Saw-whet owl by Dr. Gordon Court
Our Parks are more than just Protected Areas ...
Garry Oak Meadows, Vancouver Island by Graham Osborne
Berg Lake, Mount Robson Provincial Park by Michael Wheatly
Climate Change
Climate change has already started to impact the earth’s web of life by melting glaciers, increasing wildfires, triggering pest infestations and causing extreme weather events. Healthy ecosystems are not only important for cleaning our air and purifying our water, but they also mitigate climate change by serving as “carbon sinks,” absorbing carbon dioxide, one of the primary greenhouse gases causing climate change.
Economic Benefits
British Columbia’s parks provide a wealth of ecosystem services, but they also contribute hundreds of millions of dollars annually to local towns and cities across the province. According to a government report released in 2001, BC’s parks system contributes $521 million to our Gross Domestic Product, with “over one-half of the benefits occurring outside of the Lower Mainland and Victoria regions.”10 Despite this large monetary contribution the operational budget for BC Parks is just $33 million, the same as it was in 1994 when our protected area system was half the size. 11
Habitat and Biological Diversity
Loss of habitat is the primary reason why more than 80% of British Columbia’s 1300 species at risk are endangered. Wildlife such as burrowing owls, western bluebirds, mountain caribou and northern spotted owls are in danger of disappearing from BC due to the loss of the meadows, forests and grasslands they call home. Parks play an important role in the prevention of extinction and the maintenance of biodiversity by preserving healthy ecosystems. Unfortunately, many of our parks, due to their small size and lack of interconnected areas, are in danger of becoming “islands of extinction,” where wildlife are unable to disperse and ecosystems slowly degrade because of the fragmentation of the surrounding landscape.
Recreation
Provincial parks provide recreational activities for both young and old, urban and rural, outdoor adventurer and occasional visitor. Whether swimming, canoeing, fishing, hiking, camping, bird watching or roasting marshmallows over an open fire, provincial parks offer an array of activities for people throughout the province. Parks give us a way to get away from the hustle and bustle of the everyday life – to turn off the computer, switch off the TV, leave the cell phone at home and reconnect with nature.
