Grasslands forever

If you discovered that one of the rarest geographical regions in British Columbia%27s home to more than one third of the province%27s species at risk and over 95 per cent of BC's working rangelands was located right outside your back door, would you be surprised?

What if you found out that the grasslands of BC are more endangered than the old-growth forests of Vancouver Island yet are afforded significantly less protection from rapid development and ill-informed use?

Would you try to learn more about the unique and fragile eco-system in which you live?

The Grasslands Conservation Council of British Columbia (GCC) a provincial, non-government organization established in August 1999 is an alliance of individuals and organizations dedicated to the conservation and stewardship of grasslands in our province.

The mandate of the GCC is to inform British Columbians about the importance of the grasslands to the people, plants and animals that call the area their home.

The GCC is committed to programs that address issues surrounding species at risk, working ranches and recreation activities in the grasslands such as the BC Grasslands Mapping Project, a grassland assessment manual for ranchers and a series of recommendations regarding off road vehicles.

Despite the fact that more than 30 percent of BC's species at risk live in grassland regions, huge chunks of their habitat are being swallowed up by unplanned development.

The GCC's BC Grasslands Mapping Project which mapped out the grasslands of BC for the first time was designed in part to acknowledge and protect the disappearing habitat of the many threatened and endangered species that inhabit the grasslands.

Without the grasslands, the Burrowing Owl, American Badger, Spadefoot Toad and Western Rattlesnake already hovering on the brink of extinction will be forced out of their nests and burrows to face a rapidly decreasing rate of survival.

The hoots and hisses of BC's species at risk will not be the only voices lost if the grasslands continue to disappear at the present rate. Ranchers are quickly becoming another threatened group in BC, as recreational property values have begun to exceed the agricultural production value of many ranges.

With large chunks of ranchland being taken out of production and sold to commercial and residential property developers, the moo and murmur of grazing cattle may also become a sound that is no longer heard on the hills and in the valleys of British Columbia.

A suffering agricultural economy threatens all British Columbians not just ranchers and range managers. The loss of viable farms and ranches will hamstring the future of the province's food production and increase costs for the average consumer.

The GCC has been working closely with ranchers across the province to help them protect their land from outside interests and to aid them in keeping their grasslands healthy and sustainable.

The partnership has yielded a grassland assessment manual that assists ranchers to monitor and regulate their grassland ranges in accordance with legislation from the BC government, increasing both the productivity and the overall health of the land.

It is not just cows and owls that spend time in the grasslands. The GCC has reached out to recreational grassland users as well to ensure that everyone who rides, cycles or hikes through the unique region understands its beauty and fragility.

The Off Road Vehicle Coalition formed in 2002 is a collection of motorized recreationalists, environmentalists and non-governmental groups that has created a series of recommendations, rules and regulations for the provincial government regarding off road vehicle usage (ORVs) in the grasslands.

The grasslands are more than just the part of BC that is not covered in forest. They are the home of our most endangered species the place where they live, eat and breed. They are the foundation for our agriculture industry the base for our hard working ranchers and their valuable cattle. They are the spots where our recreation occurs the areas we go to when we need to be outside. The loss of the grasslands would be a critical blow to the province of British Columbia.

Please help the GCC to protect the grasslands of BC.

To find out more, visit www.bcgrasslands.org or phone (250) 374-5787.