Vol.35 No.4 | 2016 Published by the Wilderness Committee

FREE REPORT

A CONSERVATION VISION FOR

WHY MANITOBANS WANT PROTECTED LANDS AND WATERS

Eric Reder welcome news to the Wilderness which can reduce negative moods, large diversity of animal species.3 Manitoba Committee, as we have been calling anxiety levels and other psychological This type of biological diversity is Campaign for 20 per cent of the province to be symptoms.2 essential for a resilient environment Director @EricReder protected by 2020. The functioning natural – one that can cope with a changing Why do we want lands and ecosystems of Manitoba’s boreal climate and expanding human waters protected? forests are an exceptional source population. Experience in nature nurtures of fresh water and clean air. If left The areas mentioned above share my soul and feeds me with positive undisturbed, the boreal region stores two important traits: they represent ild and healthy nature is energy to keep defending wilderness. a tremendous amount of carbon, diverse and valuable ecological Wstill abundant in Manitoba. I still cherish the memory of the which helps limit the changes in our communities in Manitoba – and Thousands of clear lakes surrounded afternoon I was crouched among the climate due to the burning of fossil they’re not protected. These regions by forested shorelines, river valleys willows holding my camera in Hollow fuels. Intact boreal forest like the are all currently under threat from resplendent with native vegetation Water First Nation territory, near the Kipahigan Lake and the Burntwood mining, logging and agricultural and wetlands teeming with birds eastern shore of , when River areas in northern Manitoba are expansion. make the province a wonder for a family of four lynx nonchalantly a benefit to all, as they help maintain Opinion polls have shown that visitors and residents alike. padded around me, searching for our life support system. Manitobans value environmental When plants and animals live in snowshoe hares. The Assiniboine and Souris river protection. They understand we need balance, these ecosystems preserve Scientific research shows that a valleys in southwestern Manitoba are to preserve nature for our own benefit biological diversity, provide us with simple walk in the forest, like a stroll oases from the developed agricultural and for future generations. Agreeing to clean air and fresh water and help along a trail in Whiteshell or Duck land that surrounds them. Riparian meet the global goal of protecting 17% mitigate the impacts of a rapidly Mountain Provincial Park, is good for areas – the region along the shores of nature in this province is a step in the changing climate. The wilderness of you. A recent study in Japan on the of rivers and lakes – contain a highly right direction, and even a respectable Manitoba is a vast treasure unequalled benefits of forest walking showed that diverse range of plants and terrain, target. But how do we get there? Which in many countries in the world. it increases cardiovascular relaxation and as a result provide habitat for a areas are we going to protect? Manitoba currently protects Read on and see how only 11 per cent of the province the Wilderness Committee from industrial development. But envisions reaching and in the fall of 2015 the Manitoba surpassing Manitoba’s government released a Protected protected area commitments, Areas Strategy, which promised through 2020 and beyond. the province would meet the internationally agreed upon Photo top: Whiteshell Provincial Park goal of establishing legislated (Mike Grandmaison), protection for 17 per cent of left: Moose bull (Robert McCaw), lands and waters by the year Canoeing in Nopiming Provincial Park 2020.1 This commitment is (Eric Reder). ’ LET S ACHIEVE OUR PROTECTED AREA GOALS! INDIGENOUS TRADITIONAL USE PARKS What is a protected area? According to the Manitoba government’s Protected Areas Strategy, irst Nations, Inuit and Métis In 2014 the provincial government Fcommunity members are at the introduced the new Indigenous “Manitoba’s protected areas prohibit logging, mining, oil and gas forefront of the push to protect our Traditional Use provincial park exploration and development, hydroelectric development, exploring for shared lands and waters. classification for other communities and harvesting peat, and other activities that significantly and adversely Public lands are held in trust by across the province. Skownan First affect habitat. Existing rights of Indigenous people are respected in protected governments, and in they Nation used this classification to areas, which generally remain open to hunting, trapping, fishing, and other 6 are called “Crown lands,” in reference establish Chitek Lake Anishinaabe traditional uses.” to our British Provincial Commonwealth Park with the history. The Manitoba reality, however, government.5 is that all of Right now, Manitoba lies Hollow Water within the First Nation is traditional developing a territory of community- Indigenous based communities. land-use As such, plan. Many decisions on community the use of members traditional lands wish to see in Manitoba at least 50 require the per cent of consent of the territory Photo: Rice River in Hollow Water First Nation territory (Eric Reder). Indigenous Photo: Boreal lowlands near Chitek Lake Anishinaabe Provincial protected, communities. Park (Eric Reder). which RIPARIAN AREAS, WETLANDS & Poplar River First Nation was the would add 0.3 per cent to Manitoba’s FLOODPLAINS first community in Manitoba to have protected area tally. its traditional territory protected under For many of the 57 other n western Manitoba, most of the western Manitoba and preserve special legislation, preserving lands Indigenous communities in Igrasslands were sectioned off biologically valuable riparian areas on the east side of Lake Winnipeg the province, there is interest into square miles and cultivated a and wetlands. in the “Heart of the Boreal” region.4 in protecting a portion of their century ago. The biological diversity Souris River Three other communities have also traditional territory from industrial that once thrived in the prairies is not The riparian area along the protected at least half their lands this development – and it’s an idea that is easily found today. But for over 500 Souris River is a particularly way since then. well supported by other Manitobans. kilometres, the upper Assiniboine important haven for wild plants and Souris Rivers wiggle across the and animals, as some of the last plains, harbouring plants and animals remaining biologically rich habitat in remnant wetlands and rich, lively of its kind. Huge sections of the PIECEMEAL AND UNPROTECTED PARKS wilderness along their banks. river are protected upstream in the Assiniboine River United States, but when the Souris arks are the wonderful The meandering Assiniboine River flows north into Manitoba, it is not Pgems of Manitoba that becomes a torrent during spring protected. we hold dear – places we melt. Each year, Endangered love to visit and encourage floodwaters put birds like the visitors to experience. Brandon and ferruginous Yet in Manitoba, mining Winnipeg at hawk, exploration is a big threat to risk, as well as burrowing owl, provincial parks, and logging Lake Manitoba Baird’s sparrow, is still decimating Duck communities Sprague’s Mountain Provincial Park. when water is pipit and Manitoba has several land sent through loggerhead use categories for provincial the Portage shrike have parks, which accommodate 75 per cent of Grass River Diversion. been found different uses. While most Provincial Parks are specifically In January Photo: Loggerhead shrikes (Roberta Olenick). along the categories offer protection, the designated for industrial activity. 2016, the Manitoba government Souris and in these riparian plains, worst classification – Resource Portions of Hecla/Grindstone, released a report on the devastating making protection of this region a Management (RM) – allows for Turtle Mountain, Clearwater Lake flooding of 2011. One of the options legal imperative.10 industrial use. It is shocking that 39 and South Atikaki Provincial Parks for preventing Every river in per cent of Whiteshell,7 61 per cent are also threatened because of the such devastation Manitoba – from of Duck Mountain, 62 per cent of RM classification.8 was to restore the Whitemouth Nopiming and an unconscionable If the RM classification were wetlands in the and the Bird River eliminated from Assiniboine in the east, to provincial parks, it River watershed, the Souris and would add another thereby lowering Assiniboine in 0.8 per cent to the flood water the west, to the Manitoba’s protected flow rate by a Churchill and area tally. Even more substantial 20 Seal Rivers in the importantly, it would to 30 per cent. north – should begin to value our In addition, the Photo: Monarch butterfly (Robert McCaw). be protected parks as they are report recommended buying flood- from development with a robust valued in other prone lands along the river.9 riparian buffer zone. This will jurisdictions around Not only would this reduce only add a small amount to our the world. the costs and impact of future protected area tally, but these Assiniboine River flooding, it areas are incredibly valuable Photos above: Clearcut logging in Duck Mountain Provincial Park, taken in would provide a rare opportunity because water is more than just a 2016; Grass River Provincial Park (Eric Reder). to increase the protected lands in resource – water is life. THE OPEN SHORES OF MANITOBA'S NORTHERN BOREAL FOREST HUDSON BAY n unparallelled life support system for plan shows that at least eight of the 15 he rugged shores of Hudson Bay support rugged wildlife. The A us – the rugged and expansive boreal ranges of woodland caribou – federally and Tremoteness and inaccessibility of this northern region have forest region – is the greatest source of provincially endangered species – occur in helped keep the lands around Hudson Bay in good shape. Polar freshwater on earth and a storehouse Tolko’s licence area.15 In 2010 Tolko signed on bears, which are already suffering the negative effects of a warming for carbon. Manitoba's boreal forest is to the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement, a climate, spend their summer months on this land waiting for sea bigger than entire country of Sweden or three-year deal with environmental groups ice to form. Permanently protecting this region for the future is the Japan. It's home to endangered woodland that claimed to set aside woodland caribou right thing to do. caribou and Canada habitat. Six years on, The Manitoba government is in the planning stages of warblers. amazingly, Tolko has not establishing a massive Polar Bear Park along Hudson Bay.11 Even if Nearly one-fifth preserved any caribou only three-quarters of the current study area is protected, this plan of Manitoba's boreal habitat as a result of this will still add 3.4 per cent to Manitoba’s protected areas tally. forest is under the care agreement. So finally and control of Tolko, a in 2015, unrelated to a logging corporation this agreement, the who has failed in its government protected responsibility when it portions of one comes to protecting caribou range – the

land. Called Forest Photo: Tolko Forest Management Licence area (Eric Reder). Red Deer Lake Wildlife Management Licence Management Area #2 (FML-2) 12, it is the largest public forest (WMA) – but that isn’t nearly enough. tenure ever granted in Canada.13 There are 10 major Areas of Special When the Wilderness Interest (ASIs) in Tolko’s Committee approached Tolko forest management in 2009 to support protection area, including Karst of the Saskatchewan River Landscape ASI, Tom Delta, the company’s Lamb WMA, Saskeram manager stated that he didn’t WMA, Kipahigan Lake believe in protected areas. ASI and Burntwood River At the time, less than one ASI. If these areas were per cent of Tolko-controlled protected, we would have public forest was protected, a strong foundation of even though scientists are Photo: Canada warbler (Robert McCaw). boreal forest preservation calling for the protection of at least 50 per in this northern area of the province, and cent of Canada’s boreal forest.14 we would add 2.7 per cent to Manitoba’s The Manitoba government’s caribou protected areas tally.

Photos: Polar Bear on tundra; Hudson Bay shoreline (Eric Reder).

HOW WE KEEP MANITOBA WILD COMMUNITY PASTURES OFFER PROMISE FOR PRAIRIE PRESERVATION

ur biggest and best chance example, intense grazing by massive Oto preserve disappearing herds of bison would allow plant Churchill 0 100 200 km biological diversity in agricultural regrowth. In addition, wildfires every Manitoba is to protect community few years would singe the woody pastures, the reclaimed lands eroded tree growth, allowing faster-growing by the 1930's drought. There are 24 prairie grasses to remain dominant. community The need for pastures in intense grazing affords Polar Bear Provincial Park Study Area the province a unique opportunity covering for Manitobans: we 400,000 can use community Tolko's FML-2 hectares, and pastures to carefully

Thompson Manitoba 80 per cent of manage and restore them are on lost prairie habitat, and 16 Flin Grass River public land. still allow the lands Flon Provincial Park Community to be utilized by local pastures farmers for grazing.17 provide natural Adding all of the Clearwater Lake Photo: Red-headed woodpecker (Robert McCaw). Provincial Park prairie habitat public community The Pas for endangered birds and other pastures to the province’s protected Lake Asatiwisipe Aki Tolko's Forest Management Licence #2 (FML-2) Winnipeg Red Deer Lake WMA (Poplar River Boundaries of Provincial Parks with Resource wildlife species, including the red- area tally will increase the total Protected Area First Nation) Management Zones Traditional Use Lake Protected Area Select Indigenous Traditional Use Areas headed woodpecker, burrowing owl, protected area by 0.5 per cent. Winnipegosis Chitek Lake Upper Assiniboine & Souris Rivers Riparian Areas - chestnut-collared longspur, Anishinaabe Proposed for Permanent Protection Traditional Polar Bear Provincial Park Study Area Sprague’s pipit, ferruginous Use Park Community Pastures - Proposed for Permanent Protection Duck Mountain hawk and Great Plains ladies’- Provincial Park Major Areas of Special Interest inside FML-2 - Proposed for Permanent Protection tresses orchids. Hecla/Grindstone Resource Management Zones in Provincial Parks - In some ways, “protecting” Provincial Park Proposed for Permanent Protection Dauphin Existing Permanent Protected Areas prairie ecosystems is

Lake South Atikaki Provincial Park contradictory, in that they Manitoba Hollow Water First Nation need upheaval to remain Traditional Use Area healthy. Historically, regular Assiniboine Nopiming Provincial Park Ri ve and intense disturbances Brandon r Winnipeg Whiteshell Provincial Park er iv R would destroy and ris ou Turtle Mountain S Provincial Park rejuvenate the prairie. For Photo: Small white lady's-slippers (Mike Grandmaison). FIELD EDGE AND CREEK FRONT CONSERVATION Moving past 17 per cent hen you look out over the countryside of Hedgerows can offer a haven for wildlife, and a chance Protecting the areas listed in this WEngland, hedgerows – narrow strips of trees, an for prairie plants to revive. Additionally, the buffer slows publication will bring Manitoba past understory of shrubs and long grass – stand out along nutrient runoff from fields so it doesn’t drain rapidly the global target of protecting 17 per the edges of farmers’ fields. On the plains of Manitoba, downstream to cause problems in our great lakes. cent of the land base. But why stop however, barbed wire and drainage ditches are the The Whitemud Conservation District in central there? only features framing stretches of farmland. Manitoba has already established such “conservation To continue on with this essential corridors” along property lines. To facilitate the creation preservation work, the government of conservation corridors everywhere, a tax credit for of Manitoba already has more than 100 Areas of Special Interest in their preserving field Protected Areas Initiative that are edges and the nominated and being investigated sides of drainage for protection. ditches and creeks These ASIs cover 2.9 million is a necessary hectares. If we protect only a third step to better of these areas being researched protect biological for preservation, we’ll surpass our diversity and our achievable goal of protecting 20 per water. cent of Manitoba by 2020.

Photos: Fields near Galmpton, Torbay, Devon, England; Conservation corridor in the Whitemud Conservation District (Eric Reder). NATURE IS THE BEST PRESCRIPTION REFERENCES

1. “Places to Keep: Manitoba’s Protected Areas Strategy”. n today’s society, not nearly as many has begun writing prescriptions for local “pocket wilderness” areas that Manitoba Conservation & Water Stewardship, 2015. Ipeople are spending time outside; outpatient families to go visit parks as are close at hand and accessible to http://bit.ly/1XN8MO2 19 visits in nature are decreasing. Yet part of their recovery. all should also be a priority as we 2. Lee, Juyoung et. al. “Influence of forest therapy on cardiovascular relaxation in young adults”. Evidence-Based studies are increasingly showing that Taxpayers spend billions of dollars protect more of Manitoba. Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014. http://bit.ly/22U16eh there is science behind feeling better – a year on health care. 3. Montgomery, Gerald L. “Riparian Areas Reservoirs of Diversity”. and healthier – in nature. Yet the prevalence NRCS/USDA, Feb. 1996. http://1.usa.gov/1VMGqpq A study in Finland showed that just of nature, and our 4. “Asatiwisipe Aki Management Plan”. Poplar River First Nation, 20 minutes of walking through trees, exposure to it, could May 2011. http://bit.ly/26kiPzZ as opposed to walking on a city street, contribute to lowering 5. “Manitoba government announces new park, eco-reserve”. 18 Manitoba Conservation & Water Stewardship, Oct. 15, 2014. lowered stress levels. Study after those costs. While http://bit.ly/1NocJIy study is finding that stress relief is a setting aside large 6. See citation 1. huge benefit we draw from nature. At areas of wilderness 7. “Manitoba government announces expansion for Whiteshell the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital is the best way to Provincial Park”. Manitoba Conservation & Water Stewardship, Dec. 16, 2014. in Oakland, California, one doctor protect biodiversity, http://bit.ly/26kjdOX Photo: Eric Reder and son North, Nopiming Provincial Park (Eric Reder). 8. “A System Plan for Manitoba’s Provincial Parks”. Manitoba Conservation & Water Stewardship, Mar. 1998. http://bit.ly/1MNxq0u

9. “Assiniboine River and Lake Manitoba Basins Flood Mitigation Study”. Manitoba Government, Jan. 2016. http://bit.ly/1ppXYcZ

TAKE ACTION 10. “Community Conservation Plan for the Southwestern Manitoba Mixed-grass Prairie IBA”. Manitoba IBA Program, Oct. 2001. http://bit.ly/1NFNNHe

We Can Protect Manitoba’s Lands and Waters! 11. “Proposed Polar Bear Park”. Manitoba Conservation & Water Stewardship, 2014. http://bit.ly/1Tnruum Manitoba has an opportunity and a duty to preserve our natural heritage and 12. Manitoba’s Forest Management Boundaries” (Map). Manitoba make our province healthier for us – and for future generations. We can easily Conservation & Water Stewardship, Feb. 2013. surpass the global goal of protecting 17 per cent and protect 20 per cent of http://bit.ly/1U8VcFI Manitoba by 2020! 13. May, Elizabeth. At the Cutting Edge: The Crisis in Canada’s Forests. Toronto: Key Porter Books, 1998. (p. 204) Please write a letter to Manitoba’s Premier and ask the government to: XX Protect community pastures 14. Galloway, Gloria. “Scientists call for protection of Canada’s boreal forest”. Globe and Mail, Jul. 22, 2013. http://bit.ly/23OvpZz XX Protect Manitoba’s parks by removing the Resource Management land use classification 15. “Conserving a Boreal Icon: Manitoba’s Boreal Woodland Caribou Recovery Strategy”. Manitoba Conservation & Water XX Protect riparian areas and wetlands, especially along the Assiniboine and Souris Stewardship, Oct. 2015. http://bit.ly/1XN94og Rivers X 16. “Province passes management of community pastures X Create new protected traditional use areas at the request of Indigenous communities program to non-profit organization”. Government of Manitoba, XX Preserve polar bear habitat on the Hudson Bay shoreline Oct. 1, 2015. http://bit.ly/1WhBOGV XX Protect boreal forest in Tolko’s logging area Photo: Great gray owlets (Gordon Court). XX Protect at least one-third of Manitoba’s Areas of Special Interest 17. “Critical Wildlife Habitat Program: Mixed Grass Prairie in Manitoba”. Government of Manitoba. http://bit.ly/1NocD3P

18. Tyrväinen, Liisa et. al. “The influence of urban green PREMIER OF MANITOBA environments on stress relief measures: A field experiment”. Journal of Environmental Psychology, Jun. 2014. 204 Legislative Building [email protected] http://bit.ly/1qGHle6 450 Broadway 250-387-1715 19. Williams, Florence. “This is your brain on nature”. National Winnipeg, MB R3C 0V8 250-387-0087 Geographic, Jan. 2016. http://bit.ly/1QKhj2O WildernessCommittee.org/Manitoba • 1-800-661-WILD (9453) CREDITS Writing: Eric Reder. Editing: Alexis Stoymenoff. I WANT TO KEEP Graphic Design & layout: Perry Sky Jack, Sue Fox. Mapping: Geoff Senichenko. Wilderness Committee, Vol.35, No.4, 2016. YES!MANITOBA WILD Canadian 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 20,000 © Wilderness Committee 2016. Fed. reg. charity #11929-3009-RR0001 All rights reserved. Written material may be used without clip permission when credit is given. Return to the: I want to become a member! Enclosed is my annual fee for a: Published by Wilderness Committee Wilderness Committee — National Office 46 E. 6th Avenue, $59 Family Membership $35 Individual Membership 46 E. 6th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5T 1J4 Vancouver, BC V5T 1J4 604-683-8220 or 1-800-661-9453 604-683-8229 Wilderness Committee — Manitoba Office NAME PHONE 3rd Floor — 303 Portage Ave., Winnipeg MB, R3B 2B4 204-942-9292

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