Champions for biodiversity
Standing up for fish and wildlife
British Columbia is the most richly biodiverse province in Canada. Sadly, BC also has the highest number of species at risk; with 278 species at risk of extinction and 1807 species in decline. Iconic animals like central mountain caribou, sturgeon, and steelhead are on the at-risk list, which grows longer every year.
BC Wildlife Federation members have been champions for sound fish and wildlife management for more than a century. Whether calling for mitigation of the impacts of a dam project, development or wildfire on wildlife habitat, or sounding the alarm over a dwindling fish population, the BCWF has been there holding governments to account.
Photo: Nicole Smith Currie
Government advocacy for science-based management
Our committees and Board of Directors are made up of volunteers from ten regions of the province. The BCWF leadership advises all levels of government through formal and informal stakeholder consultation and round tables processes. We stand up for British Columbians’ right to access and enjoy public lands and resources. We insist on science-based management designed to grow abundance, rather than just managing fish and wildlife to zero.
The BCWF Position Statements on Government Public Engagements
Photo: Les Lepine
It's our responsibility to conserve
In BC, natural resource management spending is a tiny fraction of the budget. The BC Forests and Environment Ministries account for only 1.8% of provincial spending.
Licence fees from hunters and anglers help to fund fish and wildlife research and management, but more investment is needed. We believe all users of the province’s natural resources should contribute to conserving the biodiversity that makes BC unique.
Photo: David Doratty
BCWF programs protect the natural environment
The BCWF Wilderness Watch program and Conservation App for smartphones provide information and tools to help citizens report any unlawful activities they see that might harm nature. The BCWF provides a reward to people who report information to the Conservation Officer Service which results in the conviction of persons who have violated laws related to the protection of fish, wildlife, or the environment.
Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP)
1-877-952-RAPP.
Restoring wetlands in our backyards
Wetlands are vital to migratory birds and wildlife. 30% of species at risk depend on wetlands for their survival. Wetlands occupy only 6% of BC’s landscape, and they continue to disappear at an alarming rate. The BCWF Wetlands Education Program (WEP) works to reverse this trend by training stewards across the province to map, enhance and restore local wetlands.
Photo: Lindsay Thiessen
Celebrating our outdoor heritage
The BCWF fosters a heritage of conservation among families and future generations, providing camps and programs for youth and women. Thousands of outdoor enthusiasts take BCWF Conservation and Outdoor Education (CORE) training every year. Fishing Forever programs assist those with disabilities to get outside and enjoy fishing at their local docks. The BCWF membership wants future generations to be able to experience wildlife in natural settings, not just in a museum or on a screen.