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Shannon West Manager of Program Development, Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation
PROTECTING BC’S BIODIVERSITY
Dr. Henry Choong Curator of Invertebrates, Royal BC Museum
Celebrating 40 years of Habitat Conservation in BC
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A Culture Shift for the Royal BC Museum The Royal BC Museum is at the beginning of an important journey, one that looks to change the culture of the organization.
1. Habitat is key to healthy fish and wildlife populations. This biologist is monitoring vegetation growth following a prescribed burn in northeastern BC. Photograph courtesy of the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation. 2. This collared grizzly bear is part of a study aiming to reduce human-caused bear mortality, including vehicle collisions. Photograph courtesy of Darryn Epp. 3. Found only on Vancouver Island, the Vancouver Island marmot is one of the rarest mammals in the world. HCTF supports the Marmot Recovery Foundation’s work to restore selfsustaining populations of marmots. Photograph courtesy of Oli Gardner.
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ritish Columbia has the greatest biodiversity of any Canadian province or territory. More large mammal species live here than anywhere else in North America, and some species, like the Vancouver Island marmot, live nowhere else on Earth. Unfortunately, many of BC’s fish and wildlife populations are in decline, for reasons such as habitat loss and degradation, climate change, invasive species, and disease. The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) is working with partners to address these issues and keep BC’s fish and wildlife populations healthy. Since 1981, HCTF has provided over $190 million for projects benefitting a huge range of species, from wild sheep to sturgeon and goshawks to grizzly bears. HCTF has partnered with the Royal BC Museum to showcase some of the HCTF-funded conservation initiatives happening across BC, including amazing photos of BC wildlife. See Celebrating 40 Years of Habitat Conservation in BC, on now in Clifford Carl Hall until April 30.
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