HOW DO WE CONSERVE BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY? 5 Strategies to Keeping Species Alive

#1. Protected Areas Governments set aside land to protect species Provincial and National Parks Allow animals to live in relatively undisturbed environments 244 540 square kilometers of Canada is national park land

Canadian National Parks Map

List of National Parks in Western Canada Banff Jasper Waterton Lakes Elk Island Wood Buffalo Glacier Gulf Islands Kootenay Mount Revelstoke Yoho Gwaii Haanas Pacific Rim Riding Mountain Wapusk Grasslands Prince Albert Ivvavik Kluane Vuntut Nahanni

In-Situ Conservation Provincial and National Parks are examples of in-situ conservation These areas keep species in their natural environments rather than removing them

Establishing Wildlife Corridors Corridors are important to share genetic information between populations All levels of government must work together to make these work

#2. Restoration of Ecosystems and Species There are various programs to restore endangered species and their habitats Could be charities, non-profit organizations, volunteer groups or private citizens doing the restorations Some examples include…

Ducks Unlimited Canada Conserves wetlands and other habitats for Canada’s waterfowl - ducks, geese, loons, etc. Private non-profit organization www.ducks.ca

Nature Conservancy of Canada Purchases land and turns it into an area to protect habitat and endangered species Owns about 1.8 million acres of Canada www.natureconservancy.ca

Friends of Fish Creek “protect, preserve, and enhance the diverse natural and human history found in Fish Creek Provincial Park.” Non-profit and volunteer-driven www.friendsoffishcreek.org

World Wildlife Fund “stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature” Protects 96 millions acres in Canada through endangered species programs www.wwf.ca

#3. Resource Use Policies Governments pass laws to protect species that are endangered or threatened These laws say that these species cannot be hunted or captured

Species at Risk Act Passed by the Canadian government in June 2004 “framework for actions across Canada to ensure the survival of wildlife species and the protection of our natural heritage” To see a copy of this legislation, go to http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/the_act/HTML/Guide_e.cfm

Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) This is the national committee that studies organisms across Canada Determines whether or not organisms need to be protected by law Currently there are 456 Species at Risk in Canada (including 67 mammals and 60 birds) If people harm animals protected by this law, they face up to a $250 000 fine and/or up to five years in prison

#4. Controlling the Spread of Exotic Species A new species in an environment can have disastrous consequences There are two examples of this…

Purple Loosestrife Introduced to Alberta from Europe in the 1800’s A plant that lives near wetlands Nothing eats this plant or uses it for shelter Purple loosestrife will reduce the size of natural plant communities Important to control this plant so that wetlands can continue to flourish

Rabbits in Australia Englishman Thomas Austin brought 24 rabbits into Australia in 1859 because he was homesick These 24 rabbits reproduced and soon after the species was found all across the continent Rabbits would eat the grass and kill trees by stripping their bark Ate grass that should have been for sheep this cut down on Australia’s wool exports

Controlling Rabbits in Australia Government gave rewards to people who killed rabbits Built a 2000 mile fence to protect key cereal crops In 1950, the government introduced a virus that killed rabbits As of 1997, there were still 300 million rabbits

Rabbits in Australia http://rubens.anu.edu.au/student.projects/rabbits/history.html

#5. Conservation of Genetic Resources These involve any activity that helps to store the genetic variations of as many of the world’s species as possible Ex-Situ Conservation – the maintenance of organisms outside of their ecosystems Two examples are: SEED BANKS and ZOOS

Seed Banks Established to gather and store seeds from plants that are threatened by extinction Scientists are able to preserve the genetic diversity of many plant species One of the largest is the Royal Botanic Gardens in London, England

Zoos The Calgary Zoo performs many functions Educational institution for children to visit Supports biodiversity research going on around the world Part of a worldwide network to protect and preserve endangered animals Share animals with zoos around the world to maintain the genetic diversity

Panda Bears

Our Trips to the Zoo

Do we need Zoos? PROS CONS Provide a place for animals with damaged or limited habitat Maintain biodiversity with animal breeding programs Supports research to re-establish extirpated species CONS Animals are put in enclosures so humans can observe them, causing stress to the animals Many animals won’t breed in captivity so their genes are lost Money spent on zoos would be better spent protecting natural habitats