New day coming for the Marbled Murrelet

As many readers will recall, the SCCA has a long history with the Marbled Murrelet; we’ve been to court 3 times, wrote numerous complaints to the Forest Practices Board, challenged a logging corporation’s environmental certification, participated in various government-initiated reviews, proposed new Wildlife Habitat Areas (about fifty designated so far), and more. All these efforts were successful in certain ways but didn’t fundamentally resolve the problem of logging in the old growth nesting habitat of this small Threatened seabird, until now!

Last fall, British Columbia released the draft Marbled Murrelet Implementation Plan (MMIP) and gave us sixty days to make comment. (you can read our submission here). I am delighted to say, we like it!

Just to back up a bit, Canada has in place the Species-At-Risk Act (SARA). The Act requires the federal government to produce a Marbled Murrelet Recovery Plan. We’ve had this plan for a few years now. There are also two Federal/Provincial agreements in which British Columbia commits to meeting the objectives of the recovery plan. The draft implementation plan is about the details of how to do this. The Implementation planners have produced an inventory of all murrelet nesting habitat where ever it occurs in coastal BC. You can check out the maps here. 

As well, the Implementation Plan contains a draft Order under Section 7 of the Forest and Range Practices Act, that details the amounts and qualities of land that must be protected. The target is to protect an amount of land equal to 80% of the amount of suitable habitat that existed in 2002. Where this standard cannot be achieved, all remaining habitat must be retained. On southeastern Vancouver Island, for example, this means that all remaining suitable habitat will be protected. In our area, the Sunshine Coast Natural Resource District, this means that ~14,000 hectares of high class suitable habitat will be protected and all suitable habitat in Old Growth Management Areas will be upgraded to Wildlife Habitat Area status.

-Daniel Bouman

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Last Updated: Friday, 11 December 2020 16:51

Gospel Rock Update

The SCCA has been working with the Friends of Gospel Rock Society to protect ecologically rare and sensitive lands in the Gospel Rock Neighbourhood area since 2004. In 2018, the SCCA partnered with The Land Conservancy of BC (TLC) to negotiate a conservation covenant with the Gospel Rock property owner, to forever protect the ecologically sensitive and waterfront lands on Block 7. 

However, in 2019, covenant negotiations with the property Owner stalled when the Town of Gibsons attempted to secure from the Owner a multi-use trail through the most ecologically sensitive forests on Block 7. Development of the trail would drastically degrade the fragile ecosystem on this parcel. Neither the SCCA nor the TLC could agree with the town’s request to develop it. We expressed our concerns to the Town for many months to no effect, as development approvals advanced.

In September 2020 the SCCA appealed to Gibsons Mayor and Council to step in, to resolve the issue and ensure protection of the land. And they did. On October 6th, 2020, at a lively meeting, Gibsons Council directed town staff to abandon the destructive trail and work with the SCCA and TLC to secure the conservation covenant.

In early November the Block 7 Owner, TLC and SCCA received a revised trail plan form the Town. The SCCA and TLC are now reviewing the final draft of the agreement and we expect to have this protective covenant in place by the end of the year. 

Please stay tuned for an update on this long awaited protection of the remaining forests on Gospel Rock!

To follow the SCCA’s work to protect Gospel Rock, please sign up for our eNews, follow us on social media and share our stories.

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Last Updated: Friday, 11 December 2020 05:08

Meet our New Team Members!

In 2019-2020, the SCCA underwent strategic planning, governance training and a management transition. The goal of this transition is to revitalize our organization and ensure the SCCA efficiently and effectively achieves its mandate to protect biodiversity on the Sunshine Coast.

In the fall of 2020, the SCCA hired Suzanne Senger as our new Executive Director. An experienced NGO leader with the skills and expertise to develop capacity and resources, campaigns and projects, Suzanne will guide the SCCA to meet its conservation mandate going forward. As well, the SCCA has hired Holly Neate, as our new Administrator. Holly too brings non-profit, administrative, organizing and networking experience to her role with the SCCA. 

Suzanne and Holly will work closely with our experienced Board of Directors to support the SCCA mission to preserve the natural biodiversity of the Sunshine Coast Region for the present and future benefit of all life, and raise public environmental and conservation awareness. 

CONTACT

Suzanne Senger, Executive Director executive@thescca.ca 

Holly Neate, Administrator info@thescca.ca  

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Last Updated: Friday, 11 December 2020 06:10