More than 100 people stepped up recently with donations totaling over $700,000 to buy 80 hectares of BC wilderness that will soon be added to the province’s massive Tweedsmuir Provincial Park. The land was a homestead settled by Ralph and Ethel Edwards before the park was created in 1938. The funds raised cover the purchase price and the cost to manage the property.
The effort was coordinated by BC Parks Foundation, the official charitable partner of BC Parks. The foundation, like many others especially in the U.S., is an example of the people thinking and acting creatively to protect and preserve the nature that we’ve been blessed with. Overall, BC has done well, and every citizen of the province should be proud. According to the Foundation, British Columbians have protected over 14% of the province – over 14 million hectares in more than 1,000 protected areas, giving BC the sixth largest park system on the planet. Still, foundations like these are essential to keeping these parks protected, accessible, and healthy.
This is a big win for nature. That means for ecosystems, wildlife, and yes, people. We often forget we’re a part of it. If you zoom out, it really is a beautiful story: a species that has evolved to now look out for and engage in protecting not only itself, but all life. Huzzah!

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