Jesse Zeman, resident priority program manager with the BCWF, said the organization and its members are excited about the new app that will allow members to report illegal activity like poaching immediately by using their smartphones. (Keith Lacey file photo)
The British Columbia Wildlife Federation (BCWF) is confident the amount of poaching, illegal garbage dumping and contravention of fishing and hunting rules and regulations will diminish significantly now that it has introduced a computer application designed to report infractions across the province.
“We want members of the public to take ownership of Crown land and ownership of their natural resources,” said Jesse Zeman, resident priority program manager with the BCWF.
Senior management with the BCWF held a press conference in Kelowna in December to unveil its new Conservation App and upgraded website.
The Conservation App and website are cutting-edge tools that will allow British Columbians to easily report illegal use and abuse of natural resources across the province, said Zeman.
The computer application is currently only available to iPhone users, but a similar application for android phone users is expected to be ready for use some time in 2017, said Zeman.
“The application makes it easy for users to take geo-referenced, time-stamped photos or videos and to report issues to the appropriate enforcement agency,” he said.
Partners in developing the computer application and upgrades to the BCWF website include the University of British Columbia Okanagan in Kelowna, the Okanagan Basin Water Board, Oceala Fish and Game Club in Lake Country and the Conservation Officers’ Society of British Columbia, said Zeman.
“The leadership with the BCWF has had this idea about putting together a computer application to report infractions for some time … I would say more than a year,” said Zeman. “We got together with some interested partners and went to work on coming up with something we felt would be easy to use and functional.”
The key role of the computer application will be reporting environmental infractions to the appropriate authorities, said Zeman.
There are only four buttons that can be pressed when the Conservation App is used, including one that reads, “report environmental infraction,” he said.
When an infraction is reported and photos and videos are submitted, the information, all which is geo-referenced and time stamped, will go directly to the BCWF main computer server, said Zeman.
From there, volunteers with the BCWF will be able to notify the respective authorities that will make their own decision on what the appropriate course of action is, said Zeman.
“We tried to make things as simple as possible, but it took a lot of time and effort to make the application as simple as it is,” he said.
The majority of infractions reported will be handled by the Conservation Officers Society, officers from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources and federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, said Zeman.
“We don’t expect the RCMP to be involved at all, unless it was determined a serious criminal offence had taken place,” he said.
As the saying goes, a photograph (or video) says many words and having the ability to have photos and videos downloaded immediately is very important in reporting infractions, said Zeman.
“It’s a super powerful tool,” he said.
More than 2,000 people have downloaded the free application from the iTunes store in a matter of days and Zeman expects thousands more will do so in the coming weeks.
Zeman has little doubt the introduction of the Conservation App will dramatically cut down on the amount of illegal activities taking place in the bush and on rivers, lakes and streams across the province.
“In the long-term, we have no doubt it will cut down on poaching and other abuses of our natural resources,” he said. “We live in this amazing province with an endless amount of opportunities to enjoy our natural resources and having this app will empower people who take care of their natural resources to report the few who refuse to respect those same natural resources.”
The BCWF’s website has also been upgraded and improved with more information available to the public, he said.
All of the money spent to develop the Conservation App and upgrade the website came from the BCWF membership and partners, said Zeman.
“We are accepting donations from our members to support this initiative as it has cost a few dollars for sure,” he said.
When asked if he ever thought he would see the day when smartphones and computer applications would become part of being outside and enjoying all Mother Nature has to offer to anglers and hunters, Zeman just laughed.
“I certainly never thought you would see things like this when I was a kid growing up, but it’s just part of life now,” he said. “We have an entire generation of young people who basically can’t live without their smart phone.”
Most seniors also have cellphones and have learned how to use them, so this is an attempt to use the latest technology for a worthy cause, said Zeman.
The BCWF is B.C.’s largest and oldest conservation organization with more than 50,000 members who are passionately committed to protecting, enhancing and promoting the wise use of the environment for the benefit of present and future generations, said Zeman.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
