sierra club of bc 2000 annual report Executive Staff 2000 Michelle Larstone Interns/ Committee Communications Summer Students Bill Wareham Coordinator 2000 Executive Director Lisa Hartford Shelley Gerber Ciara Parr Tracey Childerhose Sarah Williams John Broadhead Financial Officer Alda Ngo Chair Volunteer Coordinator Todd Biderman Deirdre Gotto Jeff Paleczny Paul Senez Office Manager Robyn Sealy Vice Chair Assistant to Merran Smith Executive Director Michelle Hannah Vicky Husband Senior Forest Jeff Wilson Conservation Chair Bruce Hill Campaigner Marine Campaigner Kim Kobayashi George Gibson Lisa Matthaus and Researcher Christophe Contat Secretary Forest Policy & Darcy Riddell Bernard Guimond Allan Hawkins Economics Analyst Forestry Campaigner/ Brad Gundy Sharon Chow Public Outreach Treasurer Marine Campaigner/ Coordinator Kate Brauer Membership Kerri Pack Jody Holmes Michael Mascall Assistant Forest Science Coordinator Campaigner Mike Simpson Jennifer Hoffman Camela Cowan Diana Angus Education Program Outreach/Admin East Vancouver Is. Rep Coordinator Michelle Johnson Peter Bromley Jill Thompson Great Bear Rainforest Rep Outreach Forest Campaigner Pete Dixon Lisa Mitchell/ Victoria Rep Sandra Thomson Shelley Vandenberg Gaia Project Sustainable Living Bus Drew Williams Coordinator Coordinator Quadra Is. Rep Doug Radies Heather Ramsay David Loewen Lillooet Campaigner Gaia Project Rep Dave Leversee Intern Coordinator Rob Hart GIS Mapping Diane Urban Coast Mountain Rep Technician Public Outreach Sierra Report Editors Steve Young Coordinator Margaret Floyd GIS Mapping Morgan McDonald Assistant Thanks to Donors 2000 Gaia Project our supporters Hundreds of individuals have supporters and helped to make our work possible and funders through their generous donations donors The Brainerd Foundation in 2000. We thank all donors for BC Hydro The Bullitt Foundation their support. In particular, we’d BC Ministry of Environment, Land BC Ministry of Environment, Land like to recognize the contributions and Parks – Environment Youth Team and Parks – Environment Youth Team of the following individuals, who BC Transit Canada Trust Friends of the each donated more than $500: Environment Fund Canadian International Canadian Council for Human Resources Murray Baron Development Fund in the Environment Industry Robert and Birgit Bateman Climate Change Action Fund The Endswell Foundation M. Chechik Transport Canada Environmental Fund of BC Peter and Allene Drake Human Resources Development Bristol Foster Canada – Fédération de le jeunesse Allan Graves canadienne-française Mark Greenstreet Jeune Brothers Nancy Harrison W. Alton Jones Foundation E. Horlock Konsgaard-Goldman Foundation Paul Hunter The Lazar Foundation J. and R. Lotzkar LGL Limited Larry Lunn Luna Trust B.M. Martin The Moriah Fund R. and P. North Mountain Equipment Co-op Dennis Perry North American fund for Thomas Perry Environmental Cooperation Brian Pinch Norcross Wildlife Foundation, Inc. Keith Reynolds The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Sandra Thomson Patagonia. Inc. in association with Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs Muriel Townsend Project Aware Foundation Buddy Williams Rockefeller Brothers Fund Ken Williams Sierra Club of BC Foundation Linda Williams Sierra Club US Top Shelf Feeds PHOTO CREDITS Turner Foundation Inc. Cover, Lisa Baile Vancouver Community College Page 2, 4 Ivan Hunter Vancouver Foundation Page 6, Lisa Matthaus Page 7, Darcy Riddell, The Victoria Foundation Lisa Matthaus Wilburforce Foundation Page 9, Dave Williams World Wildlife Fund Canada Page 10, Silva Forest Yorkton Securities Foundation Page 11, Mark Hobson Page 13, Mike Simpson Page 15, Jenn Hoffman Page 17, Mark Freeman Page 18, Sierra Club of BC The Sierra Club of BC receives all charitable gifts and grants through the Page 21, Federation of Sierra Club of BC Foundation, 576 Johnson Street, Victoria, BC V8W 1M3 Mountain Clubs Sierra Club of 576 Johnson Street Victoria, BC V8W 1M3 Phone: 250.386.5255 Fax: 250.386.4453 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.sierraclub.ca/bc The Sierra Club of BC is an official chapter of the Sierra Club of Canada

Sierra Club of Canada 1 Nicholas Street, Suite 412 Ottawa, ON K1N 7B7 Phone: 613.241.4611 Fax: 613.241.2292 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.sierraclub.ca/national

Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper INSIDE Executive Director’s message 2 Conservation report 4 In 2000, Program reports Forest conservation initiatives 6 Sierra Club of BC realized Marine campaign 11 Energy and climate change 12 Endangered species 12 significant conservation achievements Gaia Project 13 that all of our members, supporters Tools for change GIS mapping program 14 and staff can be proud of. Forest policy & economic analysis 14 ‘‘ Environmental education 15 BILL WAREHAM Grassroots activism 16 Victoria Group 16 Coast Mountain Group 16 East Vancouver Islands Group 17 Quadra Island Group 18 Haida Gwaii Group 18 Financial report 19 Supporters and donors inside back cover

1 Executive Director’s message

I can confidently say that 2000 was Sierra Club of BC’s doing a good job on environmental protection. best year ever. It felt like we were a train speeding down the Behind all the public profile, our dedicated campaigners tracks adding new cars on the fly, building momentum and like Merran Smith, Bruce Hill, Jody Holmes, Sharon Chow, capacity along the way. Our increased capacity paid off. The Lisa Matthaus, Jill Thompson and Doug Radies spent Club realized some major successes and we are proud of our countless hours in discussions and negotiations with First work. Nations communities, government, community represen- Our name was in the limelight throughout the year. We tatives and multinational logging companies. Their work excelled in fulfilling our role as a credible environmental voice. reflects one of Sierra Club of BC’s greatest strengths — bring- Thanks to our dedicated members, donors and passionate ing the war in the woods indoors, engaging in dialogue and campaigners, we were able to generate an incredible amount finding the common ground among seemingly polar agendas. of media coverage, keeping the public informed on issues It is in this forum that the tough work takes place in crafting including coastal rainforest protection, the South Chilcotin lasting conservation solutions. Mountains Wilderness, endangered species protection, forest With growth also came a changing of the guard. Sadly, we policy reform and marine species conservation. As the press saw the passing of a great activist and dedicated board clippings stacked up, polling results ranked Sierra Club of member, Grant Copeland. His tenacity and wisdom are deeply BC second highest among BC groups as an organization missed. We also wished a supportive farewell to Shelley Gerber,

2 Darcy Riddell and Michelle Larstone who moved on to pursue members worked together for the sake of our environment their careers on other fronts. In their wake, we welcomed during the millennium year. It is a year I am very proud of, several new and inspired individuals, bringing renewed energy and I would like to personally thank each and every individual and vision to our campaigns. that helped us realize our conservation and organizational A particularly proud moment for Sierra Club of BC in 2000 objectives. was the day the Order of BC was awarded to our very own I invite your continued support for the Sierra Club of BC. Vicky Husband for her passionate defense of BC’s natural In return, we commit to work hard to protect wild places and heritage, especially our ancient coastal rainforests. Vicky wildlife on your behalf in 2001. reflects the quality and standard of people that make Sierra Club of BC the effective organization that it is. As I write this message, 2001 is already rushing by with our list of campaign successes growing. But as our work continues, it is inspiring to stop, reflect and learn from our activities during the past year. The program highlights and Bill Wareham pictures in this report tell the stories, and illustrate how our dedicated and efficient staff, volunteers, local groups and

3 Conservation report

Occasionally, conservation gains are spectacular in scope. increase our profile as well as our success on various campaigns. Most often, however, the rewards are incremental, the result The cornerstone of our conservation work is our coastal of grinding, painstaking work. This is the kind of year Sierra temperate rainforest campaign. Merran Smith and Dr. Jody Club of BC had — in meetings with bureaucrats, logging Holmes ably led the high-level negotiations around the future companies and community organizers, in strategic planning of BC’s Central Coast. In concert with other BC and inter- sessions with our allies, in community halls defending our national environmental groups, Sierra Club of BC helped to positions, in public education campaigns, outreach strategies form the Rainforest Solutions Project to work with all and classrooms. stakeholders. After countless hours in boardrooms, the Sierra Club of BC was a name you heard a lot of in 2000. prognosis for success is good. We worked tirelessly to save the coastal temperate rainforest. Our in-house GIS technicians produced outstanding Our technicians produced first-class satellite maps for the satellite maps and shared this technology and expertise within ican’t find vicky conservation community. We fought for environmental values the conservation and community; the at the Lillooet LRMP table and galvanized volunteers to help professionalism of Dave Leversee and Steve Young has earned protect Vancouver Island from poor policy decisions. And the respect of industry and government stakeholders as well. that’s just the start of it. Our outreach efforts were a big hit in 2000. Sierra Club’s Bill Wareham, our Executive Director, provided strategic Rainforest Bus visited small communities and large urban oversight for the Club’s conservation work and the growing centres in BC, profiling forest certification as a means to capacity of the Club. Similarly, many Directors from the preserve BC’s coastal rainforests. We are also a member of a Executive Committee gave their time, names and advice to strategic coalition that produced television commercials,

4 print ads and a website that sent faxes to the premier instantly. Our marine program produced a well-received report The battle against the Vancouver Island Land Use Plan on marine protected areas in 2000, and two documents on was hard fought by Jill Thompson and her team of volunteers, wild salmon and groundfish are underway. The marine but ultimately lost. It was pushed through with little public committee has been crafting a strategic plan to guide it awareness or review, and legalizes reduced forestry standards through the next phase of growth, and to battle the urgent on much of the Island. Lisa Matthaus drew attention to the issues faced by our marine ecosystems. process used to determine timber volumes and each region’s So all those endless meetings, planning sessions, com- Annual Allowable Cut, and commissioned and published munity halls and classrooms — that is Sierra Club’s niche. We Cutting for the Economy’s Sake, a report that analyzes the try to speak straight to the point with courage and deter- unsustainable annual allowable cut in BC. mination, fuelled by science and by personal knowledge of Clayoquot Sound was designated a United Nations Bio- the salmon, trees, people and places of our province. This sphere Reserve in 2000, an event in which the Sierra Club was approach has been pivotal to our success in the past, and we’re proud to play a part. Iisaak Forest Resources, a joint venture not planning on stopping any time soon. of the Nuu-chah-nulth Central Region First Nations and Weyerhaeuser, began logging in their TFL in accordance with the Ecoforestry commitments made to Sierra Club of BC and other conservation groups. While we are proud of this start, this magnificent piece of temperate rainforest continues to Vicky Husband, Conservation Chair require protection and remains on our list of current campaigns.

5 Sierra Club of BC has been working to create a conservation legacy for BC’s coast, and a new approach to land use planning Program reports for its forests — an approach that is collaborative and solutions-oriented. Forest conservation By working with our allies to secure initiatives over one and a half million acres in protect- ed areas and over two million acres in official deferrals, we have been a leader in Great Bear Rainforest preserving options for the Great Bear Rainforest. One quarter of the world’s remaining, In the year 2000, we focused on: unprotected temperate forests is found • Working intensively with other In the Great Bear on BC’s central and north coast and on environmental groups, First Nations, Vancouver Island. This rare ecosystem government and other parties to reach Rainforest, we’ve contains large tracts of undisturbed ancient forests, abundant salmon stocks, helped to secure over and habitat for an incredible diversity of species, including the rare white Kermode one and a half million bear. These forests and wildlife are under acres in protected increasing threat from logging and other ‘ forms of development. ‘ That is why we have made our coastal areas. temperate rainforest campaign one of the cornerstones of our work. Our goal is to preserve the integrity of the coastal temp- erate rainforest ecosystem by encouraging communities to move to a more sustain- able, conservation-based economy.

6 agreement on a package of land use postcards and letters and to use web-based Clayoquot Sound initiatives that include: protected areas, activism tools. a change management framework, estab- • Securing commitments from Canadian Sierra Club of BC has played an active role lishment of an Independent Information and US companies to stop buying temp- in protecting the temperate rainforest of Team, an ecosystem-based management erate rainforest-derived products, most the Clayoquot Valley for over three decades. framework, and government-to-govern- notably Home Depot, Lowe’s and Bell In 2000, Lisa Matthaus, our forest policy ment protocols between First Nations and Canada. analyst, and Vicky Husband continued to the provincial and federal governments. • Using outreach tools, such as the work with the local community, First Nations • Completing a Conservation Areas popular Rainforest Bus traveling around and other conservation groups to ensure Design for the Central Coast to encourage BC, new publications, postcards and rallies. Clayoquot will truly be a model of ecological ecosystem-level planning. • Forming strategic alliances with other and economic sustainability. • Promoting markets campaigns to raise conservation groups to produce television In 2000, we: consumer awareness and pressure industry commercials, print ads and a new website • Played a significant role in having Clayo- and government. (www.savethegreatbear.org) to enhance quot designated a United Nations Biosphere • Motivating consumers to write our rainforest conservation work. Reserve, with a large financial commitment from the government of Canada. • Obtained ecoforestry commitments with other conservation groups from Iisaak Forest Resources to begin logging in their Tree Farm Licence. Iisaak is currently seeking a Forest Stewardship Council stamp of approval.

Far left: Sierra Club of BC has made great contributions towards protecting the Great Bear Rainforest: home of the rare White Kermode Bear. Centre: The magnificent canopy of the coastal rainforest shelters an untold diversity of species. Right: Nelson Keitlah, Co-Chair of the Central Region of the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation. Thanks to the efforts of local First Nations and many organizations, including Sierra Club of BC, Clayoquot Sound has been designated a United Nation’s Biosphere Reserve.

7 species, wilderness recreation, and rural volumes from the ever-dwindling old communities. growth forest. In 2000, despite the valiant efforts of Sierra Some of our accomplishments Club of BC staff and volunteers, Vancouver included: Island was hit hard by both logging develop- • Establishing a quarterly newsletter, ment and the erosion of environmental policies. the Overcut Observer, to inform Vancouver Logging on • The Vancouver Island Land Use Plan was Island citizens about the side effects of an Vancouver approved despite extensive opposition from inflated rate of cut on the island’s fish, Island conservation, tourism, recreation and fish wildlife, and communities. interests, as well as some First Nations. The • Taking over coordination of the plan legally entrenches forestry standards successful Vancouver Island Forest Watch that are lower than the provincial standards network on behalf of Sierra Legal Defense Logging has had a dramatic impact on Vancouver Island, as on 24% of the island. Fund. Forest Watch involves dozens of evidenced by this 1999 map produced by our GIS mapping program. Black areas indicate intact old-growth forest; grey • Private Forest Practices Regulations were dedicated volunteers working around the areas have been logged; white areas are bare. enacted, but failed to meet our expectations island as industry watchdogs to protect the for protecting environmental values. values they care about. • The incredible Klaskish Valley on • Filing a legal complaint against the Vancouver Island Northern Vancouver Island was clearcut Ministry of Forests for planning and by Interfor this year, devastating in weeks approving logging in a key Marbled Sierra Club of BC continues to promote what had flourished in harmony for 10,000 Murrelet nesting area, despite government ecologically sound forestry practices and years. Years of process to create a more research confirming the importance of the land use on Vancouver Island, which is appropriate forestry plan for this area were area to this poorly understood and continually threatened by industrial logging. lost as Interfor slashed large clearcuts into endangered seabird. Our Vancouver Island Forest Program the valley. • Helping to generate hundreds of letters staff worked hard in 2000 to oppose • Forest connectivity corridors, essential to the Minister of Forests and campaigning overcutting and environmentally damaging to wildlife in an otherwise barren logging to encourage the Ministry to change its logging practices on both public and landscape, became threatened by logging. course and maintain forest connectivity privately owned lands, aiming to reduce Government proposed to open them up for corridors. the impact on salmon habitat, endangered logging in order to achieve desired timber

8 South Chilcotin Wilderness • Promoting a grizzly bear recovery is not anticipated until late in 2002. program for the Lillooet forest district. Sierra Club of BC is committed to Throughout 2000, Sierra Club of BC • Challenging logging plans in completing this process and ensuring the played a lead role in the campaign to proposed protected areas. best conservation package is realized for protect the Southern Chilcotin Mountains • Producing a risk assessment on this spectacular area of our province. and other natural areas in the Lillooet biological values in the Lillooet region. forest district. It is expected that government will Below: Trigger Lake wetland. Sierra Club of BC played Bill Wareham and campaigners Tom agree to some protected area designations a leadership role in protecting the South Chilcoltin Mountains Wilderness, an area of nationally significant Nichols and Doug Radies played strategic in 2001. Completion of the land use plan ecological diversity in the BC interior. roles in the ongoing land-use planning process that will determine the fate of these ecologically important wilderness areas. Our activities included: • Contributing our satellite mapping expertise and other conservation analysis skills to aid our allied environmental groups and First Nations preparing conservation arguments for the land use process. • Holding three months of intense mediated discussions with the forest industry. • Developing a conservation, recreation, tourism and community based land use proposal for government to consider before the Spring 2001 election. • Creating briefing materials on priority conservation areas.

9 Informing Forest Practices Certification Education Bus traveled the province over consumers: the summer months, profiling certification Sierra Club of BC’s outreach For eco-forestry to become the standard as a primary tool in the solution-based materials in our forests, we must create a market for conservation plan for BC’s coastal explain the politics of wood products harvested using eco-forestry rainforests. pulp, paper principles. Sierra Club of BC is working The FSC commissioned a Standards and lumber • purchasing. hard to encourage such trends in the Team of experts to develop the second draft marketplace, and to establish forest policy of the Regional Standard for BC. Sierra that will support this fundamental shift. Club of BC remained close to this process We stand behind the certification standards by monitoring interim certifications, such of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), as Western Forest Products Management and for years have served as a member of Plan for TFL 6 on the north end of environmental chamber alternate and the BC FSC Steering Committee. Vancouver Island. We also maintained a provided further detailed input into the 2000 was a banner year for the Sierra position on the Steering Committee as Draft Regional Standard for BC with a Club’s Forest Certification campaign: focus on high conservation value forests. • We helped provide information to the The year ahead will be full of Forest marketplace, creating a stir among industry Certification activity as Sierra Club of BC and consumer outlets to meet certification maintains its position on the FSC-BC demands. steering committee and engages the public • We supported a collaborative effort in the completion of the Regional Standard known as the Markets Initiative, of which the for BC. Our intent is to establish FSC Sierra Club is a primary partner, which standards with high ecological integrity facilitated the commitment of 16 Canadian that will be used as a tool to encourage companies to adopt purchasing policies ecosystem-based forestry and protect key that are ancient forest free, using FSC ecological areas throughout BC. certified products rather than wood products from endangered and old growth Left: By working with the Forest Stewardship Council, forests. we’re helping to develop credible certification standards • Sierra Club of BC’s Rainforest for sustainably produced lumber.

10 Marine campaign up of people with a broad range of skills and scientists. It has also served as a and experiences, including Gerald Amos, useful tool for local marine activists. The goal of our Marine Program is to Kate Brauer, John Broadhead, Sharon • Worked to protect wild salmon by protect the abundance and diversity of Chow, Terry Glavin, Bruce Hill, Vicky supporting the efforts of Fisheries and BC’s marine ecosystems and marine Husband and Bill Wareham. Oceans Canada (DFO) to promote selective species, paying particular attention to • Published a report on marine fishing, and served as a committee member protecting wild salmon and influencing protected areas by Dr. Scott Wallace to coordinate their annual Selective Fishing how decisions are made in marine and David Boyd: Out of Sight, Out of Mind workshops. We commented on DFO’s species management. and Almost Out of Time – Towards an effective proposed Wild Salmon Policy, monitored In 2000, we: system of Marine Protected Areas in British the Pacific Salmon Treaty, and intervened • Established a Marine Committee made Columbia. This document evaluated the in issues such as Fraser Coho, Thompson, status of marine protected areas in BC, Skeena, and Vancouver Island Steelhead. Below: BC’s marine species are facing serious threats and was well-received by US environ- • Worked with First Nations and other from over-fishing, pollution and commercial aquaculture. mental groups, government agencies groups seeking the elimination of marine- based salmon aquaculture (fish farming). We co-sponsored a Simon Fraser University Symposium on aquaculture, and moni- tored and provided input into BC’s Fish Protection Act. • Mapped salmon streams at risk, based on the 1994 study by the American Fisheries Society, and assembled a composite map of streams for all six species of salmonids. • Served as one of the few Canadian groups that intervened in Alaska’s bid for Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification of its fishery, expressing grave concern about the process’ lack of

11 transparency as well as the negative impact Energy and climate Coast Environmental Law for the Coalition Alaska fisheries have on endangered salmon change to retain Bill Andrews as legal counsel. stocks in Canada and the lower US. • Supported a highly tense gillnet fishery Sierra Club of BC’s Energy and Climate closure on the Skeena and alerted DFO Change campaigns are run by our dedicated Endangered species officials to logging violations in the volunteers Tom Hackney, Bo Martin and Kalum valley. Michael Mascall. Thanks to their efforts we Through our active participation on • Monitored and critiqued the contro- played a partnership role in a Georgia Strait the BC Endangered Species Coalition, we versial hooking-mortality studies of DFO Crossing (GSX) coalition, which is fighting used sophisticated media advocacy tactics, on North Coast coho. for a thorough environmental assessment on-line activism tools, policy briefings, • Worked cooperatively with other for this pipeline development process. advertising and outreach to educate organizations and were one of the loudest In 2000, we: people across the country. In turn, they voices against the proposed lifting of the • Produced “Make a Change for our pressed the federal government for laws moratorium on oil and gas exploration Climate” as an Earth Day 2000 project. that will truly protect endangered species off BC’s coast. BC Transit and Ecosource Paper sponsored and the habitat they depend on to survive. its first print run. In 2000, we worked to: • Attended public meetings on GSX in • Complement the Sierra Club of and Cobble Hill, BC. Canada’s Endangered Species campaign. A highlight of our marine campaign in • Worked with the GSX coalition to write • Oppose the proposed Species At Risk 2000 – this influential publication calls for and submit a response to the National Act (SARA) for its weaknesses, in our role an effective system Energy Board’s draft scope for the environ- as a member of the BC Endangered Species of Marine Protected Areas in BC and mental assessment of GSX, detailing several Coalition. By the end of 2000, SARA was substantive reforms fundamental inadequacies of the proposed off the radar screen — for now. We expect to fisheries policies. scope. The result? The GSX was referred to to see it again in 2001, and will continue a panel review, a rigourous process that has to push for strong legislation for our delayed GSX by at least a year. endangered species and their habitat. • Assisted in strategic planning and deliberations that led to funding from West

12 GAIA Project this through promotion, education and to raise awareness with local campesinos support of appropriate technologies and about organic agriculture. The GAIA Project is a partnership between models for sustainable living. • Took the Sustainable Living Bus Sierra Club of BC and the Salvadoran In 2000, the GAIA Project: program across Canada, visiting 38 Centre for Appropriate Technology • Hosted a Canadian tour for two communities between Hull, Quebec and (CESTA). The long-term vision of the Salvadorans, Carlos and Israel, to promote Victoria, BC. The Bus continues to capture GAIA Project is to link people in the North our Landmines project. The project was the attention of the media and public with people in the South by supporting called Healing the Land, Healing Ourselves and everywhere it appears. We developed new practical, hands-on solutions to local was intended to raise awareness about the environmental education programs for environmental problems. We are achieving social and environmental impacts of war. schools in 2000, delivering 78 education The 4-week tour included public events programs in 22 schools in the Lower Below: Working in partnership with the Salvadorean held in Victoria and Vancouver, as well as Mainland and Vancouver Island. Centre for Appropriate Technology, we’re giving Southern communities the tools to deal with environmental issues. participation in a Youth Mines Action • Hosted 13 different youth interns who Conference hosted by the Red Cross. participated in our international youth • Developed an Ecotourism program and internship program. Early in 2000, three will be leading a 10-day pilot tour in early interns returned home from their six- 2001 to visit CESTA’s environmental month placement in El Salvador. Three projects. The goal is to raise awareness more interns, funded through the Metis about the social and environmental issues National Council and the Department of El Salvador is facing, and inspire Canadian Foreign Affairs, began their overseas participants to visit the variety of placement in February and returned in grassroots projects that CESTA has July. In May, seven interns were hired. They undertaken. had busy summers working on a variety of • Began formalizing a new partnership environmental projects and preparing for with CIRDEMA/Arbolando in southern their overseas components. We look Bolivia. This grassroots organization works forward to hearing their tales when they towards community restoration and return in 2001. reforestation efforts in the severely degraded Calmacho watershed, and works

13 analysis maps for BC’s Central Coast. • A series of twelve draft maps for the Central Coast Land Use Planning nego- Tools for change tiations with industry and First Nations. • Four maps demonstrating Interfor GIS mapping program tenures and logging. • Six maps of First Nations territories Over a decade ago, we discovered that showing logging plans and key watersheds. no one could tell us how much of British • Three maps for First Nations territories Columbia’s ancient coastal temperate showing Conservation Area Design (CAD). rainforests remained. We launched BC’s • Tabloid map for CAD. first satellite mapping program, working • Map of Oil and Gas Leases in British with international experts to pioneer the Columbia. use of geographical information systems • A map of BC’s coastal areas for Der (GIS) to support our conservation Spiegel magazine in Germany. campaigns. Dramatic and informative • Update of map demonstrating the maps of British Columbia’s temperate Vancouver Island land use plan. rainforest, declining salmon stocks and the South Chilcotin wilderness are just some of what has been produced. We continue to be Forest policy and the leader in satellite image analysis and the production of GIS map products for economic analysis land protection and land management campaigns in BC. The demand for our Using cutting-edge economic research and products and in-house technical expertise analysis, our Forest Policy and Economics is ever-increasing. campaign provided tools and support for Sierra Club of BC is a leader in satellite image analysis and the production of GIS map products for land The following are just a sample of the communities in transition, exposed protection and land management campaigns in BC. maps we produced in 2000: government subsidies and other real costs • A series of 40 ecosystem sensitivity of industrial resource extraction, and

14 critiqued forest policy initiatives that are Environmental (Top 12 BCTF Lesson Aids January 2000). detrimental to BC’s forests. education in the • The Rainforest Bus, our tactile In 2000, we: classroom rainforest on wheels, had its biggest year • Completed our engagement with the ever. Over 6,000 children had the chance to province’s Forest Policy Review, calling for Even as the battles in our woods, valleys stroke a bear, walk through a clearcut and action on the more positive recommen- and oceans are being won, the war will be learn about sustainable alternatives to dations that emerged from the 1999 review lost if we don’t cultivate the next gener- status quo logging practices. process. ation of conservationists and consumers. • Commissioned and published Cutting Therefore, we work to increase both the for the Economy’s Sake. This report illustrates level and quality of environmental edu- how inadequate socio-economic analysis is cation in British Columbia’s schools, used to support an unsustainable Annual by working directly with teachers and Allowable Cut (AAC) in BC, resulting in students in the classroom using our cutting levels that are harmful to both the professionally developed, curriculum- environment and local economies. based and award-winning environmental • Alerted the public to the Private Land education program. Regulations that were legislated in April In 2000: 2000; these minimal regulations allow • Our TREE (Temperate Rainforest logging companies to claim they are Environmental Educators) team gave operating according to publicly acceptable interactive environmental education Above: Our environmental programs provide students across the province with memorable, hands-on learning experiences. standards when in fact they do very little. programs to over 6,000 BC students on • Developed socio-economic initiatives Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. for the Great Bear Rainforest campaign. • Our guidebooks and learning resources We were the key player in organizing two have received recognition from both related workshops, bringing together the Ministry of Education (Training community economic development Recommended Learning Resource, professionals from the region and others Resource Science 11 & 12 – Forests) and involved in regional land use planning. the British Columbia Teacher’s Federation

15 of Ayum Creek by the Society for the Protection of Ayum Creek. • The Victoria Group also worked on Grassroots activism pesticide issues in Victoria, trying to reduce residential use and supporting a ban on all Since 1892, Sierra Club has been a use of pesticides for lawns and ornamental powerful body of people who care enough gardens. about our planet to fight for it. We are proud of our grassroots heritage and the Coast Mountain Group regional and national representation it • Work crews scouted Bornite Mountain provides our members. All our volunteers three times in 2000 before setting up a deserve heartfelt thanks for their tireless work crew to begin trail rebuilding and The more we advocacy on behalf of the wild places maintenance in the fall. The group from we cherish. adopted the trail in co- participate, the more operation with the local Ministry of Victoria Group Forests. Not content with that, they are we influence change, • Silver Spray victory! The Land Use presently reworking a proposal to build a Committee of the Capital Regional short trail off the Exstew River to the west and the better our District (CRD) voted to oppose this huge of Terrace. development proposal, validating four • Glenn Grieve finished a mapping future will be. years of work by East Sooke residents. project of Howe Creek, a stream that runs ‘‘ Special mention goes to Pete Dixon for through Terrace. While there is a muni- MICHAEL MASCALL his tireless volunteer campaigning in cipal trail at present, Glenn won’t stop his raising this issue and keeping it alive quiet work until that trail runs the length when all signs pointed to defeat. of the stream and Howe Creek is properly • Pete was given formal recognition for connected to the Skeena again, rather than his work in 2000, receiving the Drinking plunging into it via a metal culvert. Water Stewardship Award from the CRD, • Group members Rob Brown and awarded for his environmental stewardship Bruce Hill researched information on the

16 dangers of oil and gas exploration off • A work party on the Mt. Sutton trail • Group members attended the Haida Gwaii and assisted the Marine was organized jointly with another hiking North Cowichan municipality workshops Campaign. group, and the annual broom blitz at the to discuss the proposed mapping of • Coast Mountain’s biggest event of the Flower Reserve on Mt. Tzouhalem was held community hiking trails, as well as the year was hosting a training session for in October. placement of the Forest Watch. It attracted people from • A letter-writing campaign was organ- through the . Later in the Haida Gwaii to Smithers who formed Forest ized to comment on the proposed federal year, members hiked and mapped Mount Watch cells in their own communities. Endangered Species legislation. The group Provost for this project. Recently, the Group has focused on giving also lodged its opposition to an Outdoor public comment on the newly released Recreation Park proposed in an ecologic- Below: Demonstrations: one of many avenues Sierra Kalum LRMP. ally sensitive area near sacred Native lands. Club of BC uses to communicate our messages. • In between all this work, there have been kayak trips and plans for more kayak trips to the Kitlope and the Stikine. East Vancouver Islands Group • The year 2000 was made up of some wonderful outings to the beautiful areas we live in and work to protect. We maintained a full hiking schedule, with weekly hikes as well as several weekends on the Juan de Fuca trail and Quadra Island. All hikes were publicized, with community members encouraged to participate to learn about Sierra Club of BC issues and build respect for our Island environment. Several hikes were held with the Cowichan Valley Naturalists.

17 Quadra Island Group • A Forest Watch group was formed, with alternatively powered sustainable Group Our major campaigns included: comments submitted on Weyerhaeuser’s headquarters! • Working to ensure the provincial FDP and the latest Timber Supply Review. • We kept our meetings social, punctuated government honours its commitment to • We worked to oppose the proposed by outings and gourmet potlucks. create parks at Small Inlet and Waiatt Bay lifting of the oil and gas moratorium for (at the north end of Quadra Island), and offshore drilling. pushing to protect red-listed ecosystems • We looked at alternative energy and that are threatened by private-land logging sustainable living options for island Below: At the heart of our organization are volunteers like those of the Haida Gwaii group, whose grassroots at the south end of the island. residents. Our five year goal is to build an efforts provide a powerful regional voice. • Sponsoring guest speakers on a variety of issues and topics, some of which were connected to our outings. • Reviewing a number of Forest Development Plans, including those for five woodlot owners on the island and the extensive proposals from TimberWest. • Launching an appeal to the Environ- mental Appeals Board concerning the air emissions for a proposed co-generation plant at Elk Falls Mill in Campbell River. Haida Gwaii Group • An eight-member executive committee was elected in early 2000 to help direct this newest Sierra Club of BC group, and we quickly set to work designing plans and strategies.

18 Financial Report for the Year Ended December 31, 2000

For the year ending December 31, 2000 the Sierra Club of British Columbia generated an excess of revenue over expenditures (surplus) of $9,512 and increased of our fund balances (equity) to a total of $198,831.

Revenue Government grants and contracts We would like to take this opportunity to The increased Sierra Club of BC surplus provided an additional $485,700 or 28.1%. thank our donors for their generosity and is due, in part, to the increase in revenues While very significant to overall Sierra continued confidence in the Sierra Club from approximately $1,525,000 in 1999 Club of BC activities, government grants of BC. to more than $1,724,000 in 2000. This and contracts were down by approximately Memberships contributed $14,928 to represents an increase of $199,000 or $233,000 over 1999 as we to move to a club revenues, a reduction of more than approximately 13%. more diversified funding base. $5,400 over 1999. This reduction resulted As in the prior year, the Sierra Club Non tax-deductible donations made from a change from chapter-collected of BC’s two major sources of funding are: directly to the Sierra Club of BC increased memberships (1999) to the national office • The Sierra Club of British Columbia by $27,445 or 405% over the prior year. collecting memberships (2000). Foundation; and • Government contracts and grants. For 2000, the Sierra Club of British 2000 Revenue $1,724,254 Columbia Foundation provided $1,040,487 in grants. This reflects a $360,000 17.2% Sierra Club of BC increase over 1999. For 2000, funding Foundation donations provided by the Sierra Club of British 0.5% Interest Columbia Foundation represents 60.4% of 1% Product sales and events total Club revenue. Of this, approximately 7% Service contracts, cost recovery & other $295,765 is in individuals and corporate 0.9% Membership dues Foundations 2.1% Donations through Sierra donations and approximately $744,722 Club of BC comes from other foundations funding Foundation 43.2% the Sierra Club of BC through the Sierra 28.1% Government funding Club of British Columbia Foundation.

19 Expenditures Costs associated with the purchase of In essence, for every dollar that Total expenditures increased by capital assets, i.e. depreciation, were kept comes in the door, $0.87 is spent directly $194,000 to approximately $1,715,000. to approximately 1%. on protecting and educating people This represents an increase of more than The remaining 87% of expenditures, about BC’s treasured wild places and 12.7% on the 1999 expenditures of or $1,492,419, are directly related to the wildlife. $1,521,808 and reflects an expansion of delivery of programs and services: 80% for Our financial transactions are audited our programs and activities. our conservation programs and 7% for on an annual basis. The audited financial The most significant organizational producing the Sierra Report on a quarterly statements are available upon request from expenditures include: basis and membership development. our Victoria office. • Wages and benefits for the hard working Sierra Club of BC staff ($566,735 or 33% of total expenditures); and 2000 Expenditures $1,714,742 • Subcontractor and consulting fees that ensure the Sierra Club of BC 0.6% Surplus 0.5% Groups remains a credible and respected voice on 2.3% Sierra Report environmental issues in British Columbia 4.7% Membership ($440,473 or 26% of total expenditures). 0.9% Capital costs Looking at Sierra Club of BC expen– ditures from another perspective, for the 11.5% Operating costs Conservation year ended December 31, 2000, operating programs 79.5% expenditures account for approximately 11.5% of total expenditures. These expen- ditures are those incurred to keep the Sierra Club of BC operating and include admin– istrative support staff, rent, bookkeeping, audit, legal and administrative expenses, as well as group and board expenses.

20 Thanks to Donors 2000 Gaia Project our supporters Hundreds of individuals have supporters and helped to make our work possible and funders through their generous donations donors The Brainerd Foundation in 2000. We thank all donors for BC Hydro The Bullitt Foundation their support. In particular, we’d BC Ministry of Environment, Land BC Ministry of Environment, Land like to recognize the contributions and Parks – Environment Youth Team and Parks – Environment Youth Team of the following individuals, who BC Transit Canada Trust Friends of the each donated more than $500: Environment Fund Canadian International Canadian Council for Human Resources Murray Baron Development Fund in the Environment Industry Robert and Birgit Bateman Climate Change Action Fund The Endswell Foundation M. Chechik Transport Canada Environmental Fund of BC Peter and Allene Drake Human Resources Development Bristol Foster Canada – Fédération de le jeunesse Allan Graves canadienne-française Mark Greenstreet Jeune Brothers Nancy Harrison W. Alton Jones Foundation E. Horlock Konsgaard-Goldman Foundation Paul Hunter The Lazar Foundation J. and R. Lotzkar LGL Limited Larry Lunn Luna Trust B.M. Martin The Moriah Fund R. and P. North Mountain Equipment Co-op Dennis Perry North American fund for Thomas Perry Environmental Cooperation Brian Pinch Norcross Wildlife Foundation, Inc. Keith Reynolds The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Sandra Thomson Patagonia. Inc. in association with Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs Muriel Townsend Project Aware Foundation Buddy Williams Rockefeller Brothers Fund Ken Williams Sierra Club of BC Foundation Linda Williams Sierra Club US Top Shelf Feeds PHOTO CREDITS Turner Foundation Inc. Cover, Lisa Baile Vancouver Community College Page 2, 4 Ivan Hunter Vancouver Foundation Page 6, Lisa Matthaus Page 7, Darcy Riddell, The Victoria Foundation Lisa Matthaus Wilburforce Foundation Page 9, Dave Williams World Wildlife Fund Canada Page 10, Silva Forest Yorkton Securities Foundation Page 11, Mark Hobson Page 13, Mike Simpson Page 15, Jenn Hoffman Page 17, Mark Freeman Page 18, Sierra Club of BC The Sierra Club of BC receives all charitable gifts and grants through the Page 21, Federation of Sierra Club of BC Foundation, 576 Johnson Street, Victoria, BC V8W 1M3 Mountain Clubs Sierra Club of British Columbia 576 Johnson Street Victoria, BC V8W 1M3 Phone: 250.386.5255 Fax: 250.386.4453 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.sierraclub.ca/bc The Sierra Club of BC is an official chapter of the Sierra Club of Canada

Sierra Club of Canada 1 Nicholas Street, Suite 412 Ottawa, ON K1N 7B7 Phone: 613.241.4611 Fax: 613.241.2292 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.sierraclub.ca/national

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