British Columbia's Provincial Parks: The Best Place on Earth?
Read the Wilderness Committee's new educational report, British Columbia's Provincial Parks: The Best Place on Earth?
BC is home to 1000 parks and protected areas, covering a total of 13.5 million hectares – it's a proud legacy that has been established by generations of British Columbians for the benefit of our children and grandchildren.
Unfortunately, today this legacy is in trouble.
Over the past decade, funding cuts and regressive policies have had serious impacts on BC's cherished provincial parks. Park interpretive programs have been eliminated, park attendance has declined, trails have fallen into disrepair and many parks have had their operating seasons shortened. And shockingly, cuts to parks staff have now left only 12 full-time park rangers to patrol the province's 1000 parks and protected areas.
Despite these troubling developments, all is not lost. With vision, planning, commitment and proper funding we can ensure that our provincial park system remains the same source of pride for future generations as it has been for us.
Read this paper to find out what steps need to be taken.