Update on the Peregrine Falcon Nest and Cliff Swallow colony slated to be destroyed

Peregrine Falcon adult and young at the Abbotsford Nest - Photo: Raymond Ng

As anyone who follows my blog or on Instagram knows I have been fighting to help bring awareness and to save the Peregrine Falcon nest that is slated to be destroyed Mountainside Quarries at the Quadling Quarry mine in Abbotsford.

I posted about this last month. See HERE for the backstory.

Sadly, 2021 really has not started off on a good foot. 2020 was hell and now 2021 starts off with a white supremacist domestic terrorist attack in the States, COVID-19 numbers continuing to rise in North America, hate crimes rising across Canada (that is finally exposing its systemic racism) and we get more bad news.

Yesterday, I was informed that the provincial government went ahead and issued the permit allowing the mine to destroy the nest of the most active breeding pair of Red-listed Peregrine Falcons on BC'S South Coast. The only mitigation method in place is to put up nest boxes and ledges and hope the falcons (who never used them before) use them in a noisy active mine site. I think this is wishful thinking and VERY unlikely to happen but for the Peregrines sake I sure hope they do.

This is a devastating blow to so many, especially to the Sumas First Nation and to Howard Bailey the biologist who worked so hard to prevent this from happening and of course birders across BC, and in fact North America, who were concerned for the birds well-being.

So not only has the government decided to break their own BC Wildlife Act  (which is supposed to protect these birds and their nests year round) in favour of industry. In the process they will also destroy one of the largest active Cliff Swallow colonies in the area and destroy endangered Phantom Orchids and their habitat. Because the Red-listed Phantom Orchids are on private property there is no federal protection for them. Cliff Swallows are in a steep decline and their nests are protected federally under the Migratory Birds Convention Act. However, this doesn't apply when the nest isn't occupied (outside of the breeding season). It really is a travesty.

A small fraction of the large Cliff Swallow colony at the Quarry - Photo: John Gordon

What is the point of a BC Wildlife Act then? BC really needs an endangered species act which other provinces have. This way this type of devastation can't happen so easily again and the Gov't will be forced to follow their mandate.

It isn't over entirely yet, as the local homeowner's association in the area, has a lawyer and they plan to fight this in court. They plan to fight against possible discharge and water contamination issues, the destruction of the falcon and swallows nests, orchids and of course the noise and the alleged dangerous non-compliance practices of the mine.

I just want to thank all of you and all the organizations who wrote in letters and signed the petition which was updated and gained almost 3500 signatures!. If you feel strongly against this decision, as I do, I invite you to write the premier, ministers and those who made the decision and voice your displeasure. 

Premier John Horgan: premier@gov.bc.ca

Katrine Conroy, Minister Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations: FLNR.Minister@gov.bc.ca

George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy: env.minister@gov.bc.ca

Bruce Ralston, Minister Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources: EMPR.Minister@gov.bc.ca

John Allan (MFLNR): John.Allan@gov.bc.ca

Allan Johnsrude (MFLNR): Allan.Johnsrude@gov.bc.ca

Scott Barrett (MFLNR): Scott.Barrett@gov.bc.ca

Joshua Malt (MFLNR): Joshua.Malt@gov.bc.ca

Joel Gillis (MFLNR): Joel.Gillis@gov.bc.ca

Jim Dunkley (MEMPR): Jim.Dunkley@gov.bc.ca

Also, you can let your elected officials know in the next election as well by choosing who you vote for wisely. When you see the NDP gov't issuing logging permits in Spotted Owl habitat you really have to wonder what the real priorities are of this government.

Anyways, we may have lost this fight for now but at least the gov't who tried to initially brush this decision under the rug hoping the public wouldn't notice is now well aware that people are watching and that people care. They will see that we will stand up for the birds and wildlife who have no voice at all. Just like it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, it is better to have fought for what is right than to have stood idly by and done nothing.

Thank you again for all your support.

*CBC News has done a story on this you can read HERE*

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