Why Donate?

Help Us Save Our Endangered Grasslands

Imagine vibrant landscapes where purple lupines, sun-drenched balsamroot and flowering grasses blow gently in the wind; distant horizons where mule deer and bighorn sheep graze peacefully and of protected, quiet spots where sharp-tailed grouse dance proudly for their mates; productive grasslands where sustainable ranches continue to contribute to the social and economic fabric of British Columbia.

This is the vision of the Grasslands Conservation Council of British Columbia (GCC), an alliance of people and organizations working together to promote stewardship, foster understanding and facilitate the conservation of British Columbia’s grasslands. Our bunchgrass landscapes are truly unique in North America with plant and animal communities that occur nowhere else in Canada.

As stewards of BC’s grasslands, the GCC works with scientists, ranchers, non-government organizations, communities, foundations, First Nations and individuals to conserve BC’s endangered grasslands.

Our goal is simple and direct: we seek to ensure that critical grassland habitat and range, home to more than 30% of British Columbia’s threatened or endangered species and a substantial portion of BC’s cattle industry, is protected, conserved and well-managed for current and future generations.

We are concerned about BC's grasslands because they face increasing threats from subdivision and development, abusive recreation, invasive plants, agricultural conversion, inappropriate grazing practices and forest encroachment. These combined threats place enormous pressures on the long-term survival and beauty of our grasslands.

Although much work remains to be done, the GCC has made tremendous strides to promote a positive future for BC’s grasslands. Some of our initiatives include:

• Working effectively to influence the way grasslands are managed, monitored and conserved;
• Encouraging local and regional governments to adopt regulatory and non-regulatory policies to ensure grassland conservation within their jurisdictions;
• Identifying high priority grasslands that require extensive conservation, restoration and/or stewardship efforts;
• Collaborating with the Agricultural Land Commission to find solutions that will keep grasslands within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) for ranching and for conservation;
• Continually working to inform decision-makers and the public about the need to reverse the piecemeal degradation and loss of our grasslands; and
• Working with ranchers to develop a simple and easy-to-use methodology to effectively monitor the condition and health of their rangelands.

The GCC would like to request your support to help us succeed in protecting this cultural and ecological heritage for our children, our grandchildren, and for the plants and animals that depend on these ecosystems.

Our goal for the fall membership drive is to add 100 new members to our current membership of 300 people. We sincerely hope that we can count on your support. A healthy membership provides the GCC not only with much-needed funds, but it also gives us a stronger voice as we represent grasslands when working with government and industry.

Make a difference – be a voice for grasslands. Please fill out a donation form and become a member today. A membership costs only $30, but we would greatly appreciate if you could add a small donation on top of that – a total of $50 or $100 would really help.

Add your voice and support to the growing number of people dedicated to ensuring that we reach our common goal of Grasslands Forever.

P.S. Your membership in the Grasslands Conservation Council of British Columbia means you are adding your voice to hundreds of others who care about this ecosystem. Together, we can preserve and steward this unique landscape. You will receive a tax receipt for the full amount of your gift.

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The GCC would like to extend
a very sincere thank you to
those that helped to make this campaign a success:

Noran Printing Ltd.
Jared Hobbs
Mailworks