Vol.38 No.4 | 2019 Published by the Wilderness Committee

FREE REPORT

Manitoba’s Parks Need You THE TIME IS NOW TO PROTECT NATURE

Eric Reder Like many of you, 120 countries, is the and is actively moving towards this Wilderness I remember when There has never been a Intergovernmental Panel goal. The Wilderness Committee has and Water there was more more essential time to on Climate Change (IPCC) been advocating to protect 20 per cent Campaigner nature around us, stand up for parks and report Global Warming by 2020 for years and even published @EricReder when the drive in protected areas in this of 1.5° C stating we have the roadmap to get there in our report, the country had 12 years to halve our Keep It Wild, a Conservation Vision for more wild spaces province. fossil fuel use or face .5 than subdivisions or climate catastrophe. It But just last year, Manitoba’s clearcuts. In Manitoba, we still have also states forests are the best solution Sustainable Development Minister ummer sunrises in Nopiming more wilderness than most countries for us to reverse the buildup of carbon Rochelle Squires stated that while the SProvincial Park have offered me in the world. But as we’ve all seen, our dioxide in the atmosphere, which government of Manitoba supports such glorious sights. Sure, there’s a favourite wilderness areas may not be causes deadly climate change.2 In pursuing a 17 per cent protected struggle to wake up when the alarm here to enjoy forever unless we choose addition, the Zoological Society of areas goal, they do not support goes off at 4 am but magic often to keep nature around. London’s Living Planet Report warned increasing protected areas in the awaits as I get out of the tent to There has never been a more 60 per cent of wildlife on the planet province.6 It’s hard to comprehend the capture the golden morning glow. I’m essential time to stand up for parks has disappeared since 1970.3 Poorly logic behind that kind of thinking — or attached to the nature I get to witness. and protected areas in this province. planned industrial activity is putting find any excuse for such inaction. It feeds my soul. Along with specific threats to our the natural interconnected balance of Protecting parks from industrial People across the province have parks presented in this paper, two life on Earth — our life support system activity and preserving biological grown up with memories of our parks stunning reports were released last year — at grave risk. diversity across the province must be and of time spent in nature. Wonderous highlighting just how absolutely crucial With the scientific community every government’s top priority for camping trips as kids often lead to it is to protect more nature. offering critical direction on how our future. In fact, the most effective comfortable cottage trips as adults. We One of the most shocking reports, essential nature is to our survival, one measure we can take to act on climate in yearn for a connection to nature.1 signed off by governments from would think governments would seize Manitoba is protecting our peatlands, as the opportunity to protect our lands we’ll explain in this report.7 Unfortunately, and waters. One would think they Premier is talking about would preserve and expand parks clean and green more than he’s and protected areas. But that’s not the following through with policies that will case in Manitoba. make it so. Read on to find out what A majority of countries have agreed policies we need to ask for now. to a UN initiative to protect 17 per cent of the lands and water on Earth by 2020.4 Canada has signed on

Photo top: Nopiming Provincial Park (Eric Reder). Photos above: showy lady’s slipper (Mike Grandmaison), moose in Nopiming Provincial Park near area bulldozed for mineral exploration (Eric Reder). CLIMATE ACTION IS IN OUR NATURE As Manitobans, we love our time outdoors. The diverse array of life around us is important for slowing down and grounding us. It is also helping us adapt to climate change. We know now more than ever we need to act on climate. Protecting biodiversity comes from preserving the parks we spend time in. Our love of nature is within us. We must recognize climate action is in our nature. Photo: prickly rose (Mark Degner). END LOGGING IN PARKS Duck Mountain Provincial Park

HY NOW? The controversial after year the government extended To Swan River 366 Wlicence to log Duck Mountain this questionable contract. In 2008, Provincial Park expires on December when the Manitoba government finally 31, 2019. We can stop the logging in banned logging in most provincial Duck Mountain. parks, Louisiana-Pacific was allowed to The hangover from a bygone era continue clearcutting the Ducks. The 366 still haunts Duck Mountain Provincial last outrageous chapter in the Duck Park — 61 per cent of the park is open Mountain Provincial Park saga occurred for clearcutting.8 This in 2013 when the Area Excluded is Manitoba’s shame. government secretly From “The Ducks,” as they’re extended the logging Park so often called, joins licence for six more 367 Algonquin Provincial years.12 Park in Ontario as the last The devastating 367 two parks in Canada still impact of 25 years 367 9 10 366 being logged. of industrial clearcut 367 In the 90s, Louisiana- logging in the Ducks Pacific Corporation was can be seen with newly 594 0 5 10 km given an Environment released historical Act Licence for satellite imagery. Visit To Dauphin extensive logging of Photo: logging in Duck Mountain Provincial WildernessCommittee. Duck Mountain Provincial Park Locator Map Park (Eric Reder). n Swan River the Ducks. A large org/DucksLogging to Area Excluded From Park a

w Main 366 new mill was licenced and built with see a video of the destruction. Highways & Major Roads e h Map

c Minor Roads t Lake overestimated information about In 1993, the Clean Environment a Dauphin k Manitoba Approximate Logging from 2000 to 2011* s timber availability. The provincial Commission — Manitoba’s government a

S biologist who raised alarm bells arbiter — stated logging in all provincial Approximate Logging from 2014 to 2018 Manitoba Protected Area in the Park - No Logging about the dangerous ecological parks had to be phased out.13 Now, 26 Historical Forest Fires - 1928 to 2010 impacts was subsequently fired.11 years later, the time has finally come to *From Louisiana-Pacific Swan Valley Forest Management This new large-scale logging stop this logging once and for all. Plan Website - Harvest Maps USA operation was so controversial concerned citizens submitted POLICY FIX: thousands of pages of documents in •• Write the Manitoba government opposition to the government, yet a and tell them to remove Duck 10-year licence was still issued. In 2005, Mountain Provincial Park from the licence was set to expire but year Louisiana-Pacific’s logging licence.

Photos left to right: Whiteshell Provincial Park (Mike Grandmaison), damselfly(Eric Reder), rusty blackbird (Robert McCaw). SPOTLIGHT: Bravely on for the lower Bird River Protected area progress has been painfully slow with Pallister’s government. After five years of work advocating the lower Bird River be kept safe from mining activity destruction, the Wilderness Committee helped nearly 10,000 Manitobans send messages to the government asking the 17 km stretch of wilderness be preserved.14 Unfortunately, last year the government said it “will not proceed with protecting the lower Bird River in the future.”15 Despite the provincial government’s refusal to preserve the river, the leadership of Sagkeeng First Nation has asserted the lower Bird River must remain free from mining destruction.16 The Wilderness Committee will continue to advocate for legislated protection for the lower Bird River, according to the wishes of Sagkeeng First Nation. Join us on the river every September for our annual Paddle for Protection day trip on World Rivers Day.

Photo: paddlers on the lower Bird River (Eric Reder). STOP MINING IN PARKS Nopiming Provincial Park HY NOW? Pallister’s following year, after the Wilderness Wgovernment reversed a halt on Committee published the report mineral exploration in parks, allowing Ban Mining in Provincial Parks, the Nopiming to be bulldozed in 2018. conservation minister of the day Expect a similar fate for Whiteshell agreed to change the system that Provincial Park. allowed such destruction and that Last year, the Wilderness Committee parks should be off limits to mineral was shocked to discover extensive new exploration.19 park destruction in two different places Most jurisdictions in the world in Nopiming Provincial don’t allow you to look Park in an area set for minerals in parks. aside as sensitive Federally we eliminated moose habitat. Boreal mining in parks in 1930.20 woodland caribou But the government also occupy this area, a of Manitoba is bent on species whose habitat backsliding and is not Photo: mineral exploration in Nopiming is protected under Provincial Park (Eric Reder). recognizing the need for both federal and provincial species protecting nature or preserving parks. at risk legislation. Communication Last summer a poll found more obtained under a freedom of than 70 per cent of Manitobans want information request showed the parks industrial activity including logging staff concerns for development in the and mining phased out of provincial area were ignored.17 parks. For years, polling in the province The Manitoba government’s continually shows strong support for allowance of new park mineral more protected areas. While Premier exploration has created a boom Pallister is enacting regulations to open spreading to Whiteshell Provincial up our nature to destruction, most Park. Extensive new claims in Manitobans are opposed.21 northern Whiteshell put this beloved park at risk from mining exploration POLICY FIX: bulldozers as well.18 •• Halt all new mining claims in Eight years ago, the Wilderness provincial parks. Committee discovered many newly •• Put a time limit on existing claims bulldozed mineral exploration roads in in parks and require publication of Nopiming Provincial Park and even one exploration plans before starting in a proposed ecological reserve. The projects.

PEATLANDS ARE CLIMATE POWERHOUSES

HY NOW? A growing global While there was a brief ban on new POLICY FIX: W movement aims to lock up peat leases in Manitoba, it was lifted •• Ban all new peat leases. the carbon stored in peatlands. in 2016. 23 Our climate powerhouse •• Commit to a protected area goal The flat forest expanses of peatlands are at risk from expanded of 66 per cent of our peatlands by Manitoba provide us with the harvesting operations. New 2030. ultimate climate action tool — peat leases have been staked, •• Offer REDD and ALUS for peatlands. Peatlands cover three although new mines have yet to be Indigenous traditional territory. per cent of the world’s surface yet established.24 contain 30 per cent of the world’s Indigenous traditional territories carbon, making them superstars in Manitoba contain vast peatlands. of carbon storage. The peatlands One path to accelerating legal are so extensive here they cover protection for these peatlands that one-third of the province, more vast would support local Indigenous than nearly any other jurisdiction on communities, is to utilize the the planet. Alternate Land Use Services (ALUS) Peatlands are wetlands containing model. Premier Pallister has been at least 40 cm of dead vegetation, pushing for this program, which most often from sphagnum moss, compensates land owners for preserved in the low oxygen and preserving ecologically important acidic waters they’re submerged areas. In this way, remote Indigenous in. They are natural filters providing communities could be compensated and storing clean, clear, fresh water. for being caretakers of our climate.25 Manitoba’s peatlands may not be Internationally, the UN Reducing much to look at: spindly trees, if any, Emissions from Deforestation and dot these vast wetlands. However, Forest Degradation (REDD) is offering they provide important habitat for the same opportunity.26 moose and unique plant species like The Wilderness Committee is the carnivorous pitcher plant. But the calling for the government to commit most significant benefit of peatlands to a new protected area goal of is they store vast amounts of carbon legal protection for two-thirds of — almost half of the peat is made up the province’s peatlands by the 22 of carbon. year 2030. This must be done in Photos: tiger lily, peatlands creek in Heart of the Boreal (Eric Reder). There are 10 peat harvesting accordance with the wishes of local companies in Manitoba right now. Indigenous communities. A NEW DEAL TO UPHOLD NATURE ECO-ANXIETY

f you’re like me, you’ve known in project was even given an environment over a carbon tax.30 never-ending stream of Iyour heart for a long time we need licence. Neither stagnant politicians nor A heartbreaking news about how to take care of nature and wilderness. Additionally, Pallister promised to political parties rooted in the past we’ve upset Earth’s fragile balance is More people are coming around to protect wetlands in his farcical Climate will lead us out of this mess. They’re taking a toll on people. A new phrase this realization. Our world must evolve and Green Discussion Paper. Then we attached to the system that got us for this mental trauma is emerging that’s towards working within nature instead watched in horror as he introduced here. Local grassroots communities resonating with folks — eco-anxiety. A of compromising it — from exploitation regulations on how landowners could will need to step up and show the way psychotherapist will tell you one of the to collaboration. pay to drain them instead.29 forward. treatments for trauma is talk.34 Right now we’re receiving a And then after so much bluster about Around the world a revolution We need to come together to talk wake-up call from the scientific a made-in-Manitoba plan on climate is stirring — a movement to put as a community, including business community to look after lands and action, the premier broke his promise nature first to solve the climate leaders, educators and government waters for our very survival. Report and is failing to place even a modest crisis. In London, UK people rallied decision makers. after report is telling us nature must price on carbon pollution. He’s now together under the Extinction Please join the Wilderness Committee come first in developing our ideas, in wasting time and money on a doomed Rebellion banner to shut down major and Manitoba’s Climate Action Team recreation, in lifestyle choices and in legal fight with the federal government intersections and bridges.31 In Quebec, at our events. Collectively we will work industrial environmental licencing 150,000 students took to the streets, out the personal and policy answers to decisions.27 It’s the only way our following the lead of 15-year-old bring forward more nature. growing populations can survive Greta Thunberg who began striking on this finite planet. To put nature from school in Sweden.32 And in the references

first will be a fundamental shift United States, the Green New Deal is 1. Tyrvainen, Liisa et al. “The influence of urban green environments on stress relief measures: A field experiment.” — a hard turn from our current mobilizing people to push for policy Journal of Environmental Psychology, Jun.2014. bit.ly/2PDFCnD 33 trajectory — which the Manitoba supporting nature and people. 2. Global Warming of 1.5 ºC.” The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Oct. 2018. bit.ly/2zKhcT1 government is failing to take. It’s time for community leadership 3. “Living Planet Report 2016. Risk and resilience in a new era.” WWF. 2016. bit.ly/2Jpg76B Premier Pallister is failing like never before. Leaders from 4. “List of Parties, Convention on Biological Diversity.” United Manitobans on the environment. schools, hockey clubs, news Nations Environment. bit.ly/2g1H4yP 5. Reder, Eric. “Keep It Wild! A Conservation Vision For Manitoba.” For instance, he hasn’t revitalized organizations, farm communities Wilderness Committee. May 12, 2016. bit.ly/2ZIuBpM 6. “Legislative Assembly of Manitoba Wednesday, May 30, 2018.” the antiquated Environment Act as and all walks of life need to rise up. Government of Manitoba. May 30, 2018. bit.ly/2vstdKj recommended by the Manitoba This is leadership Manitobans can 7. “Land Use Peatlands.” Drawdown. bit.ly/2DDkJEp 8. “A System Plan for Manitoba’s Provincial Parks.” Government of 28 Law Reform Commission. Because provide. And as we stand up and Manitoba. bit.ly/2Vy1aro 9. “Duck Mountain Provincial Park Draft Management Plan.” of this, we can predict disasters ask for nature — for a future — we Government of Manitoba. Aug. 2003. bit.ly/2UJ0UBm 10. “Forest Management: Harvest Operations.” Algonquin Forestry like the Hollow Water First Nation must bring people together instead Authority. bit.ly/2PDzcF4 territory frack sand mine travesty. of dividing them. We must demand 11. Soprovich, Dan. “Dan Soprovich, Swan River - .” Winnipeg Free Press. bit.ly/2vuHJ3Y The frack sand mine has been a regulations from corporations, 12. “Re: Environment Act Licence No.2191 E.” Government of fiasco from the start, with the forest governments and society that put Manitoba. Dec. 30, 2013. bit.ly/2PEYEdE 13. Report on Public Hearings Abitibi-Price Inc. FML #01 Forest clearcut and bulldozed before the Photos: student climate strikers at , wetland in nature first. Resource Management Plan 1991-1998.” The Manitoba Clean agricultural Manitoba (Eric Reder). Environment Commission. Feb. 1992. bit.ly/2UJ8FXX 14. “Lobby group drops off 3,000-plus letters to Pallister’s office.” Winnipeg Sun. Sep. 22. 2016. bit.ly/2GRHPJw 15. Letter received from Rob Olson October 25, 2018, with Squires and Pallister ccd. 16. Wilderness Committee communication with Sagkeeng Chief and Council. 17. Freedom of information request to the Manitoba government 18. “Map Gallery Mining.” Manitoba Government. bit.ly/2GWrLoT TAKE ACTION 19. Wilderness Committee communications. 20. “Historic Chronology of National Parks.” Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. 2005. bit.ly/2GRBM7F 21. “70 per cent of Manitobans support ban on logging and 1 Step up, get involved, lead. Ask for more nature. mining in provincial parks, poll says.” Thompson Citizen. Aug. 2, 2018. bit.ly/2GPWzbU The solution takes all of us. 22. “Land Use Peatlands.” et al. 23. “Bill 46, The Save Lake Winnipeg Act.” Government of Manitoba. 2011. bit.ly/2DFlUmL 2 In addition, please write the premier and tell him that 24. “Map Gallery Mining.” et al. 25. Heppner, Kelvin. “Pallister unveils Manitoba carbon tax with our wild future requires bold policy steps: farm fuel exemption. Real Agriculture. Oct. 27, 2017. bit.ly/2VyJSu1 26. “About the UN-REDD Programme.” UN-REDD programme. 2016. bit.ly/2WfEh98  End logging and mining claims in parks. 27. Hood, Marlowe. “UN report to highlight urgent need for Nature rescue plan.” Phys.org. Apr. 29, 2019. bit.ly/2V44Ilz 28. “Manitoba’s environmental assessment and licensing regime  Ban all new peat mine licences. under The Environment Act.” Manitoba Law Reform Commission. May 2015. bit.ly/1GIztiQ  29. “A Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan Discussion  Commit to a two-thirds protected peatlands goal by 2030. Paper.”Government of Manitoba. bit.ly/2PB0hJ6 Photo: red fox (Mike Grandmaison). 30. Dacey, Elisha. “Manitoba to sue feds over carbon tax: Pallister.” Global News. bit.ly/2INI8HF WildernessCommittee.org/Manitoba 31. Barclay, Eliza and Umair Irfan. “Why the climate protests that disrupted London were different.” Vox. Apr. 26, 2019. bit.ly/2WcS7Jr [email protected] or 204-945-3714 32. “Inspired by teen activist, thousands of Montreal students skip class for climate march.” CTV Television Network Montreal. Room 204 Legislative Building, 450 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB R3C 0V8 @Brian_Pallister bit.ly/2WdW8xl 33. Roberts, David. “The Green New Deal, explained.” Vpx. Mar. 20, 2019. bit.ly/2LtVmHN 34. Heaton. J. “The Talking Cure: Wittgenstein’s Therapeutic WildernessCommittee.org • 1-800-661-WILD (9453) Method for Psychotherapy.” 2010. bit.ly/2PACBom CREDITS Writing: Eric Reder I’LL KEEP MANITOBA Editing: Alex Hsuan Tsui YES! Art Director: Sue Fox Graphic Design: Perry Sky Jack Mapping: Geoff Senichenko Wilderness Committee, Vol.38, No.4, 2019. Canadian Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 0900567. clip Posted in Vancouver for free distribution. Printed in Canada on recycled newsprint with vegetable-based inks. 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