Wildlife habitat on central Vancouver Island is better protected today following new additions to the Green Mountain Wildlife Management Area.

Today’s announcement by Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson adds 105 hectares of highly productive alpine meadow and subalpine habitat on Crown land near Nanaimo. The additions increase the overall size of the Green Mountain Wildlife Management Area by more than 40%. The WMA now covers a total of 342 hectares.

The area is important habitat for the endangered Vancouver Island marmot, and also is ideal terrain for Roosevelt elk, black bear and various threatened and endangered species including the white-tailed ptarmigan, western toad and northern pygmy owl.

The Green Mountain Wildlife Management Area was first established in 1991 to assist with Vancouver Island marmot recovery. Recent marmot recovery efforts have had increasing success. In 2008 there were an estimated 166 Vancouver Island marmots in the wild. Today they are estimated to number between 280 and 400. The increase to the Green Mountain Wildlife Management Area will ensure they will have protected wild spaces as the populations continue to recover.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations works to maintain and restore the province’s ecological diversity of fish and wildlife species and their habitats. One way the ministry meets these goals is through the management of the province’s various types of conservation lands, including the establishment of wildlife management areas under Section 4 of the Wildlife Act. This designation gives the ministry additional tools to manage the land and associated land uses.

Quotes:

Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations -

“With today’s announcement, we are increasing the protected habitat of the Vancouver Island Marmot and other important species. Our government is proud to expand this ecologically valuable wildlife area.”

Don Doyle, project co-ordinator, Vancouver Island Marmot Recovery Foundation -

“The addition of the lands to be included in the Green Mountain Wildlife Management Area helps protect the core of the VI marmot habitat on southern Vancouver Island. This habitat is by far some of the most successful in terms of marmot productivity and recent studies have documented the successful dispersal of marmots from these areas to other mountains on southern Vancouver Island. This dispersal is critical to the recovery of this species. This is a significant addition for the Vancouver Island marmot.” 

Doug Janz, trustee, Nanaimo And District Fish and Game Protective Association -

“The Nanaimo And District Fish and Game Protective Association has a long history of interest in the Green Mountain region. The club conducted a number of work parties on the mountain over the years cleaning up and restoring the site to its natural condition. The expansion of the Green Mountain WMA is welcome news to club members.  It will serve to increase the area of protected wildlife habitat while maintaining opportunity for regulated human recreational use.”

Quick Facts:

• Green Mountain is the fourth wildlife management area to recently be expanded. In 2013, expansions were made to other wildlife management areas near Kamloops and Oliver/Osoyoos and Parksville.
• Three new wildlife management areas were also established in 2013, near Penticton, Valemount and Port Hardy.
• There are now 28 wildlife management areas in B.C. ranging in size from the 17-hectare Coquitlam River wildlife management area to the 122,500 hectare Todagin Wildlife Management Area in northwestern B.C.
• More than 244,000 hectares in the province are now designated as wildlife management areas.
• Several partners assist the Province with the background work required to recommend sites for designation including Ducks Unlimited Canada, The Nature Trust of BC, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and the Canadian Wildlife Service of Environment Canada. The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation and Wildlife Habitat Canada also contribute funding to help with designations or for day-to-day management of the sites after they are designated.

Learn More:

For a high-resolution map showing the additions to the Green Mountain Wildlife Management Area, visit: http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/downloads/green_mtn_wma_addition.pdf

For more information about wildlife management areas in British Columbia visit: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/habitat/conservation-lands/wma

Media Contacts:

Greig Bethel
Media Relations
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 356-5261