Parklands & Youth Corps

The purpose of The Parklands Co-operative was to design and develop a co-operative model for the care and stewardship of BC Provincial Parks through a partnership of community groups, stakeholder organizations, the BC Government, and youth.

The Parklands Co-operative project arose out of the growing deterioration of one of BC's most treasured assets - the BC Provincial Parks system - and the recognition that ongoing community engagement is essential for long-term sustainability.

While the provincial parks system has increased by over 400% in its land base since 1977, overall resources devoted to park maintenance and upkeep has been reduced by more than 50% in the case of budget allocated per visitor, and 80% with respect to staff allocations per park.

The Parklands project was to provide a focus for community leadership and a mechanism for creating a new partnership with BC Parks through the development and operation of a co-operative model of parks stewardship.

The Co-operative Youth Corps (CYC) was a key feature of this model and was intended to be the means by which BC youth would be recruited into the stewardship work of the co-op.

The CYC will be established as a separate and self-directed youth co-operative whose membership will be directly involved in every aspect of the co-operative's operations.

The role of the CYC will be to recruit, train, and co-ordinate the placement and employment of CYC members with local community stewardship co-ops who will undertake the stewardship work in regional provincial parks.