By Ratika Sethi, BC Parks co-op student Judith Kasiama is an avid hiker, lover of the great outdoors and an advocate for inclusive representation in outdoor spaces. She founded an organization called Colour the Trails four years ago in Vancouver and is working with brand partners and businesses to break barriers and create outdoor accessibility …
It’s been 5 years since the partnership with ICBC and BC Parks started in January 2017 with the launch of the BC Parks Licence Plate Program! There is no doubt that the support of British Columbians who have purchased these plates have made this program a resounding success. BC Parks is very grateful for your …
Bishop Bay – Monkey Beach Conservancy is a magical place to visit – only accessible by boat or floatplane. When Natasha Ewing, community liaison officer with BC Parks, got an opportunity to visit in the fall of 2021, she was very excited. Natasha and two coworkers travelled to several protected areas within the Inside Passage, …
Riley, Ben and Megan are three of 86 youth who were employed in the BC Parks Student Ranger and Youth Employment Programs across the province this year. The Student Ranger Program is now in its fourth year and employs student ranger crews. The Youth Employment Program is in its second year and took a new form this …
By Laura Matthias and Carrina Maslovat Ecological reserves protect unique species or ecosystems, and do not allow intensive recreation, making them appropriate places for education and research projects. On the south-facing Garry oak slopes of the Mount Tuam Ecological Reserve, a team of scientists have been using environmental DNA (eDNA) to develop a protocol to find the secretive, …
Our parks play an important role in providing outdoor space and access to nature to the people of BC and visitors to our province. But what happens when we remove the people from those spaces and leave the parks to the wildlife? In 2020, the park system was closed, and Joffre Lakes Provincial Park did …
At BC Parks, we are committed to serving British Columbians by protecting natural features and providing diverse opportunities for outdoor recreation for current and future generations. BC Parks benefits tremendously from the contributions made by volunteers and in collaboration with other fantastic organizations. This July, I was able to join Surfrider Foundation, a renowned international …
Written by: Ken Marr, Royal BC Museum In the summer of 2018, biologists from the Royal BC Museum (RBCM) and the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) went on a mission to collect plant, insect, spider and mushroom specimens from the remote alpine zone (the land above the trees) …
When Mackenzie Clark comes into work, she knows she’s going to learn something new and chances are she will be out in the field, in a provincial park. Mackenzie is one of 37 youth employed in the BC Parks Youth Employment Program across the province, with 11 co–op positions and 26 student ranger intern positions, under the broader umbrella of the StrongerBC Future …
Boosting Butterfly Numbers in Helliwell The number of Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies, a critically endangered species, in Helliwell Provincial Park, rose significantly last spring when nearly 1,300 caterpillars, reared at the Greater Vancouver Zoo by Wildlife Preservation Canada staff, were gently placed in the park by the Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterfly Recovery Project Team. This follows the …