BCWF Award Winners and Board of Directors Announced at the 59th BCWF AGM & Convention

SURREY, BC – The BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) held its 59th Annual General Meeting and Convention in Fernie, BC, April 23 to 25, 2015 at the Fernie Community Centre. The event was hosted by the Fernie Rod & Gun Club, and welcomed more than 250 delegates and guests from across the province to discuss conservation issues related to fish, wildlife and habitat.

The three-day event brought together an impressive list of leading experts, government officials, fish and wildlife agencies, conservation organizations, and hunters and anglers to participate in plenary sessions and panel presentations. This year’s theme was “Ours Today, Theirs Tomorrow”, and was chosen to reflect the Fernie Rod & Gun Club’s focus on encouraging our youth to be the conservation leaders of tomorrow.

Keynote speaker Gray Thornton, President of the Wild Sheep Foundation – one of North America’s leading conservation organizations – kicked off the Convention with an inspiring conservation message about how important it is for all hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts to work together to grow wildlife and “keep sheep on the mountain.”

Other guest speakers included Chief Joe Alphonse of the Tsilhqotin Nat’l Gov’t; Don Peterson of the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC; Bob Jamieson, System Ecologist, Bioquest International Consulting; Mike Mitchell, Host of BC Outdoors Sport Fishing and Editor of BC Outdoors Magazine; Patrick Stent, Irene Teske, Alanna Oestreich, and Gerry Kuzyk of the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations; Sheldon Clare, President, Canada’s National Firearms Association; and Tony Bernardo, Executive Director, Canadian Shooting Sports Association.

Distinguished guests included local MP David Wilks; Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations; and Mary Giuliano, Mayor of Fernie.

This year’s AGM & Convention also featured the unveiling of a refreshed BCWF logo as well as the launch of the highly anticipated Online Hunter Education Program. In addition, the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations offered a sneak peak of the new online hunter registration and LEH system, which is scheduled to be launched in the fall of 2015.

The annual Fernie Rod & Gun Club Banquet and Fundraiser was the grand finale of the week’s events and was a resounding success, with more than 900 people in attendance at Fernie Memorial Arena to support conservation of BC’s fish, wildlife, and habitat.

BCWF’s coveted Fish, Wildlife & Conservation Awards were also presented as part of the proceedings. This year’s winners included:

In addition, several special awards were presented to individuals that have made significant contributions to conservation in BC. Don Peterson, formerly the President of the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC, was honoured following his recent retirement, and Ken Owens and Patricia Burley were recognized as “Conservation Officers of the Year” for their outstanding work in the field.

The BCWF AGM & Convention also saw a number of changes to the Board of Directors of the organization, with the BCWF Executive continuing on in their roles for another year:

Elected Directors – Executive

President – George Wilson – Fernie
Vice President – Jim Glaicar – Prince George
Vice President – Ed George – Langley
Treasurer – John Shepherd – Courtenay
Past President – Bill Bosch – Kelowna

Elected Directors – 2 Year Terms

Harvey Andrusak – Nelson
Jesse Zeman – Kelowna
Brian Hancock – Greenwood
Tyler Carruthers – Cranbrook

Regional Presidents – 2014 / 2015 (Appointed)

Region 1 (Vancouver Island) – Dave Parenteau
Region 2 (Lower Mainland) – Dale Vidulich
Region 3 (Thomson/Nicola) – Gordon Bacon
Region 4W (West Kootenay) – Gord Grunerud
Region 4E (East Kootenay) – Jeff Berdusco
Region 5 (Cariboo) – Terry Street
Region 6 (Skeena) – Mike Langegger
Region 7A (Omineca) – Jim Glaicar
Region 7B (Peace) – Gerry Paille
Region 8 (Okanagan) – Brenton Froehlich

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The BCWF is British Columbia’s largest and oldest conservation organization with over 46,000 members passionately committed to protecting, enhancing and promoting the wise use of the environment for the benefit of present and future generations. Visit www.bcwf.bc.ca for more information.

For more information and general media inquiries, contact Curtis Ketter, BCWF Marketing & Communications Coordinator, at 604-882-9988 (ext. 233)

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