British Columbia Paleontological Alliance (BCPA), paleontology, fossils

The British Columbia Paleontological Alliance (BCPA) is a union of professional and amateur paleontologists working to advance the science of paleontology in the province by fostering public awareness, scientific collecting and education, and by promoting communication between all those interested in fossils. It is the position of the BCPA and its component regional societies that fossils comprise a critical record of past life forms and, therefore, fossils have important scientific, heritage and educational values. Any collecting of fossils must be made with due consideration of these factors.

General Scientific Collecting

Fossil collecting activities, by both professionals and amateurs, should be undertaken in a responsible manner, that is, suitable for subsequent scientific study and where collected materials receive proper curation, as described in the following BCPA Standards and Ethics for Scientific Collecting. Fossil collecting undertaken according to these standards provides a valuable record of British Columbia's paleontological resources and should be encouraged.

Standards and Ethics for Scientific Collecting

Determine the status of the land prior to collecting. Ensure that appropriate permission and/or permits have been obtained from landowners or governmental authorities before venturing to a fossil site. Leave each site as found with respect to gates, fences or constructions on the property.

Practice sound environmental etiquette. Ensure that the size of field groups, as well as collecting methods employed, minimize the impact of collection on the outcrop.

Take appropriate safety precautions while collecting and carry a first aid kit in each field group.

Members will not collect from Paleontological Research Sites.

Collectors must record and maintain documentation of all relevant geographic and stratigraphic information for each fossil in their collections. Every effort should be made to ensure that this information is accessible to interested professional researchers.

Fossil collections must be properly curated. Each specimen should normally have a unique identifying number related to a documented fossil locality. Specimens should be stored in a manner consistent with their long-term preservation. Important specimens should be housed in a recognized paleontological repository.

Sale of fossils *for personal or corporate profit by any member of the Alliance is unacceptable.

Members who fail to adhere to these standards may have their membership in the Alliance revoked.

*Note: Specifically applies to BC fossils.

Paleontological Reserves

A few fossil localities in British Columbia are of outstanding scientific importance (e.g., Burgess Shale and Wapiti Lake, both presently protected) and merit specific protection and regulation as Paleontological Reserves. Measures of the importance of a Paleontological Reserve include, but are not limited to: uniqueness of the fossils found there (either individual specimens or associations of fossil types); unusual preservation of fossils; large, moderately-complete vertebrate remains; etc. It is the opinion of the BCPA that recommendations proposing such a locality, and the nature and extent of management of such sites, should be made known to legislators by the BCPA in consultation with other professionals having specific knowledge relevant to the proposed locality.

General scientific collecting is not permitted in Paleontological Reserves. Locality protection should be flexible, to allow for periodic revision of the status, and should be designed so as not to hinder valid scientific research at the locality.

The BCPA will seek to work directly with provincial ministries and legislators to help develop a process whereby Paleontological Reserves can be designated promptly and with the input of the BCPA.

Paleontological Research Sites

The BCPA recognizes that valid scientific research may require that some fossil sites remain undisturbed for the duration of the study. Such sites are to be designated Paleontological Research Sites (PRS) by the BCPA. Researchers may apply to the BCPA for PRS status. Research sites would be established typically for periods of six months to two or more years, depending on the nature of the research. Collecting at the site by BCPA members is prohibited for the duration of the PRS designation. At the conclusion of the assigned study period, the site will revert to normal status unless the researcher demonstrates to the satisfaction of the BCPA that it should be further protected.

The BCPA will seek to work directly with provincial ministries and legislators to help develop a process whereby Paleontological Research Sites can be designated promptly and with the input of the BCPA.

Out-of Province Paleontologists

Out-of province paleontologists should not be restricted or hindered from fossil collecting, provided they follow adequate collecting and curatorial procedures, as outlined in the above Standards and Ethics for Scientific Collecting. Out-of province paleontologists should inform the BCPA of their research program prior to initiation of their collecting program. Type specimens and general collections of fossils must be housed in appropriate institutions designated for such storage. In particular instances, the BCPA may request out-of province paleontologists to deposit a representative suite of specimens in a British Columbia museum or recognized institutional collection in the province.

Commercial Collecting

The BCPA is opposed to commercial extraction of fossils by its member organization or individual. Any commercial fossil extraction activity should be regulated by the province and require permits and/or licenses, with some sort of associated fee. The BCPA anticipates that its advice will be sought and followed by regulators in assessing such permit applications for suitability.

The BCPA will seek to work directly with provincial ministries and legislators to help develop a method whereby guidelines for Commercial Fossil Collecting Standards and a Commercial Permit Application Process are established.