Gwen Barlee

Patrica Gwen Barlee (March 29, 1963 – June 21, 2017) was an environmental activist noted for her advocacy on environmental issues concerning endangered species, waterways, and provincial parks. She spent most of her environmentalist career pushing for standalone endangered species legislation in British Columbia. She is best known for her committed role to the Western Canada Wilderness Committee as national policy director (2001–2017) and participation in environmental campaigns for the British Columbia government to preserve tens of thousands of hectares for the northern spotted owl in 2011.

Barlee co-wrote a book titled In Defence of Canada's Spotted Owl with authors Andrew Miller and Devon Page, published by the Wilderness Committee. She had a vital role in the halt of government construction plans to build resorts in provincial and national parks. She also uncovered incident reports about the negative impacts of the industrial power stations on the environment, leading to a protest to prevent the privatization of waterways.

Early life and education Barlee was born March 29, 1963, in Penticton, British Columbia, and raised near Summerland in British Columbia's Okanagan region. Barlee was the daughter of Kathleen Kyle and Neville Langrell "Bill" Barlee, the second born of her siblings Veronica Barlee and Diane Barlee. Barlee took part in many successful environmental campaigns and played a critical role in the halt in the construction of resorts in British Columbia provincial parks. She was known for her extensive Freedom of Information knowledge and ability to apply her knowledge to challenge provincial and federal legislation. She spent many years educating the public on current environmental issues through hosting and presenting at environmental and political conferences, guest speaking in youth classrooms, producing documentaries and publishing a book called “In Defence of Canada's Spotted Owl.” Due to Barlee’s many years of advocating for and defending the environment, she was nominated for the YWCA Women of Distinction Award in 2016. She had a critical role in protecting the endangered species, the northern spotted owl, whose population continues to decline and is at significant risk of extinction. Matured and aged forests with large trees, a habitat suitable for the northern spotted owls, are being destroyed due to the industrial logging and forestry system, resulting in the species' vulnerability and exposure to the predatory barred owl. The northern spotted owl is primarily protected by the Endangered Species Act, prohibiting individuals from harming or injuring the species. Barlee and the team worked together to produce campaigns to protect and preserve the northern spotted owl and many endangered species, resulting in the British Columbia government setting aside over two hundred thousand hectares to preserve the northern spotted owl wildlife in 2011.

Work for waterways During the mid-2000, Barlee began to advocate for the protection of wild rivers and against the British Columbia provincial government’s plans to privatize waterways for power projects. Barlee had valuable knowledge of the Freedom of Information that helped the FIPA to showcase the inaccuracies and failings in British Columbia’s provincial government testing methods for Lyme disease, resulting in the construction of a new clinic for chronic diseases with a focus on Lyme disease.