Webinar

Signs of Life: Hope in an Era of Extinction

November 2024

British Columbia is the most biodiverse province in Canada, but it is also home to the most species at risk of extinction in the country. From the small but mighty northern spotted owl to majestic woodland caribou herds to towering old-growth forests, these spectacular beings are at risk of being lost forever.

Environmental journalist Sarah Cox has witnessed what happens when we drive species to the brink of extinction. In her recently published book ‘Signs of Life’, she tags along with the Canadian military, Indigenous guardians, biologists, conservationists, and ordinary people who are racing to save the habitat of hundreds of species before it’s too late.

Scroll down to watch a panel conversation with Sarah Cox, Spô’zêm First Nation Chief James Hobart, and SCBC Senior Policy and Science Advisor Jens Wieting. The online event was moderated by SCBC Campaigns Director Shelley Luce.

We discussed how we got here; the work Indigenous guardians are doing to protect species habitat on their lands and waters, and what is needed to make sure they succeed; the importance of making commitments like the Nature Agreement, 30 by 30, and provincial biodiversity legislation co-developed with First Nations a reality; and what gives us hope for the future of the over 1,900 species on the brink in B.C.

Explore resources from the webinar

Purchase and/or learn more about Sarah’s book ‘Signs of Life’ here. The book is also available for purchase on Amazon and in local bookstores.
Call for a provincial law that prioritizes biodiversity and ecosystem health. You can send a letter using our letter-writing tool.
Read an excerpt about Canada’s last three wild spotted owls from Sarah Cox’s book “Signs of Life.”
Please consider making a donation to support our free webinars and to help protect the places we love. Even a gift as small as $10 can make a huge difference. Donate here.

Meet the Speakers

Sarah Cox

Sarah Cox is an award-winning author and journalist based in Victoria, B.C. In May 2022, Cox won the Canadian Association of Journalists’ Award for Environmental & Climate Change Reporting and her investigative reporting for the Narwhal has also been awarded the World Press Freedom Award and the Canadian Journalism Foundation’s Jackman Award for Excellence in Journalism. She has also won a Gold Digital Publishing Award with her colleagues at The Narwhal and previously won two Western Magazine Awards. Her first book ‘Breaching the Peace: The Site C Dam and a Valley’s Stand Against Big Hydro’ was published in 2018.

Hromtik’en Kwakosen, Kukpi7 James Hobart

Hromtik’en Kwakosen, Kukpi7 James Hobart is chief of Spô’zêm First Nation, gateway to the Nlaka’pamux territories of the Lower Fraser Canyon in B.C., and has been the chairperson for the National Care Committee for Children and Families. James has been chief since 2011, except for two years while completing the Aboriginal Management Program at UBC Sauder School of Business. Under Hobart’s leadership, the Spô’zêm First Nation successfully pushed for logging deferrals in the Spô’zêm and Utzlius watersheds, critical habitat for the spotted owl, championing not only the owls but also the cultural heritage they represent.

Jens Wieting

Jens Wieting is Sierra Club BC’s Senior Policy and Science Advisor. He works on protecting old growth ecosystems in B.C. and advocating for strong climate action to phase out fossil fuels and speed up the transition to zero emissions. His primary focus are solutions to maintain the ecological integrity and the climate-stabilizing role of globally rare temperate rainforests in B.C., from Vancouver Island to the Great Bear Rainforest.