BC Gov News

British Columbia's world-class parks system has been enhanced by more than $10.5 million in capital and community legacy investments and free parking for the approximately 20 million annual visitors to ensure our provincial parks are more welcoming for families and visitors to B.C.

Want to inspire your true love with earth-friendly gift ideas? Do you already have a partridge in a pear tree or seven swans a swimming? This holiday season - try giving the gift of green:

With 43 sold so far, there's still time to sponsor a BC Parks' limited-edition bench as part of its 100 park benches for 100 years of provincial parks program.

Although this appears to be a busy year for cougar-human conflict, in fact, it is not unusual when compared to other years.

Overall, at 93,465 reservations to date, camping reservations in provincial parks are up eight per cent over last year, and up an impressive 48 per cent for the week of Aug. 22-28, 2011.

From improving wheelchair accessibility in Haida Gwaii to removing invasive plant species in the Kootenays, parks will benefit from more than $900,000 in funding from the Province and communities across B.C. to mark BC Parks' 100th anniversary.

Give kids a fish, and they might not know much about it except that it's cold and slippery. Teach a kid to fish, and you're opening up a whole new window on the great outdoors.

As summer officially begins today, backcountry enthusiasts can head into the wilderness faster with a new online system that lets them prepay for their backcountry permit in 26 provincial parks.

They're cute and defenceless - and they may look lonely - but baby deer and other wild animals should not be touched or moved.