94%
of land, species are negatively affected by urbanization
and agriculture
13.6%
of Canada’s terrestrial (land and freshwater) area protected
14.7%
of Canada’s marine area protected
THE ISSUE
Habitat loss is the number one contributor to biodiversity decline in Canada. When an ecosystem has been dramatically changed by human activities (including development, agriculture, oil and gas exploration, and water diversion) the native species once living there are either forced to move elsewhere or are eradicated entirely. This leads to a decrease in species numbers and biodiversity overall. Science shows that how we choose to use land is an “excellent predictor of
endangered species density in Canada.” With less than 15% of both water and land habitat in Canada currently protected, the remaining wild areas have either been destroyed, degraded, or earmarked for future projects. There are five categories of habitat loss: Urbanization, Agriculture, Human disturbance, Extraction and Infrastructure
There are five categories of habitat loss:
Urbanization
Agriculture
Human Disturbance
Extraction
Infrustructure
The Cause
Habitats continue to be lost or at risk of degradation across Canada due to the lack of consistent and proactive government regulations.
For example, British Columbia has yet to create an independent law to protect species that are at risk. Despite habitat protection efforts, habitat loss continues to present the greatest threat to the persistence of many endangered species. Without clear guidelines and intentional oversight from the government to protect ecosystems, we will continue to lose them to developers, resource extraction companies, and corporations looking to profit from remaining wild spaces.
While Southern areas of Canada are the most biodiverse, they are also where humans develop homes and agriculture.
Clearcut logging is one of the largest causes of habitat loss. We use the cut land to grow food, and we use the trees to urbanize even further. Trees are torn down to develop roads for mining activities or oil extraction, and the practice is accelerating. Logging in British Columbia has doubled in rate since the 1970’s.
“Clearcut logging (3.2M ha) represented 57% of all anthropogenic disturbances, reducing potential primary forest by 2.7 million ha (28%) for the IWB and 524,003 ha (39%) for the ITR… Worldwide, only 1/3 of primary forests exist.”
“Clearcut logging (3.2M ha) represented 57% of all anthropogenic disturbances, reducing potential primary forest by 2.7 million ha (28%) for the IWB and 524,003 ha (39%) for the ITR...Worldwide, only 1/3 of primary forests exist."
The Impact
Although British Columbia is the Canadian province with the most biodiversity, the species that call it home are declining at a rapid speed, with “1,900 species, sub-species and ecosystems officially at risk of extinction.” Rare lichens in B.C.’s inland rainforest, coastal douglas firs, Southern mountain caribou, and the spotted owl are just a few examples. There is only one member of the spotted owl left in the wild in Canada.
All of these species are linked. The old growth environment that caribou depend on is critically endangered. The hundred year-old tree lichens that they rely on for nourishment are becoming more difficult to find as we continue to log faster than ever before. The loss of certain species of lichen means no food for ungulates (like the caribou), no shelter for birds and insects, and further decline of fish species already at risk.
“Over 97% have been
lost in the past 200 years”
Solutions
Tackling habitat loss across Canada requires a multi-pronged approach.
A majority of endangered habitat in Canada is on private land. It’s possible to incentivize landowners into preserving their biodiversity.
We can also continue to send letters to local governments and support the organizations that are showing how dire this situation is. Educating the public can push governments in the right direction. This can lead to protecting the 30% of land agreed to under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
There are nine crisis ecoregions across Canada that need to be prioritized. They “represent less than 5% of Canadian lands and inland waters, but provide habitat for over 60% of Canada's species at risk”. Five out of the nine have only a few percent of the region protected.
Lastly, some species have adapted and are attempting to live alongside humans. We see coyotes in cities as large as Toronto, cougars in municipalities of Vancouver Island, and bears finding their way into community parks across the country. It is critical that we implement policies, practices, and behaviours to coexist, rather than to simply write them off as a nuisance. Their homes and food sources have been destroyed. They are trying to make do with the little they have, and putting away our garbage, not feeding wildlife, and teaching others about the importance of coexistence is the least we can do to help them navigate their new environment.
