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COURTENAY – Nearly 48 hectares of provincial wetland environmental preserves is being transferred to Ducks Unlimited Canada to ensure fragile wildlife habitat along the Inland Island Highway will be protected for years to come, Comox Valley MLA Stan Hagen announced today on behalf of Judith Reid, Minister of Transportation.
“Our government is committed to making the best use of public lands and resources,” Hagen said. “Transferring these areas to Ducks Unlimited will help ensure the environmental and wildlife benefits of this land are maximized for all British Columbians by ensuring it’s properly managed.”
In total, six watershed preserves were transferred from the Ministry of Transportation to Ducks Unlimited Canada. The watersheds are used for stewardship awareness, and have been toured by environmental, forestry, regulatory, and school groups.
“A principled approach to environmental management will help ensure environmental sustainability,” Hagen said. “Today's announcement demonstrates this is possible while providing British Columbians with a safe, reliable highway.”
By forging partnerships with local stewardship groups and environmental regulatory agencies, the Ministry of Transportation was able to implement responsible practices in the planning and construction of the Inland Island Highway, such as shifting the alignment of the highway design, building long bridge spans to preserve stream and river habitats, constructing spawning channels and habitat ponds, and restoring passages to allow salmon runs to return to historical spawning areas.
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