|
Wetlands in B.C.
Background
Wetlands are one of the most important life support systems
on earth. Currently comprising about 5.6% or 5.28 million hectares of
British Columbia, they provide critical habitat for fish, birds, and
other wildlife. Most wildlife in the province use wetland habitat at
some point in their life cycle, and many red- and blue-listed species
are wetland-dependent.
The functional contribution of wetlands in helping to minimize
or remediate environmental problems is substantial. They absorb and filter
sediments, pollutants, and excess nutrients; recharge groundwater; maintain
stream flows; control runoff; store flood waters; reduce erosion; stabilize
shorelines; and help regulate atmospheric gases and climate cycles. In
short, wetlands absorb water quickly and release it slowly with an improvement
in quality.
Wetlands provide for commercial and recreational use of
wetland-dependent fish and shellfish, enhance agricultural productivity,
and support a variety of scientific , educational and recreational opportunities.
Environmental economists such as Robert Costanza have used various methods
to estimate the economic market and non-market values of the goods and
services of various ecosystems. For wetlands, the total value is estimated
to be $19,580 hectare/year (1994 US$). Using this figure to estimate
the goods and services value of wetlands, British Columbia's total wetland
surface area of 5.28 million hectares would yield a potential value of
over $100 billion/year. At a local level such as the Fraser Valley, the
total wetland surface area of 41,906 hectares would yield a potential
goods and services value to society of over $800 million/year.
There is a growing concern over the escalating rate of
wetland losses in British Columbia. In the Fraser Lowland and parts of
Vancouver Island, it is estimated that 50% to 70% of the original wetland
habitat has disappeared. In the ecologically critical South Okanagan,
wetland losses have reached 85%.
Action is required to help reduce wetland losses and provide
for coordinated conservation and management efforts. Because wetlands
occur across a range of ecosystem types and can be affected by various
land use activities, a comprehensive approach is needed to ensure the
protection and management of wetlands. It is intended that several initiatives
currently under development, including the Biodiversity Strategy, Species
At Risk Strategy, the Living Rivers Strategy, as well as ongoing Land
Use Planning and Protected Areas management, will all play an important
role in protecting, maintaining and restoring wetlands.
Below are links that will aid in improving our understanding
of wetlands and provide an overview of what is currently being done to
conserve and restore wetlands in British Columbia.
Wetland Evaluation Guide (PDF
1.6MB)
Wetland Survey (highlights
the significant work being done to protect wetlands in B.C.)
Comments
or inquiries?
|
