Vol.31 No.4 Spring 2012 Published by the Wilderness Committee FREE REPORTBAN MINING In Parks!

Protecting Parks for Future Generations Eric Reder Manitoba Campaign I'm sure a majority of Manitobans Parks are also part of our legacy. Director, have fond memories of our provincial Around the world, parks are a Wilderness Committee parks. Whether it's a brilliant day at the tool used to hold onto nature beach, a quiet walk on a forest trail, or and wilderness. Preserving and a weekend camping with family and protecting our natural environment friends, time in provincial parks creates is our responsibility to future positive experiences that we carry with generations. In 1990, the Manitoba first joined the Wilderness us for a lifetime. Parks are a comfort government—like governments I Committee because of my concern to us, even if we don't have a chance around the world—committed to for Manitoba’s provincial parks. I was to visit them. Knowing that there are protecting 12% of our lands from determined to see our parklands intact forests, habitat for animals and industrial development.1 By 20 07, expanded and protected to become plants, and clean, fresh lakes gives us however, scientists had realized the one of the best park systems in . solace. Nature is part of our Manitoba 12% goal wasn't enough, and instead This educational report looks But with logging, mining and other heritage. determined we need to protect AT at where mining activities are industrial developments still allowed in Our provincial parks provide us LEAST HALF of the boreal forest region.2 happening in our provincial parks our parks, I knew that these were some with a healthy environment. Pure air Today about 10% of Manitoba is and how badly our parks are being of the most endangered parks on Earth. and clean water don't just happen— protected.3 put at risk and damaged. Learn what Early in my life, I had opportunities to they are products of functioning In 2008, the Wilderness Committee you can do to keep mining and experience Manitoba's provincial parks. natural ecosystems. Important habitat celebrated with Manitobans as the other industrial activities out of our Weekend trips with mom, dad and my for animals like woodland caribou provincial government announced new provincial park system. brother were commonplace. My first and songbirds is also found in our legislation that would ban logging in The Wilderness Committee has Manitoba tour really sticks with me. One parks, making them a safeguard for most parks. However, even with this set an ambitious goal for Manitoba summer, in a ragtag convoy of truck biodiversity. ban on commercial forestry, our parks —to protect 20% of our province campers, vans and trailers, my extended are still being damaged by industrial by the year 2020. That’s because family wandered around to different activity. While there are currently no we believe that our provincial parks provincial parks. We were showing off active mines in Manitoba parks, there should be a protected areas network. our province to relatives visiting from are many mining claims and there Provincial parks that are fully protected Europe, but also seeing a lot of it for the is ongoing damage from mineral are what all Manitobans deserve. first time ourselves. From the islands of exploration. New mining claims are Paint Lake to the sand dunes of Spruce continually being staked even as the Photo top: Whiteshell Provincial Park (SharedVisionPhotography.ca | Mike Karakas), Woods, we absorbed the beautiful rehabilitation of former mine sites is above: Woodland caribou (Art Wolfe), nature of Manitoba parks. ignored. left: Black-throated green warbler (Edgar T. Jones). How Manitoba Gave Lynn Lake Burge Lake Provincial Park A Park That Isn't A Park Parks The Shaft Resource management classification creates industrial parks

n

a anitoba's Provincial Parks Act to provide outdoor recreational as one of six Land Use Categories (LUCs).

a A history of mining and provincial parks w

b e

o h states that the purpose of a and educational opportunities and Wilderness, Backcountry, and Heritage are

t

i c M t 8 n

a

hile provincial parks are now government enshrined logging and a park is: “to conserve ecosystems and experiences in a natural setting.” If this the only three LUCs that offer protection

k

s 4 M such a valued part of our mining as acceptable activities in parks. a maintain biodiversity; to preserve is the purpose of parks, how is mining from development. Access and Recreation W S Manitoba culture, that has not always This was in spite of great public interest 0 50 100 km Thompson unique and representative natural, allowed? Development LUCs are used for park been the case. Legislation to create in preserving the park areas and even cultural and heritage resources; and Every Manitoba park is designated infrastructure and roads, plus cottage provincial parks was only proclaimed in a Clean Environment Commission Paint Lake Provincial Park and camping areas, and don’t necessarily the 1960s, with Whiteshell being one recommendation to phase out industrial Twin Lakes Legend exclude mining. The last LUC, Resource Major Roads 5 Pisew Falls Provincial Park of the first parks created. At that time, activity in all parks. Major Railways File Management (RM), is the real problem as it Provincial Park Snow Lake

Grass River Provincial Park Boundary

Lake Sasagiu Rapids Provincial Park the importance of protecting wild and In contrast, Canada established the Elbow allows commercial resource development Provincial Park - Land Use Classification Lake Flin Flon Backcountry (B), protected Morton natural areas from disturbance was not world’s first national park system in Lake and extraction—logging and mining. Recreational Development (RD) Claw Resource Management (RM) Lake fully accepted, so logging and mining 1930 and banned mining in national Woosey The RM area in Grass River makes up Lake 6 Neso 9 were still allowed in parks. parks at that time. Here in Manitoba, Grass River Provincial Park Deep a shocking 75% of the park. The natural, ake Lake Lake Legend e L R nn The wilderness we now know as we have been left with a relic from a N Bru G Halfway cultural, and heritage resources in Grass C r Third a Grass River Lake Exploration Projects s Cranberry Lake s Provincial provincial parks was first accessed bygone age—the idea that industrial To Provincial River, along with the ecosystems and

Mine sites (None operational in parks) Flin Wedge Flon Second Lake Park . by roads and trails built to get to the activity is acceptable in a park. Park Operational R biodiversity, are not preserved as the Parks Cranberry ss The Pas Lake Iskwasum ra timber and minerals found Non Operational Lake Loucks Reed G Act states. The same is true for Whiteshell Sherritt Junction Lake Lake Remediated Athapa- First in the area. As more people puskow Cranberry Lake 39 To and Nopiming parks, with 47% and 61% of Lake Cranberry 39 Orphaned and Abandoned Leak Snow began exploring these new Cedar Portage Lake Lake these parks respectively open to industrial Major roads Farewell Lake 10 Lake Simonhouse roads and trails, they began to Mining Activity Inside Parks Lake activity. Until the RM classification is appreciate the natural beauty Mining Activity Outside Parks eliminated, our parks are at risk. 39 Protected Areas Inside Parks With Mining Activity and wanted these areas Lake 0 5 10 km Dolomite McClarty Lake Lake Lake Provincial Parks With Mining Activity Simonhouse e Winnipeg Lak preserved for recreation. Winnipegosis Goose r thie Lake Po Even in the 1990s, when To The Pas

M

O

a new Provincial Parks Act a n

n t

a i

t

r was created, the Manitoba o i

o laiming ur arks Lake b C O P Swan River a Photo: Abandoned core sample box in Grass River Provincial Park. Winnipegosis How privatization of our parks happens

Primrose here is a straightforward process to a person can purchase a Prospecting Nowadays, the value of unimpaired Which Parks Have Provincial Hecla / Grindstone South Atikaki Testablishing ownership of mineral License, which allows them to stake a nature is recognized. In parks, this claim Park Provincial Park & Wallace Lake deposits in Manitoba. For a small fee, claim to minerals on land in process hampers our ability to manage Mining Activity? Provincial Parks Manitoba.10 In order to keep the wildlife and protect nature. Essentially, it Dauphin claim each year, a person must allows private control over designated ut of Manitoba’s 86 provincial such as Sasagiu Rapids and Pisew Falls, do some exploration work on public lands. Oparks, 13 have mining activity are completely covered by mining Nopiming the property or pay a small fee. For advanced exploration such as such as exploration and staking, as claims, while Whiteshell only has a few Gimli Provincial As long as exploration work is drilling, more permits are required. But shown on the map in the center of the smaller claims. Lake continuing, or a fee is being there is no public oversight on where Manitoba Park page. The parks which are at greatest The legislation of a past era created Lac du paid, a claim does not expire. development can occur—not even Neepawa Bonnet risk are Nopiming and Grass River, where this conflict in our provincial parks. The Portage Selkirk Whiteshell This simple process was in a provincial park. In the spring of a multitude of mining claims are located longest-standing claims in a provincial La Prairie Beausejour Provincial designed to encourage 2011, a mineral exploration road was Brandon and ongoing exploration is occurring park are 1921 claims from Grass River, WINNIPEG Park exploration of new areas, when quietly bulldozed through the Springer right now. Some of the smallest parks, but a majority of claims have been development of resources was Lake Proposed Ecological Reserve in staked in the last few considered the best possible Nopiming, an area that was supposed to

M M O

a

a n n To Bissett n i t g i a o t years, meaning there use of the land. be protected from development. o ta ri Photo: Exploration road Photo: Mining claim post in Whiteshell Provincial Park. b g o an Moore a R 304 . Lake is an ongoing threat bulldozed in Nopiming Halfway Quesnel Provincial Park. Lake Lake to our parks. There M What’s At Stake: a ni go Beresford ta are currently over ga Lake Manigotagan n ong Lake R L Impacts from mining and mineral exploration Lake . 750 mining claims Happy Lake Garner inside provincial here is no way to mitigate the fact contaminated liquids. Many mines are trails also allow human Lake 7 Moose parks in Manitoba. that operating a mine is a dirty, located below the water table, so mines hunters easier access River T Legend 314 Exploration Projects destructive business. When land and need to be continually drained, making deep into the forest, Gem Mine sites (None operational in parks) Lake 11 Tooth Operational Lake rock is disturbed, heavy metals that acid rock drainage a serious concern. which is threatening Non Operational Remediated are contained in the rock are exposed, The process of mineral exploration moose numbers. B l Orphaned and Abandoned a Flinstone ck Lake and can cause contamination and itself, before a mine is even permitted In the spring of 2011, Major roads R iv e Quarry leases inside parks r Black acidification of local water and lands. or proposed, is also harmful to the many kilometres of Mineral leases inside parks Shoe Lake Lake Mining claims inside parks Fresh water and a variety of chemicals ecosystems our provincial parks are new roadways were R Mineral leases outside parks ab bi t Nopiming Mining claims outside parks R are used in the mining process, which supposed to be preserving. Exploratory bulldozed in and i ve Quarry leases outside parks r Provincial Euclid requires the creation of ponds to hold drilling operations require roadways around Nopiming Protected Areas Cole Lake Lake Park Provincial Parks 314 to be bulldozed to transport Park for exploration

Springer equipment, and these trails drilling. A few months Lake have a terrible impact on later the government 0 2.5 5 km wildlife in Manitoba. announced critical moose Photo: Dragonfly on Blue Flag iris. ke La

Bird ek re 315 The moose population habitat protection measures they were C n Booster so er er Lake et iv P R in eastern Manitoba has implementing—right next to where has been closed since 1993. There is Bernic Lake Birse rd 315 plunged by at least 50% in they authorized the new exploration still an eerily bubbling water pond Lac Bi Lake Shatford Ryerson 12 13 du Lake Lake the last several years. One roadways! devoid of trees and vegetation on the Bonnet Photo above: Yellow warbler (Robin and er Riv Arlene Karpan), of the causes of this decline Rehabilitation of closed mine sites site, and open stretches of ground To eg Whiteshell left: Moose and calf (Wayne Lynch). is the exploration roadways, is another problem, as evidenced by with strange, crystally build-up—a Lac ip Eaglesnest 313 inn du W Provincial Lake Bonnet Park which make it easier for the Spruce Point Mine on the shore of testament to the lasting impacts of Pointe du Bois Photo: Contaminated water in Grass River Provincial Park. wolves to hunt moose. These Reed Lake in Grass River Park, which mines. Digging Ourselves Out Of This Hole The solution to get mining out of our parks

ur parks can only be preserved For claims that currently exist in our the park enlarged in other areas to Oif mining and other industrial provincial parks, a five-year time limit compensate for the loss of land. activity is banned. There is a simple must be imposed, allowing a claim A key step towards real park path forward for Manitobans—a owner to complete exploration and protection is to pass legislation solution to gain protection for our produce a mine proposal. If after five which removes the Resource provincial parks while still allowing years no mine proposal is produced, Management Land Use the mining industry to resolve their then the claim expires. For the claim Classification from our Provincial mining claims. owners that do come up with mine Parks Act. The first step is to ban all new proposals, the government should first This proposal to end mining in mining claims in provincial parks, just look at buying out or expropriating parks is a fair, responsible solution as the Manitoba government has the claims. If that can not be that is good for Manitobans recently done for quarry leases for peat accomplished, then the area should be today, and for future generations. under the Save Act.14 deleted from the park boundaries and Ecologically responsible projects can proceed, while Manitobans get the provincial park protection they deserve. The Manitoba government already bans mining in all new provincial parks. Now it’s time to move out of the past and ban mining Photo's above: Fishing and paddling are favourite park activities. in all parks. References Photo above: Canoe expedition in Nopiming Provincial Park, right: Pine grosbeak (Don Johnston). 1 http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/annual-reports/ soe-reports/soe93/parks.html and http://www.gov. mb.ca/conservation/pai/committment/index.html 2 http://borealbirds.org/resources/ScienceLetter-English. pdf 3 Manitoba government news release, April 20, 2012 - http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/2012/04/2012-04- 20-141000-13796.html 4 The Provincial Parks Act of Manitoba, Section 7(3)(c) - http://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/p020e.php, TAKE ACTION! http://web2.gov.mb.ca/bills/39-3/b003e.php 5 Report on Public Hearings, Abitibi-Price Inc. FML #01 Forest Resource Management Plan 1991 - 1998, The You have the power to give our parks the protection Manitoba Clean Environment Commission February, 1992 6 http://www.pc.gc.ca/apprendre-learn/prof/itm2-crp- they deserve. trc/htm/evolution_e.asp 7 Based on Wilderness Committee research and mapping from the Manitoba Government Mines Branch GIS Map The most important step you can take to protect our Gallery, Mineral Dispositions maps. 8 The Provincial Parks Act of Manitoba, Section 5 - http:// parks is to write a letter to our elected officials. Tell web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/p020e.php 9 A System Plan for Manitoba’s Provincial Parks - http:// them if you think mining and mineral exploration www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/parks/pdf/planning/ manitoba_parks_system_plan.pdf (p 38) 10 Prospecting license process - http://www.manitoba.ca/ should be banned from our parks. iem/mrd/busdev/exp-guide/registered.html 11 http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/annual-reports/ Contact information: soe-reports/soe91/mining.html Photo: Boreal owls (Wayne Lynch). 12 Manitoba government news release, January 20, 2012 - http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/2012/01/2012- Premier Greg Selinger, Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister Gord Mackintosh, 01-20-140700-13048.html, http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/ press/top/2010/05/2010-05-27-153500-8666.html 204 Legislative Building, 450 Broadway 330 Legislative Building, 450 Broadway 13 Manitoba government news release, January 20, 2012 Winnipeg, MB, R3C 0V8 Winnipeg, MB, R3C 0V8 - http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/2012/01/2012- 01-20-140700-13048.html E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] 14 The Save Lake Winnipeg Act, Section 8 - http://web2. Phone: 204-945-3714 Phone: 204-945-3730 gov.mb.ca/bills/39-5/b046e.php

WildernessCommittee.org/Manitoba • 1-800-661-WILD (9453) Credits Writing and Editing: Eric Reder, Derrick O'Keefe, Matthew Sasaki. Graphic Design and Layout: Perry Sky Jack, Sue Fox. I Want To Help Ban Mapping: Geoff Senichenko All photos: Eric Reder unless noted otherwise. Mining In Parks! Wilderness Committee, Vol. 31, No. 4, 2012. Canadian Yes! Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 0900567. Posted in Vancouver for free distribution. Printed in Canada on recycled newsprint with vegetable-based inks. Enclosed is: $25 $50 $100 Other $ ______Press Run 25,000 © Wilderness Committee 2012. All rights Fed. reg. charity #11929-3009-RR0001 reserved. Written material may be used without permission clip when credit is given. And return to the: I want to become a member! Enclosed is my annual fee for a: Published by Wilderness Committee Wilderness Committee — National Office P.O. Box 2205, $52 Family Membership $35 Individual Membership P.O. Box 2205, Station Terminal Station Terminal Vancouver, BC V6B 3W2 Vancouver, BC V6B 3W2 T: 1-800-661-9453 NAME PHONE Wilderness Committee — Manitoba Office 3rd Floor — 303 Portage Ave., Winnipeg MB, R3B 2B4 T: 204-942-9292 F: 204-942-8214 call ADDRESS CITY 1-800-661-9453 toll-free facebook.com/WildernessCommitteeManitoba  anywhere in Canada twitter.com/WildernewsMB PROVINCE Postal Code EMAIL The Wilderness Committee is Canada’s largest membership-based wilderness preservation organization. WILDERNESS COMMITTEE