Hunks Put Their Bodies Where Their Hearts Are

NANAIMO, British Columbia, Canada, June 13, 2002 (ENS) - Fourteen Canadian hunks of all ages and physiques have taken it (almost) all off to protect the Georgia Strait, that body of water that lies between Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia.

The Georgia Strait Alliance launched the Hunks for Habitat 2002 website on Saturday to raise money and awareness for protecting the waters and marine life of the strait.

Actor Evan Adams (Photos courtesy Georgia Strait Alliance)

The hunks are stars of stage, screen, television and politics. There's actor Evan Adams, best known for his starring role as Thomas Builds-the-Fire in the Sundance Film Festival winner, "Smoke Signals" and from the movie "Lost in the Barrens." He stars in a new film out this summer, "The Business of Fancydancing."

There's Will Millar, an original member of the Irish Rovers singing group, now living in the Cowichan Valley.

MP Svend Robinson

The folksinger Valdy appears as a Hunk, as does multi-sport athlete Dave Norona, author and gardener Des Kennedy, and Rick Searle, co-host of the "EnviroMental" TV show.

Ken Gurr of the Georgia Strait Alliance says ocean protection campaigns are not like land based campaigns. Damaging development of near shore and shoreline habitat, overfishing and toxic pollution from municipal sewage systems - many of the problems are out of sight and often out of mind. Marine areas are not for sale, to buy and set aside for protection as conservationists can do on land.

"Instead," Gurr says, "we need to intensify public awareness and encourage local, provincial and federal government leaders and the variety of user groups and stakeholders to better manage their use of sensitive marine areas."