Fall is a wonderful time to get out in the woods with family. This fall, as British Columbia is gearing up for the upcoming provincial election, it’s also a crucial time to be thinking about the government policies and laws we need to maintain healthy, thriving forests into the future.
Healthy forests and ecosystems provide us with clean air, fresh water, food security, and so many other benefits – supporting communities, jobs, plants and animals. They support a wide range of biodiversity, and they also play a key role in sequestering carbon, which is critical in helping to avoid the worst consequences of climate change.
To ensure that all of these benefits can continue, last year, the BC government released a draft Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework. The Framework commits the Province to prioritize biodiversity and ecosystem health across all government decisions.
As a next step, we are advocating that the government follow through with new legislation for BC that would reinforce that commitment in law, making biodiversity and ecosystem health the top priority for the way our forests are managed.
A law like this – co-developed with Indigenous peoples and respecting their authority and rights – could help BC communities achieve both healthy forests and sustainable livelihoods.
Combined with the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework, this new law could require the government to:
- implement ecosystem-based planning and management;
- address the cumulative effects of multiple forms of development on ecosystems;
- implement new governance arrangements with First Nations and ensure better consultation and community involvement in decisions about forests and watersheds; and
- implement the recommendations of the Old Growth Strategic Review, which will help to better protect nature across the province.
After decades of unsustainable practices that have diminished forest habitats and put ecosystems at risk, it’s clear that BC needs a different way of managing forests – for wildlife, our families, and our future.
Right now, as we prepare to head to the polls, it’s especially important for election candidates and political parties to hear from BC voters about what matters most. We must elect leaders who recognize the importance of strong laws to take care of forests and ecosystems, so that they can keep supporting our communities and our health.
Take Action
Please join us and show your support for a BC law for biodiversity and ecosystem health. Send a letter to your local election candidates urging them to commit to introducing new legislation to implement the Old Growth Strategic Review recommendations and ensure that nature is a top priority in all provincial decision-making.
Organizations and community members in different parts of the province are coming together to support this new law ahead of the BC election. On Saturday, September 28th, there will be a Families for Forests Day of Action with in-person events in Vernon and Castlegar (learn more here). You can take part by sending a message on September 28th using the tool below!
Authorized by West Coast Environmental Law Association, registered sponsor under the Election Act, admin@wcel.org.