Friday, August 23, 2024 A significant conservation victory has been achieved with the permanent protection of over 250 acres of fragile ecosystems in the Salish Sea region. The BC Parks Foundation, with generous support from the Wilson 5 Foundation, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and other dedicated donors, has secured the preservation of critical areas on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. Among the newly protected areas are an island with unique geological features, a salmon estuary, a wetland, and an at-risk waterfront forest.
These areas, rich in biodiversity and ecological significance, will now be safeguarded for future generations. “Salmon, towering Douglas-firs, and the Sunshine Coast are treasures of the west coast,” stated the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “However, their future is not guaranteed due to the dual threats of climate change and biodiversity loss.
This protection effort demonstrates our collective commitment to preserving these natural wonders. As Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, I am proud to support this initiative, ensuring these lands and the species they harbor are protected for all time.” The Coastal Douglas-fir ecosystem, which is the smallest, rarest, and most globally unique biogeoclimatic zone in British Columbia, is particularly at risk.
“Many of these ecosystems are under threat, making it more important than ever to protect them,” noted Summer and Chip W.