Aspects of wetland development for waterfowl in British Columbia / R.T. Sterling.

In British Columbia much valuable waterfowl production, migration and wintering habitat is being lost or adversely affected by current land use practices and we are in the final short period when the permanent fate of most of the marshlands will be decided. The most critical situation is found in the estuarine migration and wintering habitat of the lower mainland. Waterfowl now using this habitat may successfully winter further south, but the loss of hunting opportunity will offset the justification and reduce the support by the public for programs concerned with allocation and development of lands for waterfowl production in the interior. The interior regions are also being subjected to detrimental changes in land use but, taken in time, there are many opportunities to preserve and improve production habitat.Indirect benefits from such endeavours may well accomplish more towards preserving all habitats than the acts themselves by awakening people to values previously unappreciated.