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Grizzly bears, like this one at Madrid's zoo, are one of British Columbia's 1,900 at-risk species. The Species at Risk Task Force report makes 16 recommendations, but stops short of calling for a stand-alone endangered species law. (Dani Pozo/AFP/Getty Images)
Environmental groups are disappointed that a government-appointed task force on species at risk falls short of calling for legislation to protect the province’s 1,900 at-risk species.
Released Monday, the Species at Risk Task Force report said the government’s current approach of largely focusing on individual species is inadequate given that B.C. has the greatest biodiversity of any province in the country.
“Because of that biodiversity, we have an extremely large number of species that are being assessed at risk,” the report said.
Concerns highlighted by the 10-member task force include B.C.’s growing population, climate change, degraded ecosystems, limitations to current conservation approaches, and difficulties in protecting species on private land.
“It is clear to us that the current imbalance in British Columbia’s approach to the province’s natural heritage, given the experience elsewhere in Canada and the world, will continue to drive ecosystems and species into decline,” the report said.
Among the task force’s 16 recommendations are implementing an ecosystem-based management approach, engaging First Nations and the public in conservation decision-making, and strengthening existing legislation.
The report stops short of calling for a stand-alone endangered species law—something Ecojustice, Sierra Club BC, and the Wilderness Committee say is what’s needed to effectively protect B.C.’s species at risk and the habitats and ecosystems they depend on.
“We were pleased to see the task force recognizes endangered species in B.C. are in deep trouble, but we are disappointed that instead of calling for a law they recommend tinkering with B.C.’s antiquated patchwork of existing regulations,” says Gwen Barlee, policy director with the Wilderness Committee.
B.C. and Alberta are the only provinces in the country with no endangered species legislation.
George Heyman, executive director of Sierra Club B.C., says the recommendations in the report “could be a welcome complement to an endangered species law but on their own, without that clear commitment, they simply won’t protect or recover endangered wildlife in B.C.”
The Species at Risk Task Force was struck in June 2010 with a mandate to provide recommendations to government for the protection and recovery of species at risk in the province.
Task force chair Bruce Fraser said in a statement that the task force was asked to develop practical and fiscally responsible recommendations.
“Accordingly, we have elected to build on the many conservation initiatives that have already been accomplished. Our report is aimed at making early gains on both public and private land while proposing direction for the long term that will help to address the continuing pressures of development and climate change,” Fraser said.
The task force said that given the various complexities involved, “we see our report as a step in a much longer process.”
B.C.’s species at risk include grizzly bears, spotted owls, phantom orchids, Vancouver Island marmots, and killer whales. Currently, 87 percent of species at risk in the province don’t receive any protection under either provincial or federal laws, according to a statement released by the three environmental groups.The Province will study the task force’s report in detail over the next several months before delivering a formal response. In the meantime, British Columbians are encouraged to read and comment on the task force report through the Ministry of Environment website at www.env.gov.bc.ca/sartaskforce.
