Fossil Management in British Columbia
Engagement Summary
The Fossil Management Framework for British Columbia addresses the management of fossils and fossil sites around the province. In May 2010, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations invited British Columbians to participate in a public consultation on a proposed Fossil Management Framework. The purpose of the consultation was to solicit feedback from stakeholder groups and the public on the Framework elements that address the use and protection of fossils, based on a comprehensive review of fossil management in other jurisdictions and feedback from stakeholder groups and the public.
The Province worked with agencies, stakeholders and the academic community to identify the elements that form the basis for fossil management in British Columbia. Through the consultation website, individuals had the opportunity to submit comments on the proposed framework elements, or engage in an online discussion with other participants on 12 different topics.
Timeframe:
May 3 to July 2, 2010
Input Received:
- There were 1,674 visits to the main web page for the consultation;
- The Share Your Thoughts page generated 228 visits;
- A total of 5 submissions were received using the online commenting form available from the
Share Your Thoughts page; and - A further 27 submissions were sent to the Fossil Management email address available on the Contact Us
The Fossil Management Framework Consultation Summary Report was released in October 2010 and gives a detailed description of what was heard throughout the consultation.
Input leads to action:
Since the public engagement, government has done the following:
- Amended the Land Act to define fossils by regulation and to strengthen the Crown’s ability to manage fossils on Crown Land;
- Developed tools such as the Important Fossil Areas map and database of fossil sites in BC; and
- Used legislative tools to protect fossil sites, such as the designation of the McAbee Fossil Beds as a Provincial Heritage Site in 2012.
Please visit the Fossil Management in British Columbia website for more information on what B.C. is doing to protect important fossils and fossil sites around the province as heritage resources.