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[chris gadsden]

Will this be just another government photo op for the Environment Minister, another pre election goody, or maybe something that will actually help fish and fish habitat? I hope it is the latter.

I am sure it will be an attempt to offset some of the concerns we have been expressing regarding several gravel removal projects the last few years as well as the fish kill at Big Bar on the Fraser River in 2006. Of course the Federal government and Province took no legal actions against those that allowed it to happen.

Sent: Apr 12, 2009 10:07 AM


MEDIA ADVISORY April 12, 2009 Ministry of Environment ATTENTION: ASSIGNMENT EDITORS CHILLIWACK - Environment Minister Barry Penner and Mark Angelo of the Heart of the Fraser initiative invite the media for an important announcement on Monday, April 13, regarding the protection of key fish and wildlife habitat on the Fraser River. Photo-op: Great visuals of an area on the Fraser River that provides habitat for the peregrine falcon, bald eagle and marbled murrelet, and rearing areas for white sturgeon, salmon and steelhead. Date: Monday, April 13, 2009 Time: 9:45 a.m. at boat ramp (actual ceremony occurs at 10:30) Location: Fraser River Safari Lt., 7057 Mershon Street, Mission B.C. From Highway 1, take exit 92 in Abbotsford and head north on Highway 11 (Sumas Way). Turn right to follow Highway 11 north and over the Mission Bridge. Exit onto Highway 11 east. Turn right on Horne. Turn right on Harbour. Turn right on Mershon. Note: For media who want to access the site from the north side of the Fraser River for the ceremony at 10:30: Area is on south side of the Fraser River. Exit Highway 1 at Yale Road West. Take Yale Road West north to Industrial Way. Turn right (east) on Industrial Way. Turn left on Cannor Road. Follow to shuttle location indicated on the map. Guests will park along roadside near shuttle location. Seek instructions from staff on access to the ceremony location. -30- Contact: Dan Gilmore Public Affairs Bureau Ministry of Environment 250 213-2302

[RA40]

My guess is that they are announcing that the funding is now available for the proposed walking trail from Richmond to Hope.
Mission has been awarded funding for Spirit Square which will be a water front meeting area, the walking trail will lead right to it.
Don't get your hopes up Chris.

[spey]

fill us in when you find out

[chris gadsden]

fill us in when you find out

What I have dug up so far is they are going to announce this morning is that the McGillivaray Slough that I understood has been a wildlife preserve for many many years is going to be officially signed off as that now.

If this is what it is I would have to agree it is a good thing but really it is most likely just another photo opportunity for the Minister before the election writ is dropped tomorrow. As I said in my first post they are trying to take some heat off the gravel issue on the Fraser River that the government has been embroiled in the last while. Isn't politics great?

For those that do not know the area, it borders on the East side of Vedder River (Actually the Sumas) down to where it meets the Fraser and then over to the East to where all the new commercial development you can see going on next to the Freeway.

[marmot]

The really sad thing to me is that designating one small area as a wildlife preserve does nothing if it's just a small part of a bigger system that is under "attack" basically.

You said it Chris......politics have ended empires and destroyed nations.  Why should we be any different    Seems so hopeless at times when the voting public places their trust in liars and scoundrels time and time again...nevermind the fact that all parties are basically overrun by those types besides a small minority. 

[chris gadsden]

Here is the low down on this.

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
2009ENV0030-000929
April 13, 2009

Ministry of Environment

NEW WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS FOR FRASER VALLEY

CHILLIWACK - The B.C. government has designated 915 hectares of
important fish and wildlife habitat located just west of Chilliwack,
and a further 71 hectares in south Surrey as wildlife management areas,
Environment Minister Barry Penner announced today.

"Today we are ensuring a long-term legacy for wildlife and future
generations," said Penner. "This action by our government will protect
prime habitat for many migratory birds, fish and other fauna around
McGillivray Slough along the Fraser River. I can't think of a more
appropriate way to honour the memory of the late Bert Brink than by
naming this area after him. And, while the Serpentine area near Surrey
is a smaller parcel of land, it is also very important for fish and
wildlife in the Lower Fraser Valley."

"This area provides prime habitat for migratory birds, fish and
other fauna," said Penner. "I'm extremely pleased that much of the area
around McGillivray Slough will now fall under wildlife management area
status and I'm sure that Bert Brink would be tickled if he was here
today to witness this area being designated in his honour. The
Serpentine area is a smaller parcel of land but nonetheless, very
important for the fish and wildlife of the Lower Fraser."

The designation of the Bert Brink and Serpentine Wildlife
Management Areas (WMAs) under the Wildlife Act provides the Ministry of
Environment with additional legal and regulatory tools to ensure
effective management of the two sites.

"This is very good news and fits in so well with the Heart of the
Fraser initiative," said Mark Angelo, spokesperson for the Heart of the
Fraser and chair of the Rivers Institute at BCIT. "Designation of this
beautiful site as a Wildlife Management Area will better protect the
extensive fish and wildlife values found along this part of the Fraser,
which is one of the most productive stretches of river on Earth."

The Bert Brink WMA has been recognized as an important area for
wildlife since the 1920s, when a game reserve was established on the
site to protect a heron colony and other wildlife values. Since then,
this area has become increasingly important for conserving wildlife
habitat on the Fraser River floodplain. The area provides habitat for
provincial red and blue-listed species, including peregrine falcon,
bald eagle and marbled murrelet, and rearing areas for white sturgeon,
salmon and steelhead. It also includes rare stands of old-growth
cottonwood trees. Two adjacent parcels of land (totalling approximately
27 hectares), which are owned by The Nature Trust and leased to the
Ministry of Environment for management, will also be included in the
WMA.

"We are extremely pleased with this opportunity to recognize Dr.
Bert Brink, a long standing director of The Nature Trust and someone
who is dearly missed," said Robin Wilson, chair of The Nature Trust of
BC. "Bert was a leading voice in conserving the Fraser River - B.C.'s
largest and most ecologically rich. The Bert Brink Wild Management Area
located along this river is a fitting tribute to a man who tirelessly
reminded us how important nature is to our well-being."

The Bert Brink WMA is named in memory of Dr. Vernon (Bert) Brink,
a prominent UBC agricultural scientist and a life-long conservationist
who possessed a vast love and knowledge of the outdoors. He received
many awards throughout his distinguished career, including the Order of
Canada and Order of British Columbia. In 2007, upon receiving the
Lieutenant-Governor's Conservation Award, former Lt.-Gov. Iona
Campagnolo described Brink as "B.C.'s icon of conservation and
sustainability".

The Serpentine WMA includes deltaic marsh and agricultural lands
that provide habitat and forage for a rich variety of migratory
waterfowl and other species. The property has been managed as a
wildlife area since 1973 in partnership with Ducks Unlimited Canada.
Approximately 16 hectares are managed under agreement with Ducks
Unlimited Canada as forage crops which attract waterfowl and reduce
crop damage on adjacent agricultural lands.

"This is a great announcement for the Serpentine River and
Nicomeakl River area," said Les Bogdan, Ducks Unlimited Canada's manager
of provincial operations for B.C. "We've been working in partnership
with the provincial government to manage this particular area for
almost 25 years and it's great to see the area officially designated as
a wildlife management area. It's a wonderful example of
conservationists and agricultural interests working together for the
good of birds and wildlife."

Since 2001, the provincial government has established 57 new
parks, 143 conservancies, one ecological reserve and eight protected
areas, and expanded more than 50 parks and six ecological reserves,
protecting more than 1.9 million hectares. Today, 14.26 per cent (or
more than 13.5 million hectares) of British Columbia is protected -
more than any other province in Canada. To make the BC Parks system
even better, the B.C. government has invested approximately $107
million over the past five years to improve park infrastructure and
acquire additional parkland.

-30-

Media contact:

Kate Thompson
Manager, Media Relations
250 953-4577

For more information on government

[chris gadsden]

And the story. Also a clip was on CTV at 5. I guess there will be more at the 6 news.

By Jennifer Feinberg - Chilliwack Progress




A new wildlife area measuring 915 hectares has been established along the Fraser River near Chilliwack.

Environment Minister Barry Penner joined river advocate Mark Angelo Monday at the site near McGillivray slough to make the announcement about the new Bert Brink Wildlife Management Area (WMA).

"This action by our government will protect prime habitat for many migratory birds, fish and other fauna around McGillivray Slough along the Fraser River," said Penner.

The designation of a WMA gives the ministry additional legal and regulatory tools to enforce the Wildlife Act. The restrictions are not as limiting as they are with parkland, but they could impede development.

"Wildlife considerations become first and foremost in any land-use decision that might be made in the future for one of these areas," Penner told The Progress.

Angelo, who is chair of the Rivers Institute at BCIT and spokesperson for the Heart of the Fraser initiative said it fits in perfectly with the Heart of the Fraser philosophy.

"Designation of this beautiful site as a Wildlife Management Area will better protect the extensive fish and wildlife values found along with part of the Fraser, which is one of the most productive stretches of river on earth."

The sprawling and valuable habitat of the area, measuring slightly more than 2,261 acres, has been recognized locally since the 1920s when a game reserve was set up to protect a colony of great blue herons. You can also find a stand of old-growth cottonwoods on the site.

"I can't think of a more appropriate way to honour the memory of the late Bert Brink than by naming this area after him," said Penner.

The local MLA also remembers fishing in the area with his grandfather, Henry Kroeker, who would launch his boat from the slough and set up on a nearby gravel bar to fish.

"I remember it was always the start of an adventure going there," he said.

UBC agricultural scientist Vernon (Bert) Brink was a director with The Nature Trust of B.C., and a "leading voice" for conservation of the Fraser River, said Robert Wilson, chair of the Nature Trust.

The new WMA contains prime habitat for provincially red- and blue-listed species such as peregrine falcon, marbled murrelet and bald eagle, and rearing areas for sturgeon, salmon and steelhead.

"The Bert Brink WMA located along this river is a fitting tribute to a man who tirelessly reminded us how important nature is to our well-being," Wilson said.

Another area, the Serpentine in Surrey was also set aside as a new WMA covering 71 hectares. That brings the total of 25 WMAs in the province, covering 220,000 ha.

"Today we are ensuring a long-term legacy for wildlife and future generations," Penner added.

jfeinberg@theprogress.com

[Whitedevil]

Are they going to close down the river and no fishing?

[chris gadsden]

Are they going to close down the river and no fishing?

I would not think anything will change. I think all that really changes from before is the name.

It was called the McGillivary Slough or McGillivary Wildlife Preserve since around 1920 and now is callled the Bert Brink Wildlife Management Area. It actually was just a photo op for the MLA's as I said before but some good will come of this all the publicity it received they would never ever dare try to development in the future.

Those that have driven by the East end of the area will have noticed all the Commercial development that is completed and more is being build. There also is an animal rendering plant that is going to be build in a year or two right next to the BBWMA.