biodiversity (bī’ō-dĭ-vûr’sĭ-tē) The number, variety, and genetic variation of different organisms found within a specified geographic region. We have a tendency, those of us who care about the natural world, to struggle to define that which we care about most. Words like “natural” have become weak, corrupted by their use…
It can be difficult, at times, to step back from the overwhelming scale of issues such as climate change and other environmental challenges and look for the successes. I started this post thinking I would put together a list of conservation “wins” from the past few months. My big challenge,…
Last month, BC’s Auditor General released “An Audit of Biodiversity in BC” regarding the provincial government’s efforts to protect biodiversity in the province. Although the report received some attention in the media, the coverage certainly paled in comparison to any previous report related to financial accountability. Unfortunately, the Auditor General’s…
One of the challenges that local governments face in making land use decisions is acquiring accurate ecological information to support their decision making. Most regional districts can’t afford to invest in scientific studies to look at every corner of their jurisdiction and most residents are naturally averse to development destroying…
Did you know that Amarillo, Texas received 48 cm of snow this week? The previous record? 25 cm in 1903. One of the frustrating things about climate change is both how hard and how easy it can be to see the impacts of our changing climate in our own backyards.…
For all those who love data, (and really, who doesn’t?) the BC government has consolidated and released hundreds of datasets and mapping tools in the DataBC Catalogue at www.data.gov.bc.ca. In addition to data on natural resources, the website also includes information on education, transportation and other government departments. For the…
A Field Guide to Conservation Finance by Story Clark. Published in 2007 by Island Press. Two years ago I had the privilege of hearing Story Clark speak at the annual Seminar Series hosted by the Land Trust Alliance of BC. In addition to being an engaging, dynamic speaker, Story has…
I wanted to share a positive new change to the farm tax assessment process that I learned about at the Islands Agriculture Show last weekend. This was the second year for the IAS, which combines a trade show with workshop sessions. Every seat in the session I attended on farm…
