BCWF, North Peace Rod and Gun Club hosting wildlife management town hall

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) and North Peace Rod and Gun Club are preparing for an event to teach Fort St. John residents about the current state of wildlife management in the province.

The two organizations jointly announced a town hall scheduled for Thursday, June 20th, ahead of the upcoming provincial general election later this year.

According to the announcement, the BCWF is hosting several similar town halls in other communities across the province, to “ensure candidates hear the concerns of ordinary British Columbians.”

It says many of the province’s wild animals and fish are declining, with some, including caribou and steelheads, currently at risk of extinction.

“Action is needed to keep species such as moose, mule deer and mountain sheep from the same fate,” the announcement reads. “Key watersheds and habitats are in peril.”

It also says funding for important conservation projects like renewable resource management is declining, down 75 per cent since 1993 proportionate to provincial budgets.

The changes the BCWF and North Peace Rod and Gun Club demand include increasing funding for fish and wildlife and enshrining “public access to public resources” into law.

They also say wildlife management should be the responsibility of “an agency independent from government influence,” and that management decisions should be based on science and evidence.

The open house runs from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on June 20th, at the Lido Theatre on 100th Avenue.