A world-class rock-climbing destination and provincial park soon will be bigger, thanks to a land transfer to BC Parks from the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and TLC, The Land Conservancy of British Columbia, Environment Minister Terry Lake announced.

The B.C. government is doing its part for Earth Hour 2012 for the fourth year in a row by shutting off the lights at the Parliament Buildings this Saturday from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. to save power and encourage British Columbians to do the same, Environment Minister Terry Lake and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Bill Barisoff announced.

Finavera Wind Energy Inc. has received an environmental assessment (EA) Certificate for the proposed Tumbler Ridge Wind Energy Project located within the District of Tumbler Ridge municipal boundary in northeast B.C.

All proposed waste to energy (WTE) recovery facilities in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley will be subject to a full, mandatory environmental assessment in accordance with an amended and strengthened regulation under the Environmental Assessment Act, Environment Minister Terry Lake announced.

Environment Minister Terry Lake says Discover Camping saw a 41 per cent increase over 2011 when BC Parks opened for reservations on March 15. In the first hour, more than 2,100 reservations were made. This represents approximately 35 a minute.

The Natural Resource Compliance Act, introduced in fall 2011, is now in effect, making it easier for compliance and enforcement officers to hold offenders accountable for violating natural resource legislation.

After a flood-related closure last summer, nearby Gwillim Lake Provincial Park is scheduled to reopen in time for the May 2012 long weekend.