Looking at the landscape of Naikoon Provincial Park on Haida Gwaii, Sharilynn Wardrop was left with more questions than answers. A hand-drawn map created in the 1980s revealed little about the park’s bog, beach, dunes and lush rainforests. Wardrop, a BC Parks protected areas applied ecologist, and other experts, knew it was time to chronicle …
Written by Jessica Bodnar Since the spring of 2017, I have been a volunteer ecological reserve (ER) warden for Chilliwack River. As an ER warden, we are the eyes and ears for BC Parks staff. Each volunteer has their own protected area where we contribute our knowledge and enthusiasm for conservation. Together, we manage the …
Written by Ian Adams The helicopter nestles into the natural forest opening atop a ridge in British Columbia’s Gilnockie Provincial Park. As the rotors slow, biologists and BC Parks staff jump out and start gathering gear. The plan is to bushwhack our way downslope and intercept a small tributary stream, then follow it to the …
Written by Mary Sanseverino, Research Associate, School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria For 20 years the Mountain Legacy Project (MLP), based at the University of Victoria in the School of Environmental Studies, has been using repeat photography to explore change in Canada’s mountain landscapes. With historical photographs of remarkable fidelity assembled and digitized in …
Guest post by Ocean Wise Every year, thousands of Canadians volunteer their time to protect our aquatic ecosystems from litter, and in turn, it is important for us to protect the volunteers on the shorelines and make their safety our priority. Before you head out to a shoreline near you, here are some tips to …
Written by Sarah Bulford I’ve been thinking about the colour of my BC Parks ranger uniform jacket lately. It’s nothing special, just a pale green colour. But every time I look down at my sleeve, catch a glimpse of the colour in a mirror or the truck window, I feel a sense of peace. Being …
B.C.’s impressive protected area system is comprised of protected areas that were established to protect representative ecosystems in the province, and specific habitat values characterized by the vegetation and wildlife that live there. The boundaries of these protected areas are fixed, but as the climate changes, so will the species, ecosystems and communities that are …
To protect bats against the spread of the deadly White Nose Syndrome (WNS), BC Parks has installed a biocleaning station at Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park. Believed to be the first of its kind in Canada, the biocleaning station helps remove fungal spores from the virus that causes WNS. Visitors walk along an astroturf mat …
Soichi Okano couldn’t believe what he was seeing when he went to the sockeye salmon run at the Adams River 24 years ago. Walking beside the turbulent water, the aspiring photographer from Japan tingled with excitement as he watched thousands of crimson-red salmon return home to spawn. That moment has prompted the 51-year-old to return …
BC Parks is excited to be partnering once again with the Vancouver Aquarium as a conservation supporter of the WWF’s Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup! Since 1994, over 700,000 participants from coast to coast have removed nearly 1.2 million kilos of garbage from Canada’s shorelines. The Shoreline Cleanup is recognized as one of the largest direct action conservation programs in …