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 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 but it does raise the Canadian and international awareness that the logging deferral in the Central Walbran and other areas need to have permanent  protection.

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

This designation is timely for this area as our group is currently blocked from the Central Walbran by a logging gate. We are in the process in trying to gain access as we are helping to organize a radar survey of Murrelets in the valley this summer and have our event MaMu Day on July 12th.

Below are the 3 pages of the KBA report;