November 30, 2006

The University of Northern British Columbia will be leading thefirst-ever conference of the newly created BC Protected Area ResearchForum, a network which is aiming to connect the managers of protectedareas with researchers. The conference will be held from December 4-6at Royal Roads University in Victoria.

About 13% of British Columbia’s land base is set aside as parks and protected areas.

“The idea for this forum was hatched just over a year ago. A number ofus – managers, researchers, community members, etc – recognized thevalue of connecting research to various on-the-ground issuesconfronting our parks and protected areas,” says UNBC professor PamWright, a co-founder of the research forum and Chair of the inauguralconference. “For this conference, we were expecting up to 80 delegates.In fact, we’ve doubled that and are now at capacity. Delegates arecoming from throughout BC and from the United States, Alberta,Manitoba, and the Territories.”

The conference will include sessions on a number of topics that willbring together biological scientists, social scientists, First Nations,park managers, and others around a common issue. Examples includecougar-human interactions, marine protected areas, glaciers and climatechange, monitoring visitor use, human-wildlife interactions and speciesat risk, and integrating cultural and historical research intoprotected area management.

Access the conference schedule by clicking here.

“Our natural landscapes and protected areas have shaped the globalimage of BC and Canada,” says Dr. Wright, who specializes in ProtectedAreas Planning and Management. “But they’re more than pretty places.They are reservoirs of life – both marine and terrestrial – and theysupport an outdoor lifestyle for residents and visitors alike.”

It’s expected that the BC Protected Area Research Forum conference willbecome an annual event, hosted in different areas around theprovince.  The 2006 conference is sponsored by the BC Ministry ofEnvironment, Parks Canada, the Social Sciences and Humanities ResearchCouncil, the Capital Regional District, Canadian Parks and WildernessSociety, Royal Roads University, and UNBC.


Contact:
Pam Wright, Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management program, UNBC – 250.960-6353
***From December 4-6, Pam can be reached at 250.961.4861
or Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC - 250.960.5622