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“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY/ BC PARKS announces funding available to support volunteer projects in BC Parks

Through the Park Enhancement Fund (PEF) BC Parks is making $240,000 available this year for volunteer and other community-led projects that support conservation and recreation. In past years, funding has gone to projects that include controlling invasive species, gathering conservation data and installing interpretive signage, as well as building huts, docks and trails.

 

Cooper Quinn is always looking for opportunities to help people experience the joy of mountain biking.

 

A long-time mountain biking enthusiast and president of the North Shore Mountain Bike Association (NSMBA), Quinn typically hits the local trails three times a week to clear his mind and let the rest of the world fade away. Mount Seymour Provincial Park is one of his favourite places to ride.

 

Seeing a need for more outdoor recreation opportunities for people with mobility challenges, the NSMBA approached BC Parks in 2018 with a proposal to make an existing trail loop, which partially runs through Mount Seymour Provincial Park, more accessible for adaptive mountain bikes, youth, families and beginners. Quinn was thrilled when parks staff jumped on board.

 

“There are limited opportunities for beginners or adaptive mountain bikers in North Vancouver since most of the terrain around here is quite challenging. We want to build trails for the enjoyment of the whole community,” said Quinn. The NSMBA received $5,000 from the Park Enhancement Fund (PEF) for the project that began in the winter of 2018 and is nearing completion.  

 

More than 200 volunteers have worked on the project, which includes a new hiking-only path to separate mountain bikers from hikers on a downhill section of the multi-use trail. The project focused on sustainability and reducing environmental impacts from the trail. All that’s left is a bit of work to meet trail standards for adaptive mountain biking.

 

“The Park Enhancement Fund was really the catalyst to get the project off the ground and moving forward,” Quinn said. “It was a significant amount of work, but our volunteers are incredibly dedicated.”

 

Pamela Wright, with the Ecosystem Science and Management Program at the University of Northern British Columbia, has used PEF funding to restore private land that was returned to Eskers Provincial Park. This land is located 40 kilometres northwest of Prince George.

 

What was a hay pasture, filled with invasive species, is being transformed into a diverse forest with a variety of trees donated by local nurseries and forestry companies, and planted by volunteers. The volunteers have built wildlife habitat structures like bat boxes and nesting boxes, a bridge over a stream and a permanent trail around the perimeter of the field.

 

“It’s a good way to demonstrate restoration in a place that people can see and also do it in a climate-forward way,” said Wright. “We have increased recreation use in that area because people enjoy getting onto the trail. It’s nice to see the area making a change in that ecosystem.”

 

Volunteers and community groups can apply for up to $5,000 per project for 2020-21. Each of the six BC Parks regions has been allocated $20,000 to support conservation projects and $20,000 to support recreation projects.

 

The $240,000 is made available annually through Park Enhancement Fund, which supports volunteer initiatives, ecological monitoring and research projects that enhance provincial parks or the services offered in them. Interested volunteers and community groups must submit a project proposal by June 26, 2020.

Projects will be chosen in early July, with projects to be completed by March 31, 2021.

 

 

BC Parks ... is a provincial government agency (part of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy) that manages over 1000 parks and protected areas in BC and provides camping and recreation services to approximately 20 million park users annually.

Although BC Parks is a government organization, a special account was created in 2008 separate from the provincial government’s revenue fund called the Park Enhancement Fund. Donations made to BC Parks for the Park Enhancement Fund are eligible for official tax receipts.

The Park Enhancement Fund is a transparent account where individuals and businesses can make donations to projects that enhance our provincial parks or the services offered in them. Money donated to the Park Enhancement Fund can go towards initiatives including supporting volunteer initiatives as well as funding ecological monitoring and research projects.

Funds from the Park Enhancement Fund can also be spent on many other projects or programs that enhance the services offered in parks and/or protect the conservation and heritage values of our parks.

If you would like to make a financial contribution to a specific project or park, contact BC Parks discuss what kind of legacy you can leave for future generations.

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