The Big Wild
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  • The New Colour of Conservation

    Par theolamb | 19 juillet, 2011
     
     
    The 2011 Big Wild t-shirts have arrived and, so far, the reception has been excellent. This year the new design, which supporters have come to expect annually, merges wilderness with a Rorschach inkblot test.

  • Bring on Big Change!

    Par theolamb | 29 mars, 2010
    "Ground control to Major Tom. Commencing countdown, engines on."
     
    We've started the countdown to big change here at The Big Wild. In just a few days, TheBigWild.org will adopt a new look and better ways to help you connect and protect Canadian wild spaces and the wildlife that call them home.
     
    On Tuesday, March 30th, we'll take the site offline for a few hours in the afternoon Pacific Standard Time, and a few hours in the evening Eastern Standard Time. We should be back in action after we go offline within hours. To everyone who has posted, is posting or plans to post stories, photos and video - no worries! Once we're back online, you will have full access. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.
     
    See you soon!

  • My Water Colour Country

    Par theolamb | 26 mars, 2010
     
    If Canada were a canvas, than the wild spaces protected within it - all 10% - would appear as different colours, running together, until the canvas turned gray. That's because conservation issues in our country are not black and white. What we sometimes see as one big win is really the first of many small wins needed to protect a precious place. Isn’t it always like that, though? What’s most important takes the most work.
     

    In 2009, the Federal Government expanded the Nahanni National Park Reserve protecting the land within it. The land the river flows through is protected forever but the source of the river, the headwaters, is not. That's why a proposal has been put forward to protect the South Nahanni River Headwaters and complement the Park Reserve.

     

  • Rock Out for the Wild

    Par theolamb | 11 mars, 2010
    April marks the month Canadian musician Chris Velan begins his tour across the country, singing on behalf of Canada's wilderness. Chris will not only be hitting indy hot-spots along the way, he'll appear and play in seven different  MEC store locations. 
     
    Chris is one of 41 musicians who have donated, among other things, their time, talent and vocal chords to 1% for the Planet: The Music, Vol. 1. All proceeds from sales of the album benefit 1% for the Planet and support work on behalf of their global network of environmental organizations. As a 1% for the Planet member and featured musician, Chris has chosen to support The Big Wild!
     

     

    "I grapple with a deep fear that we as a species will only tragically recognize our arrogance in how we destroyed this planet's ability to sustain us only once it is too late. A song is just a song - it's not going to change the world. But maybe if enough songs and voices can join together in the same chorus, we can somehow wake ourselves up from this self-destructive slumber. I remain hopeful."

  • Protect the Lower Athabasca
    The Lower Athabasca is a major stronghold of Alberta's last true wilderness and the campaign to protect it has reached a critical point.  The Alberta government has recommended 22% of this wilderness be designated a conservation area but not necessarily protected from industrial development. The time to influence the Alberta government is now.

  • Make Some Noise for the Flathead

    Par theolamb | 10 février, 2010
    The road to a conservation win in Canada is a noisy one filled with many voices. So, when we have a win, we tend to get a little loud. This is your cue to make some noise now that the BC government has announced a ban on all oil, gold and coal extraction in the Flathead River Valley. The announcement came down during this week’s throne speech and it means big things for the environment.
     
     
    The Flathead River Valley is located in the southeastern corner of British Columbia and, in addition to being home to many familiar big mammals, is also home to more species of wild flowers than anywhere else in Canadat. And, since last fall, the Flathead River Valley has been a featured campaign on The Big Wild.
     

  • Earth Cowboys and Cowgirls or…

    Par theolamb | 2 février, 2010
    Eco-cow-people, as I like to call them. Canada’s full of them – myself included. Allow me to explain.

     

    With the help of Wildsight BC, I came across this gem of a report by the Sonoran Institute called "You've Come A Long Way, Cowboy: Ten Truths & Trends in the New American West." The Institute is based across the United States mid-west and carries out environmental research in an effort to influence public policy and conservation. 

     

  • United Nations Report on the Flathead makes your Evening News

    Par theolamb | 27 janvier, 2010
     
    Earlier this week, Global BC ran a story on the Flathead River Valley -- it was newsworthy in every sense of the word. The story was sparked by a United Nations report 50 pages long that lays out what will happen if mining is introduced into the Flathead River Valley. Check out the story below and if you feel inspired to help, take a peek at our Flathead campaign.
     

  • Star Wars in the Wild

    Par theolamb | 26 janvier, 2010
     
    Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to Ryland Nelson, pictured to the left in full winter gear. He's an active contributer to The Big Wild who campaigns for Wildsight BC. At the top of his radar right now is the Flathead River Valley.
     

    Ryland, not everyone knows what the Flathead is, can you tell me more about it?

    The Flathead River has some of the purest water in the world and is home to rare and endangered species. It's found in B.C.'s southeast corner and flows into Glacier National Park in Montana. For the past three years, the Flathead has topped the B.C. Outdoor Recreation Council's list of the province's most endangered rivers. That's because of nearby energy and mining proposals that threaten water quality, including one proposal for a coal strip mine that would dump 300 million tonnes of slag and pollutants into a Flathead headwaters stream.

     
    Here's a weird one for you ... picture this -- if the Flathead river valley is a movie, what's the soundtrack? In other words, what song do you best identify with when it comes to how you feel about the Flathead?
    Weird question, weird answer...   Star Wars Theme Song
     

  • Under the Radar: The Wild Word in Nova Scotia

    Par theolamb | 16 janvier, 2010
    Last week, the Federal government announced that together with the Nature Conservancy of Canada, it has purchased 1,485 hectares of land in Nova Scotia along the Atlantic coast for conservation. I didn't find a heck of a lot written about the announcement, with the exception of the press release details, an article in the Chronicle, and a few other articles on the wire. It looks as though this announcement went under the radar for a lot of Canadians. (Is this true, or did you hear more about it than I did?) With so little written about it in the news, my suspicious nature gets the best of me and I can't help but consider if 1,485 hectares represents the entire area in need of protection, or is there more that could be done?