Thoughts on BC Politics and More

The BC government pledged to conserve 30 per cent of land and 30 per cent of water by 2030, but so far only 16 per cent has been protected. The Kaska Dena people, who for thousands of years have lived on a vast swath of intact wilderness in northern BC on the Yukon border, have a saying in their language: Dene K’éh Kusān. It means always will be there. But as more land is swallowed up by industry — logging, mining, gas exploration — concerns are mounting about whether this land will always be there for future generations. They want to ensure it remains undeveloped to preserve their way of life, and doesn’t succumb to biodiversity loss and climate change like other areas of BC ... CLICK HERE for the full story

In many pages of this blog I urge, and encourage, the provincial government to protect, nurture and enhance ecosystems. I regularly stand in the legislature and address the habitat degradation and wildlife extinctions currently happening in British Columbia. This was brought home for us this holiday season. Silas got a new board game called Forestation . It's a lot of fun! This game encourages players to take the health and well-being of a forest into their own hands. For sixteen rounds, broken into four seasons and four years, players are rewarded for making good and sustainable decisions about the landscape they are managing. The goal is to plant diverse forests, attract and keep prey and predator species while maintaining a balance by ensuring that all the various animals have their needs met. Good landscape managers also build nature houses to encourage visitors which generates much needed revenue. They also hire park wardens and wildlife o...

According to Wikipedia, " a  disturbance  is a temporary change in environmental conditions that causes a pronounced change in an ecosystem. Disturbances often act quickly and with great effect, to alter the physical structure or arrangement of biotic and abiotic elements. A disturbance can also occur over a long period of time and can impact the biodiversity within an ecosystem ." It is safe to state emphatically that most of the ecological systems on earth suffer substantial disturbance. While Emily and I were working in the kitchen together the other evening, we got to talking about how overwhelming it is to consider the amount of effort necessary to get these systems functioning at their pre-disturbance level. This frustration is quite likely causing for some a state of paralysis. If we are experiencing collapsing ecosystems and mass extinctions, some may even ask " what is the point of doing anything ?” Others will say, " the challenge is too big! Let u...