Giordano Corlazzoli began his campaign in Port Hardy and plans to cap it off in Victoria.

THOMAS KERVIN PHOTO Giordano Corlazzoli sets off under Port Hardy’s welcome sign on Nov. 20 to begin his 500-kilometre trek to Victoria.

A young man from Ucluelet started running the length of Vancouver Island today in Port Hardy, where he kickstarted his anti-trophy hunting campaign.

Giordano Corlazzoli, who recently finished college, will run over 500 kilometres within two weeks from Port Hardy to Victoria in an effort to raise awareness on trophy hunting carnivores along the coast.

The marathon, the young man noted, is an effort to raise funds for a campaign, “Safeguard Coastal Carnivores” endorsed by Raincoast Conservation Foundation.

“I know the days will be long,” he said on the foundation’s website, “and I’m sure there will be times where I will want to quit, but in the end I know it will all be worth it knowing I did my part in protecting the vital carnivores that inhabit our coast.”

Before beginning the trek along Vancouver Island, the young marathoner said he “started this run to help fundraise with the Raincoast Conservation Foundation and their campaign to end trophy hunting. They’re purchasing hunting tenures to try gain rights to the land. They’ve already purchased three tenures.”

Giordano Corlazzoli began his campaign in Port Hardy.

“My campaign is raising funds along with them,” he said.

Growing up on the West Coast, he noted, was what inspired him to start this kind of campaign, especially coming from a remote community like Ucluelet. “You’re more in tune with wildlife than a lot of places, if you’re from a city, seeing bears around,” he said. “You’re more aware that they exist and feel more responsibility to do something to protect them.”

He attended a recent event held by Raincoast Conservation in Victoria, which instilled an idea to run a marathon to stop trophy hunting in B.C.

The foundation believes that buying out the hunting licenses outright may be the only solution to trophy hunting. “We began purchasing hunting rights in 2005,” Raincoast Conservation stated online, “With your help we have given protection to bears from trophy hunting in three jurisdictions in the Great Bear Rainforest. Now we can secure a fourth tenure.”

Corlazzoli’s hopes this marathon inspires B.C. residents due to his passion for running, “motivating people to take action themselves and contribute in any way possible to this amazing campaign,” he concluded.

The campaign plans to end carnivore trophy hunting, such as cougars or black bears, but the foundation does not anticipate the campaign to end hunting altogether.

The deadline to purchase the hunting licenses is Dec. 31.

@NIGazette

reporter@northislandgazette.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter