Wandering Tattler - November 2011.pdf - Nature Vancouver

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Miller from speaking in public or to the media about her work.She has since stated that the virus could be a major factor insockeye decline, but more research is needed. Whether therewill be funding for that work is another matter, as DFO is nowquestioning whether her lab will be able to receive externalsources of money.The possibility of a viral outbreak having an effect on wildsalmon populations is highly plausible. I believe that the vastmajority of British Columbians would like honesty and opennessin regards to this issue.Unfortunately, the close links between government and theaquaculture industry create a lack of credibility; sweepingstatements by representatives that deny any problems withfish farms or any impact on wild stocks merely increasesuspicion of a cover-up. Scientists must be free to do thenecessary research, regardless of the political and financialimplications of their findings. We need facts and clarity, notobfuscation, deception, or hidden agendas. Our wild salmon areworth it.Anne Murray is an independent writer and naturalist, and theauthor of two books on the Fraser River delta—A NatureGuide to Boundary Bay and Tracing Our Past: A Heritage Guideto Boundary Bay—both available at bookstores or fromwww.natureguidesbc.com. available at most bookstores; visitwww.natureguidesbc.comN E W S R E L E A S EMinistry of EnvironmentOctober 22, 2011PRIVATE DONATION INCREASESGRASSLANDS PROTECTED AREAPENTICTON – BC Parks’ White Lake Grasslands ProtectedArea is bigger now, thanks to an “ecological gift” from Oliverresident Denis Pelletier, Environment Minister Terry Lakeannounced today.Pelletier donated the 24.6-hectare property, valued at$475,000, to the Province in memory of his late parents whopassed away in the early 1980s. The donation of thisecologically sensitive land qualifies under Canada’s EcologicalGifts Program.The property is located in an area the Province classified asthe Ponderosa Pine Biogeoclimatic Zone. This is one of fourzones that are of provincial conservation concern. It is rare(less than one per cent of the provincial land base) and listedby B.C.’s Conservation Data Centre (CDC) as being of “specialconcern” due to high losses – 21 per cent has been convertedfor human use such as residential development and agriculture.The CDC reports 192 species potentially inhabit this site. Ofthose, several nationally listed species at risk are known toinhabit the site, based on CDC and Ministry of Environmentrecords.These include:Snakes – Western rattlesnake, gopher snake, racer.Amphibians – Great Basin spadefoot.Birds – white-headed woodpecker.The Province is installing a BC Parks 100 bench on theproperty in recognition of Pelletier’s parents.Quotes:Environment Minister Terry Lake:“The White Lake Basin has long been a priority forconservation efforts in the Okanagan. Denis Pelletier’sdonation complements the conservation values of the adjacentprotected area and serves as an excellent example of nearbylandowners working with BC Parks in helping to protectendangered ecosystems. Land donation is one of the importantaspects of stewardship the public can undertake to enhanceour parks and protected areas.”Denis Pelletier:“Contributing to public spaces like the White Lake GrasslandsProtected Area is very important for future generations.Creating, and more importantly recognizing the value of theseecologically sensitive areas is an important step towardsimproving our collective quality of life in this province.”Quick Facts:The primary role of the protected area is conservation: toprotect the very hot and dry grassland, open pine forestand alkali ponds and rock outcroppings of the SouthernOkanagan Basin Eco section.The 3,764 hectare protected area was established in 2001and covers a geographical area from lakeshore to mountaintop providing important habitat for many of BritishColumbia's endangered wildlife, plants and plantcommunities.Environment Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program offers taxbenefits to landowners.Learn More:Find out more about White Lake Grasslands Protected Area:www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/wht_lk_grass/Find out more about Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program:www.ec.gc.ca/pde-egp/default.asp?lang=EnFind out more about B.C.’s grasslands by viewing the GreatRanger Experience: South Okanagan Grasslands video:http://youtu.be/tZkd-dYbDGkFind out more about BC Parks’ park bench challenge:http://bit.ly/j9emfcThe Wandering Tattler – November 2011 page 6
POACHER CAUGHT ATBOUNDARY BAY REGIONAL PARKEditor’s Note: This is a follow up story from the EnvironmentCanada News Release that appeared in the October 2011 WT.The version below highlights the actions of Metro VancouverParks Staff in catching the poacher. JFGThanks to the quick work of one of our employees, a poacherhas been caught at Boundary Bay Regional Park.Richard Mills, a Parks West Area employee, was on his regularpatrol in Boundary Bay Regional Park dyke area, when he wasalerted by a local researcher and birder who suspected thattwo hunters may be shooting Dunlin birds off the dyke.Richard quickly made a call to the provincial conservationofficer who directed Delta Police to respond. The huntersthen started to return to their vehicle and Richard asked thehunters to remain on site, as requested by the conservationofficer who was still on phone communication with Richard.Richard noticed that the hunters were carrying bags of birds.Upon arrival of the police (who turned out to be a formerMetro Vancouver employee) the hunters were found to have 63Dunlins and a Great Blue Heron in their possession. Seasonalhunting with permit is allowed at Boundary Bay but under theMigratory Birds Convention Act of 1994, there is no huntingallowed of Dunlin and Great Blue Herons. It is also prohibitedto possess carcasses of these birds without lawful excuse.Hang Jian Guo was investigated and in September 2011 wasconvicted of illegal hunting. He was sentenced to pay a fine of$10,000 towards the Environment Damages Fund. The Fund,administered by Environment Canada, was created in 1995 toprovide a mechanism for directing funds received as a resultof fines, court orders and voluntary payments for the repairof the actual harm done to the environment.Above: The Dunlin is a small shore bird of the species Calidrisalpina. Under the Migratory Birds Convention Act of 1994,there is no hunting allowed of Dunlin birds.Thanks to the watchful eyes and quick action of Richard Mills,a poacher was brought to justice and served with a steep fine.Hopefully, this will be a serious deterrent to would-bepoachers in the future.PROPOSED PLAN FOR A FORESTIN WASHINGTON STATEWEAKENS PROTECTIONSFOR NORTHERN SPOTTED OWLThe U.S. Forest Service has proposed eliminating reserves inthe Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in WashingtonState protecting the threatened Northern Spotted Owl. Ithas also weakened management standards that could increaselogging in owl habitat. The proposal is the first for a NationalForest following completion of the Northern Spotted OwlRecovery Plan by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.“This is a step in the wrong direction that will put the rapidlydeclining Spotted Owl population at even greater risk ofextinction,” said Steve Holmer, senior policy advisor forAmerican Bird Conservancy. “This proposal sets a badprecedent and is not an encouraging sign of what is to comenext from the Forest Service under the new Spotted OwlRecovery Plan.”Perhaps the most notable change in the proposed forest planwas the switch from a reserve system of areas off-limits tologging to protect owl habitat, to a reserve-less strategy. Thisidea was proposed in the draft owl recovery plan but spawnedstrong opposition from scientific societies and conservationgroups. While the proposed strategy for Okanogan-Wenatcheeindicates that a percentage of the forest will be managed forthe owl’s benefit, there is concern this protection is notguaranteed as it was under the current reserve system."The Spotted Owl Recovery Plan calls for additional habitatprotection, but this proposed plan moves in the oppositedirection and would eliminate the system of reservesdesignated to conserve the species,” said Holmer.The management standards proposed for portions of theformer habitat reserves could be potentially harmful to theNorthern Spotted Owl. The proposed plan would allow forsignificantly greater road densities (more than 15%) in at leastsix owl reserves. Greater road densities typically result inincreased logging.“Allowing greater fragmentation and road densities wouldreduce the amount of suitable owl habitat in those areas, notto mention increasing fire risks, and should not be allowed,”said Holmer.Thanks to Lynden Mager, Boundary Bay Park Operator, foralerting Internal Communications of Metro Vancouver to thisstory and to Andrew Hunt of the Iona STP for the write up.The population of the Northern Spotted Owl, listed under theEndangered Species Act in 1990, is now thought to numberfewer than 4,000 pairs, and is declining at a rate of 2.9% peryear.The Wandering Tattler – November 2011 page 7
Page 1 and 2: Illustration by Mark WynjaVOL.35 NO
Page 3 and 4: etween 16th and Southwest Marine Dr
Page 5: THE TRUTH ABOUT B.C. SOCKEYESALMON
Page 9 and 10: BIRDS' EYE VIEW ISFAR MORE COLOURFU
Page 11 and 12: VISIT THE WEBSITE FOR MANY MORE PRO
Page 13 and 14: BSC ASSISTS ENVIRONMENT CANADAWITH
Page 15 and 16: Viewing 7,300 Bald Eagles!!Can we t

Wandering Tattler - November 2011.pdf - Nature Vancouver

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?