FUNDING WILL HELP MOUNTAIN CARIBOU RECOVERY

CRANBROOK – The Province has provided $50,000 to the British Columbia Snowmobile Federation (BCSF) to develop best management practices, education and outreach materials, and has also launched new highway signage and a new snowmobiling guide, Agriculture and Lands Minister Pat Bell announced today.

“The BCSF is an essential partner and I’m pleased to work collaboratively with them to help ensure safe and sustainable snowmobiling practices,” said Bell. “The recovery of the mountain caribou is a profoundly complicated issue requiring the input and sustained involvement of everyone to develop a long-lasting plan to ensure recovery.”

As a result of funding, the BCSF will implement a public awareness campaign for snowmobilers while operating in mountain caribou habitat, to purchase and install signage; to develop education and training materials; to monitor snowmobile use and compliance with closures; and to provide information on mountain caribou movement and locations to snowmobilers.

“East Kootenay snowmobilers are generally a very responsible group who love the mountain caribou just as much as anyone does,” said East Kootenay MLA Bill Bennett. “I support their sport and I know local snowmobilers will do their part to develop and follow good stewardship practices for mountain caribou habitat.”

“The funding will help all parties work together to promote good stewardship practices and operating procedures for snowmobile clubs, recognizing the years of hard work many clubs have already put into good stewardship practices,” said BCSF president Roger Frost. “We are pleased to be working closely with the government to help address these important issues in a sustainable way.”

The 2007 “Snowmobile Guide to the Columbia and Rocky Mountains of British Columbia” is a snowmobile trip-planning tool and guide to B.C.’s backcountry. It is the first edition of the guide and will be updated in future versions to address and reflect changes on the land base and changes in policy. It was developed in collaboration with the government, industry, associations and local communities as an educational tool and reference guide.

The new highway signage will direct individuals to check for local closures by consulting the B.C. snowmobiling website at www.snowmobile.gov.bc.ca to download regional maps and by calling a toll-free number. The signs will be installed in stages over the following months at entrances to B.C. along highways 1, 3, and 16, with the first one having recently been installed on Highway 3.

The funding to BCSF, new highway signage and snowmobiling guide are part of the government’s efforts to ensure sustainable stewardship practices are in place to help mitigate the effect of snowmobiling on mountain caribou herds and sensitive natural habitats.

Government has been working on a mountain caribou recovery plan since 2005 and is working with stakeholders and the public on implementing recovery actions throughout the mountain caribou range.

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Media contact:	Liz Bicknell Communications Director 250 356-2862 250 213-3072 (cell)

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