Vancouver residents advocate for conservation in landmark survey

82% of B.C. Lower Mainland residents support funding conservation on a regional scale

January 15, 2024 – Vancouver, B.C. – A recent survey reveals that 88% of B.C. Lower Mainland residents believe access to natural spaces is crucial to their quality of life. This sentiment is rooted in awareness, with 89% acknowledging the importance of pollinators in food production and 88% recognizing the role of natural areas in enhancing quality of life.

Notably, the survey highlights that 95% of Lower Mainland residents agree that protecting wildlife habitat improves the overall quality of life in the region, emphasizing a positive attitude toward conservation efforts and the need for increased funding.
Respondents expressed concerns about high food prices and how local landscapes support food security, including significant worries about damage to pollinator (91%), salmon (89%), and birdlife (87%) habitats. Additionally, nearly all residents (88%) share concerns about increasing water pollution and wildfires, underlining the community’s deep connection to their environment, and the desire to see it become and remain healthy and thriving, especially in the face of climate change as robust ecosystems are more resilient to impacts such as droughts and floods.

The survey, taken in March of 2023 with results released today, indicates overwhelming support for regionally specific special conservation funding accounts, with 82% of respondents endorsing the establishment of funds dedicated to regional conservation projects. This support extends to using funds to help farmers protect natural areas on their farms, with 74% in favour.

“This survey reflects the public connection to natural spaces, and the interest in developing funding models to support conservation of these local spaces. Results like this create momentum to take a deeper look at possibilities and start conversations about how we can apply this in our local communities. Everyone will benefit from healthy natural space, and sustainable funding models make that possible.” – Matt Christensen, Head of Conservation Programs for Ducks Unlimited Canada’s B.C. program speaks on behalf of the Fraser River Delta Farmland Protection and Stewardship Working Group, which commissioned the survey.

The working group is comprised of representatives from local municipalities, academia, environmental nonprofits, and the federal government, and conducted the survey through Angus Reid with responses from more than 1,000 residents of the Greater Vancouver area. The findings will contribute to the development of a conservation strategy for the region.

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About Conservation Funds in B.C. A conservation fund is a local government service that is funded through a dedicated tax or fee and used to support environmental conservation and community sustainability projects. Several municipalities in B.C. have already established local conservation funds with great success including South Okanagan, Regional District of Central Kootenay, and others.