BC announces $300 million for conservation but details and more interim measures still missing

VICTORIA / UNCEDED LEKWUNGEN TERRITORIES — A new conservation fund unveiled today is a welcome step that could do a lot for the protection of threatened ecosystems and life-giving biodiversity in B.C. Lack of funding has long been a barrier to conservation, and the Wilderness Committee is happy to see the BC NDP government finally make an investment to address this. But with landscapes in the province facing an uncertain future, the organization is pressing for more immediate action in addition to this necessary financing.

The fund will include a $150 million investment from the province, with a matching $150 million contribution from the BC Parks Foundation.

“$300 million is a solid starting place to enable environmental protection in line with what scientists tell us is needed to tackle the biodiversity crisis here in B.C.,” said National Campaign Director Torrance Coste. “This funding is thanks to the tens of thousands of people who have called on the NDP government to put its money where its mouth is and commit funding towards its promises on conservation.”

The Wilderness Committee is glad to see the commitment to working with First Nations included in the announcement and echoes the importance of new protected areas being guided by and developed with Indigenous governments. Also encouraging is the statement that funding will support planning work to enable conservation projects in addition to completed protected area proposals.

However, the organization voices skepticism about the timeline, especially in light of the lack of interim measures to ensure the most ecologically important areas are not lost in the meantime.

“We know that tens of thousands of hectares of the best old-growth forests have been cut down in the last three years, and we know that’s continuing today while the government announces new commitments and processes,” Coste said. “All the money in the world won’t bring back forests and other ecosystems destroyed while funding mechanisms and planning processes are set up. Now that this money is on the table to enable a meaningful increase in protected areas, the BC NDP needs to step up and stop the ‘Talk and Log’ that undermines its conservation goals.”

Not included in the announcement were details on conservation targets and what type of ecosystems the government aims to protect, meaning there’s no guarantee the money will go towards conserving ecosystems currently underrepresented in protected areas, such as at-risk old-growth forests. The Wilderness Committee is also concerned the government is focusing on long-term planning without more immediate actions on the ground. The province has not shared details about existing old-growth deferrals, so the public doesn’t know the amount of critically important forests being cut down in the meantime. Also missing are details on how the province will remove areas from resource tenures, such as logging license areas, on a fast enough timeline.

“This funding has been one of the missing ingredients for a long time, and it’s great to finally see it on the table, but one ingredient doesn’t make a cake,” said Coste. “If the NDP is serious about this investment and turning the tide on biodiversity loss and the destruction of old-growth, it needs to stand up to logging corporations and others continuing to sabotage conservation efforts in this province as we speak.”

The Wilderness Committee is anticipating additional measures from the provincial government to protect forests and biodiversity this fall. This includes details on a long-awaited old-growth action plan and a framework on ecosystem health and biodiversity — hopefully, a step towards strong species legislation in B.C. The organization will continue to monitor the cumulative impact of these measures and work with First Nations, communities and other organizations to advocate for meaningful and lasting solutions to the old-growth and biodiversity crises in B.C. and Canada.
 

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For more information, please contact:

Torrance Coste | National Campaign Director
250-516-9900, [email protected]