Richmond, BC, Canada -(Ammoland.com)- On June 18-19, 2014, the Guide Outfitters Association of British Columbia (GOABC) hosted its second successful International Wildlife Management Symposium in Richmond, BC.
The theme for the event was Stewardship in Action. The event brought together a variety of experts with opposing ideas and competing uses to explore some of the most pressing and controversial issues in wildlife management.
How will managers address the impacts of pipelines? How can wildlife managers balance science with social ideas and needs? In the midst of so many landscape pressures, should we allow trophy hunting to continue?
Despite some differing views, it was clear that attendees still shared many of the same concerns about the future of wildlife. Many of these concerns surround maintaining habitat and how to balance resource development with the needs of wildlife.
Gray Thornton, President and Chief Executive Officer for the Wild Sheep Foundation provided this feedback on the event, “Once again GOABC has raised the bar for symposium that bring not only the like-minded but diverse users and stakeholders together to search for solutions to our mutual goal of wildlife and wild lands conservation for all. While we may not always agree, collaborative efforts towards resource management is key, recognizing majority and minority opinions on either side of an issue as worthy of discussion.”
Safari Club International’s Vice President Steve Skold wrote, “I was very impressed with the diversity of stakeholders with differing views that were presented. It certainly stimulated interesting discussions and some serious thoughts about where the future of wildlife management and the role of hunting is headed.”
Mark Werner, Past President of the GOABC and Chairman of the Symposium Planning Committee stated, “We have hosted several species-specific workshops in the past, but it was my vision back in 2011 to grow this to an international scale to see what can be gleaned from other jurisdictions. I was pleased to see the benefits of coming together to discuss shared concerns and the various ways that hunters can contribute to the future of wildlife management. It was an excellent event, truly stewardship in action!”
The GOABC would like to thank all the attendees and speakers who took the time to join us for the symposium. We would also like to thank our sponsors who made the event possible; your generous support has helped us identify immediate issues and opportunities, but it is also helped provide a vision for the future of wildlife management in our province.
About the Guide Outfitters Association of British Columbia (GOABC)
The GOABC´s vision is to advocate for a healthy guide outfitting industry and enhance the economic viability of its members. The mission of the Guide Outfitters Association of British Columbia (GOABC) is to be the leader among guide outfitting associations in the areas of governance and organizational performance while ensuring legal and ethical integrity. The GOABC promotes guide outfitting to government and within our communities. We help market the Canadian northwest as the premier hunting destination and endorse the responsible, sustainable and ethical use of the wildlife resource. We encourage our members to honour a Code of Conduct and follow best practices to ensure the highest quality wilderness experiences for hunting clients.