ritish Columbia is the putting the area's rare wildlife at the National Park Reserve remains logging company – Iisaak Resources pristine valleys of Clayoquot Sound. before important conservation values are lost forever. Bmost ecologically diverse risk. It's little wonder that the area is a dream. The Canadian Parks and – and in 1999 signed a Memorandum The Friends of Clayoquot Sound province in Canada, with wilderness under consideration by the federal Wilderness Society is the lead group of Understanding with several are the local environmental group landscapes including tundra, government for National Park that is working to see the National Park conservation groups committing to which has been working to protect 19 San Josef – Macjack Rivers 35 Northern Camelsfoot Mountain Range rainforests, glaciers and wetlands. Reserve status. Reserve become a reality. For more not log in the intact valleys in return Clayoquot for over 30 years. For more 20 East Creek Rainforest / Klaskish River 36 Bendor Mountain Range The South Okanagan – Similkameen Unfortunately, after years of study, information, visit: cpawsbc.org 1 Taku Watershed 21 Nimpkish River 37 Lost Valley / Cayoosh Mountain Range for the conservation groups support information, visit: focs.ca 2 Clayoquot Sound 22 Tsitika River 38 Siwhe Creek region around the communities of 3 Walker Rainforest Wilderness of the new logging 23 West Nootka Island 39 Stoltmann Wilderness / Sea to Sky Osoyoos, Keremeos and Oliver is a Photo left: Chopaka 4 Flathead Valley Wildlands / Wild Spirit Places 6 24 Gold River Grasslands (Gwen Barlee). company. A kind 5 South Okanagan – Similkameen 25 Nahmint Valley 40 East Garabaldi Park additions / Ure dry mountainous region with some Below: Yellow-breasted of peace in the 6 Iskut River 26 Beaufort Mountain Range / Qualicum – Creek / Fire Mountain/Upper Douglas of the province's rarest and most chat (Robert McCaw). 7 Exchamsiks River Little Qualicum Rivers Creek / Lower Lillooet Valley woods settled in at 8 Ecstall River 27 MacMillan Park additions / Cathedral 41 Coast-Cascade Connector / Fraser beautiful ecosystems including Clayoquot Sound 9 Kowesas River Canyon / Labour Day Lake / Canyon / Anderson River grasslands and Canada's only and many thought 10 Green Inlet Cameron River 42 Caren Mountain Range - 'pocket desert'. 11 Ingram – Mooto Lakes 28 Nanoose Forest Spipyus Park addition Clayoquot was 12 Nusash Creek 29 – Chemainus – 43 Mount Elphinstone Park addition Fully one-third of BC's saved. It isn't. 13 Nekite – Piper Rivers / Doos Creek Cowichan Rivers 44 Bowen Island endangered species live 14 Goat River 30 Klanawa River 45 Burns Bog Protected Area additions About a third 15 Quesnel Lake Wilderness Proposal 31 Upper Walbran Valley 46 Golden Ears Park addition / Blue Mountain here. Threats including rapid of Clayoquot 16 David Thompson Heritage Lands 32 Pacific Rim additions / Juan de Fuca Trail 47 Elk Creek Rainforest development for golf courses, 17 Mount Revelstoke – Glacier addition / Red Creek Fir / San Juan Ridge 48 West Manning / Skagit Park additions Sound does have 18 Selkirk Mountain Caribou Park / 33 Britanny Triangle Wild Horse Reserve / 49 Bear Paw Ridge vineyards, roads, resorts and Photo: Pretty Girl Valley (Jacqueline Windh). Upper Incomappleux River/Bugaboo Fish Lake 50 Robson Valley Conservation Corridor mountainside housing are Right: Orca (Jim Borrowman). Rainforest/Jumbo Pass 34 Upper Bridge River BC's Species at Risk List Continues Respecting First to Grow: Habitat Protection Needed Nations Rights t's heartbreaking to watch wild the province of BC.8 Too many of the For more information visit: and Title Iplants and animals become more province's parks and protected areas LastPlaceOnEarth.ca and more scarce on the landscape. are in the high mountains and not irst Nations have occupied Who hasn't heard of BC's spotted enough are in the low valleys where Fthe lands and waters of what is now called British Columbia for owl population that once numbered many endangered species live. Habitat many thousands of years. Issues in the hundreds, but has now protection for species at risk is one of aboriginal rights and title to dwindled to less than a dozen due to reason we need to double our parks most of the province have yet to continued logging in its old-growth in a decade. be resolved. Any establishment forest habitat? How much longer of a park should only be done this species can hold on without with the agreement of the First adequate habitat protection and Nation in whose territory the lands are situated. The governments restoration, no one knows. of Canada and British Columbia But the spotted owl is not the should also undertake conservation only wild thing under pressure. There funding initiatives with interested are now over 1,900 species at risk in First Nations to ensure that they benefit economically from new Protected Area Champs parks in their territories. ifferent nations count their protected areas in special natural places. British Columbia, with its vast Building a Better Ddifferent ways, so it's tough to say who is number natural areas, could still top them all, if we take action Park System one in the parks race. But it's clear that these nations are now. And we can start by doubling our park system in among those leading the pack in the protection of their a decade. end in your ideas for new parks today. We are building Tanzania S an interactive map on our website Tanzania has accorded some form of formal protection to more than one-third of its territory – a far higher proportion than most of the world's wealthier nations.9 at WildernessCommittee.org Email your new park proposals to New Zealand [email protected] New Zealand has protected more than 30 per cent of their country for the preservation of nature. Include some information about the This includes marine reserves, forest parks, private reserves and UN World Heritage sites.10 proposed park's attributes, a photo Costa Rica of the area and a map showing the Over 30 per cent of the country’s total landmass is protected in national parks or reserves, proposed boundaries. We will work and the country is world renowned as an eco-tourism destination. In late 2010 Costa Rica to incorporate your submission announced a commitment to add another 32,000 acres to its protected areas network.11 into our interactive BC endangered wilderness map. Let's work together Let’s Double to double BC's parks in a decade! Photo top: Montage - Spotted Owl (Jared Hobbs) and Robson Valley clearcut (Paul BC’s Parks in a Decade! Morgan). Above left: Melvin Valley (Joe Foy). BC's most endangered wilderness areas cannot stand any more delay. Clayoquot Sound, Above: Meares Island (WC Files). the Walker Rainforest Wilderness and the Flathead Valley are at risk from logging. The Taku Below: Robson Valley clearcut (Paul Morgan). Watershed is threatened by mining, and development encroaches on the South Okanagan- Similkameen. Tell BC’s Premier that you want these areas protected to help secure a wild future. Citations 1 http://wildernesscommittee.org/news/bc_parks_ Take ACTION NOW: Let the premier know that you chronology_the_early_years 2 http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/aboutBCParks/ want to see all of BC's endangered wilderness areas fact_fig.html 3 http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/ protected in a park system that needs to double in a story/2010/01/27/bc-environment-coaltion-preservation. html decade. 4 http://www.mfe.govt.nz/environmental-reporting/ report-cards/biodiversity/2010/ 5 http://www.ilmb.gov.bc.ca/sites/default/files/resources/ public/PDF/LRMP/compiled_maps_20100927.pdf Premier of British Columbia 6 http://wildernesscommittee.org/press_release/ clayoquot_sound_logging_road_permit_breaks_1999_ Box 9041 Telephone: 250 387-1715 agreement_wilderness_committee 7 http://wildernesscommittee.org/publication/ Station PROV GOVT Facsimile: 250 387-0087 clayoquot_sound_meares_island_tribal_park 8 http://www.protectbiodiversity.ca/media/news_item/ Victoria, BC, V8W 9E1 [email protected] scientists_urge_premier_to_improve_species_ protection/ 9 http://www.tanzaniaparks.com/corporate_information. html WildernessCommittee.org • 1-800-661-WILD (9453) 10 http://www.mfe.govt.nz/environmental-reporting/ report-cards/biodiversity/2010/ 11 http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/ mesoamerica/pages/conservation.aspx I want to help protect BC's Credits Endangered Wilderness Areas NOW! Writing and Editing: Joe Foy, Derrick O'Keefe, Matthew Yes! Sasaki, Geoff Senichenko, Tammy Lea Meyer. Graphic Design and Layout: Perry Sky Jack, Sue Fox. Enclosed is: $25 $50 $100 Other $ ______Mapping: Geoff Senichenko. Fed. reg. charity #11929-3009-RR0001 Photos: As noted. clip Wilderness Committee, Vol. 30, No 3, 2011. Canadian And return to the: Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 0900567. Posted in I want to become a member! Enclosed is my annual fee for a: Vancouver for free distribution. Printed in Canada on Wilderness Committee recycled newsprint with vegetable-based inks. P.O. Box 2205, $52 Family Membership $35 Individual Membership Press Run 25,000 © Wilderness Committee 2011. All rights Station Terminal  reserved. Written material may be used without permission Vancouver, BC V6B 3W2 when credit is given. NAME PHONE Published by call Wilderness Committee — National Office ADDRESS CITY P.O. 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