Despite rapidly disappearing natural habitat to sustain big animals such as elk, deer, bears, and cougars there is hope for the future, says Dr. Rob Butler, keynote speaker at the Williams Lake Field Naturalist’s annual banquet held Friday evening at St. Andrew’s church hall.
A director with The Nature Trust of B.C., which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Butler said he was optimistic because nature is resilient and with care wild animals can come back from the brink of extinction.
For instance, numbers of humpback whales, ospreys, bald eagles, trumpeter swans and peregrine falcons are climbing again with bans on DDT and hunting.
He noted that B.C. is one of the last refuges in North America for big carnivores and maintaining and scientifically managing large wilderness areas is critical for their survival. He explained how re-introducing wolves to Yellowstone Park had set off a chain reaction which is helping to maintain biodiversity in that park.
The population growth of humans is also slowing at a faster rate than first predicted, he said.
He said B.C. has about 14 per cent of lands protected but most of that is on mountain tops and there is a need to protect more biodiverse lands in the valleys. He encouraged people to take an active role in supporting the Nature Trust and other efforts to preserve wildlife habitat by becoming nature literate; reducing your footprint; lending your expertise; organizing a fundraising event; supporting the Brant Festival and donating to the Nature Trust.
“Nature is good for us,” Butler said. “People do care and want nature around them.”
