When we wipe out a species, it is not only the loss of something unique. The biodiversity that humans depend on to survive is also eroded
Searching for the contorted-pod evening-primrose, I crawled along a sandbar at Witty’s Lagoon, careful not to accidentally crush this wee yellow flower with red stems. I was hunting for it as part of my mission to see some of Canada’s critically imperilled species, and when I finally located one, poking out of the sand, it was easy to understand how beachgoers could unknowingly trample it out of existence.
Despite this, land for development is at a premium and nature is disappearing as the region expands. Even those temperate rainforests, sandy beaches, and flowering meadows that have been protected, are being loved to death by visitors. The consequences are potentially dire: When we wipe out a species, whether plant or animal, it is not only the loss of something unique – the biodiversity that humans depend on to survive is eroded.
I was on that sandbar in May because I wanted to see some of these at-risk species before they’re gone – or, more hopefully, to learn about how we might stop that from happening. The volunteers headed right past the seal, on their way to a spot in the sand dunes that they’d cleared of Scotch broom, a destructive shrub, a year ago. Considered an invasive species in British Columbia, Scotch broom is a garden plant introduced from Europe that aggressively invades sunny spots where the land has been disturbed by activity – including anything from industrial logging to foot traffic. It crowds out native plants, and is notoriously difficult to get rid of.
Among Canada’s thousands of endangered species, there are 113 plants and animals that are right on the edge of extinction in Canada, according to a list compiled by the Wildlife Conservation Society of Canada. The Metchosin Biodiversity Project is a great example of this. “This entire dune area here used to be 100-per-cent covered with Scotch broom, taller than me, until volunteer crews removed it,” Mr. MacKinnon said. “We’re trying to re-establish an ideal habitat.”
Legions of volunteers here have contributed to the restoration and protection of the park’s sensitive habitats, including one of the country’s largest and most intact fragments of Garry oak woodlands. The efforts have been led for the past three decades by Margaret Lidkea, an educator who left teaching in the classroom to teach conservation to children outdoors. She’s president of the non-profit Friends of Uplands Park Society, which organizes regular work parties to clear invasive species.
“What makes it a home for a lot of rare plants is this vernal pool you see in front of us,” said biologist Wylie Thomas, who joined Ms. Lidkea to provide a guided tour of the park. Mr. Thomas is a nature restoration specialist who created the Uplands Park and Cattle Point management plan for Oak Bay council, and he knows where the rare gems are hidden.
With Ms. Lidkea and Mr. Thomas’ guidance, we tracked down ten rare plants in a single morning of rambling, including Victoria’s owl clover, which was listed as extirpated in the park, but has since been found in one small section. Some will argue it’s unfair to impose this conservation obligation on a province or nation that has forged an economy dependent on the exploitation of natural resources. Mr. Kraus said there is no real choice. “Ensuring clean water and clean air, and diverse and abundant wildlife, is not really a trade-off because if we lose all of those things, we lose the foundation for economy and society.”
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
Skin lesions on endangered killer whales are getting worse, study saysSouthern resident killer whales are increasingly suffering from skin diseases that leave large blotches on their distinctive black-and-white colouration, new research says.
Lire la suite »
Opinion | What GM Brad Treliving’s free-agency moves tells us about the Maple LeafsIn signing Ryan Reaves, Treliving was making a statement, one he would follow up with the subsequent signings of Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi
Lire la suite »
Opinion: Canadian health care should put patients first by ending faith-based refusalsAcross the country, people are denied MAID and other medical interventions opposed by the Catholic Church, including the morning-after pill, abortion, gender-affirming surgery and more.
Lire la suite »
Opinion: Canadian health care should put patients first by ending faith-based refusalsAcross the country, people are denied MAID and other medical interventions opposed by the Catholic Church, including the morning-after pill, abortion, gender-affirming surgery and more.
Lire la suite »
Opinion: Canadian health care should put patients first by ending faith-based refusalsAcross the country, people are denied MAID and other medical interventions opposed by the Catholic Church, including the morning-after pill, abortion, gender-affirming surgery and more.
Lire la suite »
Opinion: What you need to know about Canada's new first home savings accountA new tax-free savings account could play a role in making the dream of home ownership more attainable for first-time buyers in Canada.
Lire la suite »