The Province is investing $100,000 over the next five years to enhance wildlife conservation throughout British Columbia. Parliamentary Secretary Mike Morris made the announcement yesterday evening at Ducks Unlimited Volunteer Convention.

The funding is being provided to the Crown land securement partner program, a partnership that includes Ducks Unlimited Canada, The Nature Trust of British Columbia, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Wildlife Habitat Canada, the Canadian Wildlife Service and the Province of British Columbia. The partners share a strong interest in conserving land for its fish and wildlife habitat values, and work together on acquiring private land and securing neighbouring Crown land for conservation purposes.

A key focus of the partnership is to help the Province designate new - and expand existing - wildlife management areas. These are areas of land designated under the Wildlife Act for the benefit of regionally to internationally significant fish and wildlife species or their habitats. Conservation and management of fish, wildlife and their habitats is the priority in a wildlife management area but other compatible land uses may be accommodated.

Over the past five years, the partnership program has helped create eight new wildlife management areas, and expanded several others, resulting in the protection of almost 29,000 hectares of prime wildlife habitat throughout B.C.

Quotes:

Parliamentary Secretary Mike Morris -

“The Province recognizes the vital role wildlife management areas play when it comes to conserving and managing important habitat for regionally and internationally significant fish and wildlife species. The funding announced today will provide ongoing support to a partnership that is a critical part of B.C.'s land conservation strategy.”

Linda Hannah, B.C. regional vice president, Nature Conservancy of Canada -

“Protecting habitat for species at risk and other wildlife is one of the most important actions we can take to conserve British Columbia’s natural heritage. The Province’s funding support of the Crown land securement partnership program offers a significant boost to our efforts to conserve critical wildlife corridors and key natural areas for the fish and wildlife that rely on them. This collaborative approach to land conservation is securing a better future for all British Columbians.”

Jasper Lament, CEO, The Nature Trust of British Columbia -

“We recognize and appreciate the funding and commitment from the Province in partnership-based land conservation. This funding is critical to the success of the conservation efforts of the Crown land securement partnership program. The program is working on a number of new projects, and over the next five years is looking to help conserve more than 30,000 hectares of important wildlife habitat.”

Brad Arner, manager of Provincial Operations, Ducks Unlimited Canada -

“Ducks Unlimited has been working closely with the Province for more than 33 years, partnering on 130 different projects designed to protect and conserve wetlands and other wildlife habitats. This latest funding reconfirms B.C.'s commitment to conservation on Crown land and to the important work Ducks Unlimited and other organization are doing to ensure that waterfowl and other wildlife have habitats now and for the future.”

Quick Facts:

• Over the past five years, the partnership program has helped create eight new wildlife management areas, and expanded several others, resulting in the protection of almost 29,000 hectares of prime wildlife habitat throughout B.C.
• The program has helped create of 14 of B.C.’s 28 wildlife management areas, and is working on establishing 16 new conservation areas.

Learn More:

To read about the B.C.'s conservation land program, visit: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/habitat/conservation-lands/

Media Contacts:

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