Tag Archives: Species at Risk Act

Federal ministers sued over lack of action on endangered orcas

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

For a second time, the world watched as Tahlequah, an endangered southern resident killer whale, struggled to keep her dead newborn calf afloat in the Salish Sea.

But with Ottawa failing to take urgent action to protect the 73 remaining orcas, a coalition of environmental groups is suing two federal ministers to push them to assume their legal responsibility and recommend an emergency order to save the West Coast icons.

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Feds urged to use emergency order to save endangered orcas

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Emergency protections for endangered southern resident killer whales are urgently needed because of increased oil tanker traffic from the expanded Trans Mountain (TMX) pipeline, says a coalition of conservation groups.

Six environmental organizations are formally petitioning Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and Fisheries and Oceans Minister Diane Lebouthillier, urging them to recommend that cabinet issue an emergency order under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) to save the remaining 74 whales, said Margot Venton, nature program director of Ecojustice, a legal charity working for the environmental groups. 

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Fairy Creek: Federal Court Rules Canada Failed To Protect ‘At-Risk’ Birds In Old Growth Logging Areas

A Federal Court ruled that Canada’s Environment Minister, Steven Guilbeault, failed to protect habitats of at-risk migratory birds in old growth logging areas. Chief Justice Paul Crampton stated the Minister’s decision to limit protection to areas where nests were found ‘was neither reasonable or tenable.’ 

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‘Birders, not blockaders’ ask B.C. to protect old-growth in Fairy Creek to save marbled murrelets

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Birders and biologists are banding together to urge the B.C. government to protect ancient forests on southwestern Vancouver Island in a bid to save threatened marbled murrelet nesting sites.

Around a dozen citizen scientists are documenting the rare robin-sized seabird, which raises its young in old-growth forest found in tree farm licence (TFL) 46, which includes the Fairy Creek region near Port Renfrew, said team leader and avid birder Royann Petrell.

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Logging continues in ‘critical’ mountain caribou old growth forest: Valhalla Wilderness Society

By Timothy Schafer, The Nelson Daily, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The province’s choice to continue to log old growth forest in B.C. is not only endangering mountain caribou but also the environment and its people, says a local conservation group.

Craig Pettitt, chair of the Valhalla Wilderness Society, said the provincial government has put the welfare and survival of the “deep snow” mountain caribou — otherwise known as the southern mountain caribou — and old growth forests behind logging profits.

Continue reading Logging continues in ‘critical’ mountain caribou old growth forest: Valhalla Wilderness Society