People love BC's parks because they help protect what makes our province such a special place to live and visit. Wild rivers, old-growth forests, alpine meadows, mountain vistas, rolling grasslands and salmon streams are just some of the natural treasures to be found in parks across the province.

BC Parks -A World Famous Legacy- Update 2006

Wilderness Committee Educational Report Vol.25 - No.05, Summer 2006

MacMillan Provincial Park entrance

Parked

Recent Park Victories in BC

MacMillan Provincial Park (Cathedral Grove)

MacMillan Provincial Park, better known as Cathedral Grove, is famous for its towering Douglas-firs. Located on Vancouver Island, this small park faced twin threats: a proposed parking lot in a sensitive floodplain in the park and proposed logging adjacent to its boundaries. Thanks to people speaking out, in 2005 the government expanded the park by 150 hectares and in 2006 scrapped parking lot plans. The fight is far from over — some of Cathedral Grove’s ancient trees remain unprotected — but these victories serve as reminders of the importance of public participation in defending our park system.

Great Bear Rainforest announcementPhoto courtesy of ForestEthics

Great Bear Rainforest

After 15 years of hard work by environmental organizations, First Nations, local communities, industry and the BC government 1.2 million hectares of the North Central Coast, known as the Great Bear Rainforest, was protected from logging in February of 2006. A significant step towards the preservation of this diverse coastal temperate rainforest ecosystem, the Great Bear Agreement is a testament to the roles of perseverance and vision in creating BC’s protected areas system.