Colleen McCrory
Encyclopedia
Colleen McCrory was a Canadian environmental activist.
She was born in New Denver, British Columbia
. McCrory founded the Valhalla Wilderness Society, a British Columbia
environmental group, in 1975.
McCrory funded her campaign at first through a small clothing store in New Denver. However, a three year boycott by loggers forced her out of business in 1985 and forced her deep into debt.
She was awarded the Governor-General's Conservation Award in 1983 and the IUCN
's Fred M. Packard International Parks Merit Award in 1988. In 1992, she was named to the United Nations
' Global 500 Roll of Honour
and awarded a Goldman Environmental Prize
.
She ran as a candidate for the Green Party
in the 2001 British Columbia provincial elections.
McCrory's efforts helped lead to the creation of:
McCrory died of a brain tumor
at home in Silverton, British Columbia
in 2007, aged 57.
She was born in New Denver, British Columbia
New Denver, British Columbia
New Denver is a village in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, along the shore of Slocan Lake. New Denver was founded as a mining town in 1892, and briefly known as Eldorado City before being renamed after Denver, Colorado. It was incorporated as a village in 1929 and currently has approximately...
. McCrory founded the Valhalla Wilderness Society, a British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
environmental group, in 1975.
McCrory funded her campaign at first through a small clothing store in New Denver. However, a three year boycott by loggers forced her out of business in 1985 and forced her deep into debt.
She was awarded the Governor-General's Conservation Award in 1983 and the IUCN
World Conservation Union
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources is an international organization dedicated to finding "pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges." The organization publishes the IUCN Red List, compiling information from a network of...
's Fred M. Packard International Parks Merit Award in 1988. In 1992, she was named to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
' Global 500 Roll of Honour
Global 500 Roll of Honour
The United Nations Environment Programme established the Global 500 Roll of Honour in 1987 to recognize the environmental achievements of individuals and organizations around the world.The last Global 500 Roll of Honour awards were made in 2003...
and awarded a Goldman Environmental Prize
Goldman Environmental Prize
The Goldman Environmental Prize is a prize awarded annually to grassroots environmental activists, one from each of the world's six geographic regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations, North America, and South and Central America. The prize includes a no-strings-attached award of...
.
She ran as a candidate for the Green Party
Green Party of British Columbia
The Green Party of British Columbia is a political party in British Columbia, Canada. It is led by former Esquimalt municipal councillor, university professor and businessperson Jane Sterk, she was elected by the party in 2007. Penticton realtor and columnist Julius Bloomfield serves as the deputy...
in the 2001 British Columbia provincial elections.
McCrory's efforts helped lead to the creation of:
- Valhalla Provincial ParkValhalla Provincial ParkValhalla Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada.It was established on March 3rd, 1983 in the mountains above the Western shores of Slocan Lake, in the west Kootenays. The park consists of most of the Valhalla Range of the Selkirk Mountains.It is 49,893 hectares in size...
in the Kootenay regionKootenaysThe Kootenay Region comprises the southeastern portion of British Columbia. It takes its name from the Kootenay River, which in turn was named for the Ktunaxa First Nation first encountered by explorer David Thompson.-Boundaries:The Kootenays are more or less defined by the Kootenay Land...
of British Columbia - Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage SiteGwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage SiteNinstints or SGang Gwaay Llnaagay on Anthony Island, in located in the southernmost part of Gwaii Haanas, just west of Kunghit Island, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981...
in the Queen Charlotte IslandsQueen Charlotte IslandsHaida Gwaii , formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands, is an archipelago on the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada. Haida Gwaii consists of two main islands: Graham Island in the north, and Moresby Island in the south, along with approximately 150 smaller islands with a total landmass of... - Goat Range Provincial ParkGoat Range Provincial ParkGoat Range Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada.The park was established to protect unique species such as the Gerrard Rainbow Trout and the distinct subspecies of "White Grizzly" for which the park was first named...
in the Selkirk MountainsSelkirk MountainsThe Selkirk Mountains are a mountain range spanning the northern portion of the Idaho Panhandle, eastern Washington, and southeastern British Columbia. They begin at Mica Peak near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and extend approximately 320 km north from the border. The range is bounded on its west,... - Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear SanctuaryKhutzeymateen Grizzly Bear SanctuaryKhutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. Established August 1994, northeast of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, the purpose of the park is to protect the north coast grizzly bear by preserving a part of the ecosystem in which they live.At in size,...
and the Spirit Bear Conservancy in the Great Bear RainforestGreat Bear RainforestThe Great Bear Rainforest is the name coined by environmental groups in the mid-1990s to refer to a region of temperate rain forest in Canada, on the British Columbia Coast between Vancouver Island and Southeast Alaska...
on the central coast of British Columbia
McCrory died of a brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
at home in Silverton, British Columbia
Silverton, British Columbia
Silverton is a village in the Slocan Valley area of the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia, Canada. It is located on the eastern shore of Slocan Lake south of New Denver. It is British Columbia's smallest municipality in both population and area....
in 2007, aged 57.