(published
1998)
Habitat Atlas for Wildlife at Risk
A Conservation Strategy for the South Okanagan
It
is said that once an area is developed, it never returns
to its natural state. Because habitat loss and fragmentation is
the major cause of wildlife population decline, preserving
and protecting wildlife habitat is now the focus of
regional and provincial conservation efforts.
Tools for Conservation
- Identify core areas to protect; increase parks
and protected areas
- Use land use planning and zoning to enhance and
preserve corridors, and buffer areas around core protected
areas
- Integrate wildlife habitat concerns into community
planning processes
- Encourage land stewardship to maintain and enhance
wildlife habitat on private land and Indian Reserves
- Increase public awareness of wildlife species at
risk and their habitat needs
" We have a responsibility to conserve a
high percentage of species at risk in British Columbia
and Canada. We are uniquely positioned to protect some
of the most important grasslands in the province. A
functional protected areas network with core protected
areas and appropriate landscape linkages and altitudinal
corridors can fortunately still be put in place. In
a few years it may be too late."
Dr. Geoff Scudder
Professor of Zoology
University of British Columbia
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