Biodiversity

Taking Action - What is Being Done, What Can You Do?

Key Federal Initiatives

• In 1992, Canada became the first industrialized nation to sign the UN Convention on Biological Diversity

• Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA) came into force in June 2004.

• The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) is an independent body of experts who use scientific, aboriginal, and community knowledge to determine the conservation status of species in Canada.

• The Invasive Alien Species Strategy for Canada addresses threats from invasive plants and animals to Canada’s wildlife, forests, fisheries, and resource sectors.

• Canada’s Oceans Strategy was developed to understand and protect the marine environment, support sustainable development, and provide international leadership and oceans governance.

Key B.C. Government Initiatives

• The B.C. Conservation Data Centre

• Strategic Land Use Planning

• The B.C. Wildlife Act was amended in 2004, to allow cabinet to designate the full range of species provided for in the federal Species at Risk Act, including plants and invertebrates.

• In 2004, 39 species (all previously listed by COSEWIC) were identified as Species at Risk under the Forest and Range Practices Act. Plans for forestry and range activities now require greater consideration of these species.

Other International, Municipal, Community, and Volunteer Initiatives

• Georgia Strait Alliance

• Greater Vancouver Regional District Biodiversity Strategy

• Garry Oak Ecosystem Recovery Team

• Important Bird Areas

• Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk

• Marine Mammal Monitoring

• B.C. Trust for Public Lands

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WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Your personal choices can help relieve the pressure on B.C. ecosystems and biodiversity:

• Consume fewer resources and generate fewer waste products.

• Learn more about B.C.’s flora and fauna through local natural history societies or by visiting national, provincial, or regional parks.

• Encourage backyard biodiversity. Naturescape British Columbia provides information about how to restore, preserve, and enhance habitat in urban and rural landscapes and yards.

• Share your knowledge of and passion for biodiversity with friends, children, and co-workers. Project WILD provides wildlife-focussed conservation education for K-12 teachers and their students.

For detailed information, including graph data, see In-Depth report [pdf].