New tools are giving the Ministry of Environment's Conservation Officer Service greater access to information to help them monitor wildlife-human conflicts, environmental violations and public safety risks to British Columbians.

Under government's Flexible Work Tools Initiative iPhone pilot, Conservation Officers have received iPhones to use in the field and are already seeing the benefits. This cutting-edge technology makes work more cost-effective, more efficient, and above all, more responsive to the incidents they address every day.

With its simple, clear display, the iPhone makes it easy for Conservation Officers to view details of incidents and receive the rich stream of data they need such as photos, maps and violation histories.

The iPhone also allows administrative tasks to be completed in the field and cuts down on trips back to the office for paperwork. Conservation Officers use a variety of specialized apps developed for the iPhone to perform duties, whether in the office or in the field, including:

• Scanning angling licences for online verification.
• Recording digital video and voice - voice can be translated through software into an MS Word document.
• Mappings, chartings and GPS functions.
• Scanning and converting documents to PDFs.

With the iPhone and the apps available to perform just about any function, Conservation Officers are also better equipped to collect and decipher field data and communicate during emergencies. As part of the Conservation Officer Service's technology plan, the service is also looking to install rugged laptops in all patrol vehicles in the fall of 2011.

Learn More at:

To find a wildlife rehabilitator near you, visit the Wildlife Rehabilitators Network of British Columbia at: http://www.wrn.bc.ca/find_a_wildlife_rehabilitator.htm

To download a photo of Minister Lake demonstrating the new iPhone visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcgovphotos/6059212767/in/photostream

Media Contact:

Suntanu Dalal
Media Relations
Ministry of Environment
250 387-9745