The FoCW were recently informed that the Carmanah and Walbran watersheds have been designated as Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA). This recognizes the threatened and endangered species that rely on these ancient temperate rain forests as critical habitat. These species include the Marbled Murrelet (MaMu), Smiths Fairy Bells; and others like the Specklebelly lichen, Vaux Swifts and Pacific Yew.

This designation provides no legal protection for the areas of the Central and Upper Walbran valleys that are not in the Provincial  Park. It does increase the Canadian and International awareness of these forests and that the logging deferral in the Central Walbran and other areas should become a permanent  protection.

The KBA program is part of the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and in Canada it is overseen by the Bc Nature, the Wildlife Conservation Society and Birds Canada.

Currently our group is blocked from carrying out our surveys in the Central Walbran by a logging gate. We are in the process of trying to gain access as we are organizing and funding a radar survey of Marbled Murrelets in the valley this summer and have our event MaMu Day on July 12th. This designation is timely as hopefully it will help influence the logging company to allow us access.

Below are the 3 pages of the KBA report;