![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.vicnhs.bc.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/sign-for-Honeymoon-Bay-ER-07422-1024x576.jpg\")
Submitted by Philip Lambert, <\/b><\/p>\nSubmitted by Philip Lambert, <\/b><\/p>\n
President of the Victoria Natural History Society president@vicnhs.bc.ca
\n<\/b><\/p>\n
Updated Version Prepared by Jenny Feick for the Friends of Ecological Reserves\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
WHEREAS in 1971, the British Columbia Legislature gave unanimous approval to the Ecological <\/i>\u00a0<\/i>Reserve Act<\/i><\/a>, thus becoming the first province in Canada to formalize, acknowledge the benefits\u00a0 of, and give permanent protected status to ecological reserves; and<\/p>\n WHEREAS the Ecological Reserve Act <\/i><\/a>of 1971 enabled the creation of 148 Ecological Reserves\u00a0 across B.C. as part of a Protected Area system specifically to protect representative examples of\u00a0 the ecosystem types in B.C. as well as rare species and special features of biological and\u00a0 geological importance, for scientific study and educational purposes; and<\/p>\n WHEREAS, the BC Government holds primary stewardship responsibility for the B.C. Protected\u00a0 Areas system, including Ecological Reserves, and that all British Columbians currently derive\u00a0 economic, social, cultural, health and environmental benefits from these areas; and<\/p>\n WHEREAS an assessment of the condition of existing reserves in 2005 raised \u201cconcerns that the\u00a0 ecological values of many individual reserves are at significant risk and a more proactive\u00a0 approach to managing the reserves is required to reverse this trend.\u201d<\/p>\n WHEREAS climate change, increased resource activities and expanding human populations\u00a0 place greater pressures and create greater uncertainty on the sustainability of the species and\u00a0 ecosystems in Canada\u2019s most ecologically diverse province. Reducing uncertainty can be aided\u00a0 over time if there is a sustained monitoring and research program in its protected areas,\u00a0 including Ecological Reserves, so that adaptation strategies are informed by scientific\u00a0 understanding of trends and thresholds; and<\/p>\n WHEREAS the original concept behind Ecological Reserves was that science-based approaches\u00a0 are a fundamental key to understanding how to sustain B.C.\u2019s natural ecological and bio diversity, and so, with today\u2019s awareness of climate change effects on nature, Ecological\u00a0 Reserves remain relevant today, and are now even more urgently needed; and<\/p>\n WHEREAS most Ecological Reserves were specifically designated as research and monitoring\u00a0 sites, these activities have not been consistently pursued by government or promoted to\u00a0 universities and colleges in the last 40 years, i.e., since the early 1980s; and<\/p>\n WHEREAS there are approved management planning documents for 126 (85%) of B.C.\u2019s\u00a0 Ecological Reserves, there has been little to no implementation by BC Parks of these Ecological\u00a0 Reserve guidance documents since the 1980s, and thus, instead of serving as natural area\u00a0 benchmarks in research and monitoring studies, Ecological Reserve volunteer wardens report\u00a0that most Ecological Reserves are suffering environmental degradation from a variety of\u00a0 external and internal threats due to lack of maintenance and stewardship actions; and<\/p>\n WHEREAS, the BC government initiated a volunteer warden system in 1980 to assist BC Parks in\u00a0 effectively managing and protecting Ecological Reserves in accordance with the objectives of\u00a0 the Ecological Reserve Act <\/i><\/a>and Ecological Reserve Regulations and that in 2020, approximately\u00a0 25% of current Ecological Reserves (35 out of 148) lack any volunteer warden.<\/p>\n WHEREAS traditional land use by Indigenous Peoples is generally permitted in Ecological \u00a0Reserves, stewardship actions by Indigenous Ecological Reserve wardens and Indigenous groups \u00a0are welcomed, and Ecological Reserves provide opportunities for the maintenance and \u00a0application of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and co-management, therefore the \u00a0establishment of new Ecological Reserves in collaboration with Indigenous Ecological \u00a0Knowledge Keepers and maintenance of existing Ecological Reserves by Indigenous wardens \u00a0could help support the BC government\u2019s efforts to implement the United Nations Declaration \u00a0on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP); and<\/p>\n WHEREAS no systems plan for Ecological Reserves in B.C. exists and the current 148 Ecological\u00a0 Reserves do not form an adequate network of study areas to represent the diversity in B.C.\u2019s\u00a0 Ecoregions and Ecological Zones, and<\/p>\n WHEREAS new discoveries of significant botanical, zoological and geological features and rare\u00a0 or endangered native plants and animals in their natural habitat are still being made, a clear\u00a0 process is needed to set aside specific areas of land to create a more robust Ecological Reserve\u00a0 system that incorporates newly discovered significant areas and features and helps the\u00a0 Province meet its provincial, national and international commitments for biodiversity\u00a0 conservation, species at risk protection, and Indigenous stewardship; and<\/p>\n WHEREAS the total area of land set aside for the 148 Ecological Reserves in B.C. is 112, 543 ha\u00a0 in terrestrial reserves plus 51,731 ha in marine reserves, comprising 0.008% of the BC Parks\u00a0 Protected Area System, and that individual Ecological Reserves tend to be small, they do not\u00a0 alienate large tracts of land from economic development. However, they protect ecologic,\u00a0 biologic and geologic resources of great environmental value and their placement can be\u00a0 strategic so that they contribute to provincial environmental goals related to biodiversity and\u00a0 heritage conservation, climate change action (mitigation and adaptation), Indigenous\u00a0 stewardship, and evidence-based policy. Thus, the long-term comprehensive benefits of\u00a0 protecting these resources exceed the short-term economic gain from development that would\u00a0 destroy these resources.<\/p>\n WHEREAS setting aside additional Crown lands as Ecological Reserves would increase the\u00a0 probability of sustaining ecosystems currently in B.C. and limit irreparable biological losses in a\u00a0period of rapid climate change, an expanded world-class Ecological Reserve system could help\u00a0 the BC Government achieve biodiversity conservation commitments, inform climate change\u00a0 adaptation strategies and augment Indigenous stewardship opportunities.<\/p>\n WHEREAS, the Friends of Ecological Reserves (FER) presented to the BC Government a list of\u00a0 worthy candidate Ecological Reserves in 2014 with a reminder in 2017, none of these areas\u00a0 have been officially added to the Ecological Reserve system; and<\/p>\n WHEREAS, May 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the Ecological Reserves Act <\/i><\/a>and regulations\u00a0 and the establishment of B.C.\u2019s first ecological reserves, thus making it an ideal opportunity to\u00a0 designate additional Ecological Reserves.<\/p>\n Be it resolved that BC Nature urges the BC Government put in place a clear process to add new\u00a0 Ecological Reserves to the system with a schedule for management plan completion and\u00a0 implementation established where gaps exist in ecosystem representation or significant\u00a0 biological (botanical, zoological, genetic) or geological features, and<\/p>\n Be it further resolved that BC Nature urges the BC Government to establish immediate (2021)\u00a0 and long range targets to establish additional Crown lands as Ecological Reserves to represent\u00a0 and protect fragile ecosystems, culturally modified ecosystems and features, rare and\u00a0 endangered species, and significant biological and geological features, in this period of rapid\u00a0 climate change, and<\/p>\n Be it further resolved that BC Nature urges BC Parks to commit to maintaining the current\u00a0 system of Ecological Reserves by completing and implementing approved Ecological Reserve\u00a0 management plans in a timely fashion, and<\/p>\n Be it further resolved that BC Nature urges the BC government to facilitate research in\u00a0 Ecological Reserves by forming partnerships with universities, colleges, research institutions,\u00a0 ENGOs, and Indigenous peoples to get research projects, TEK studies, and baseline biodiversity\u00a0 inventories completed, periodically updated, communicated and used to inform land uses,\u00a0 management practices and climate change adaptation strategies across the broader landscape,\u00a0 and<\/p>\n Be it further resolved that BC Nature urges BC Parks to support the volunteer stewardship\u00a0 efforts of Ecological Reserve wardens as well as ENGO and Indigenous partners in Ecological\u00a0 Reserves by taking action to address threats to Ecological Reserves that they identify, providing\u00a0 opportunities for training and communicating, and supporting specific stewardship projects\u00a0 with in-kind support and where possible, funds.<\/p>\n Government Contacts<\/b><\/p>\n Honourable Katrine Conroy<\/p>\n Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development and<\/p>\n Honourable Nathan Cullen<\/p>\n Minister of State for Lands and Natural Resource Operations<\/p>\n Mailing address:<\/p>\n PO Box 9049 Stn Prov Govt<\/p>\n Victoria, BC V8W 9E2<\/p>\n