MARCH 2020 Editor: CONTENTS Ian Urquhart, PhD MARCH 2020 • VOL. 28, NO. 1 Graphic Design: Keystroke Design & Production Inc. Doug Wournell B Des, ANSCAD Features www.keystrokedesign.com MIX Paper The Trout: An Elk Creek Provincial 4 ® Association News FSC C013747 Recreation Area Tale 6 Fortress Mountain and the False 22 Mark Boyce’s 2019 Martha Promise of Public Participation in Kostuch Annual Lecture Alberta Wilderness Watch ALBERTA WILDERNESS 9 The Buzz about Native Bees ASSOCIATION “Defending Wild Alberta through 12 Rinse and repeat: Another 24 Updates proposed revision of Alberta’s Awareness and Action” parks legislation 30 In Memoriam: Richard Guy, Dedicated to the conservation of Sept. 30, 1916 – Mar. 9, 2020 wilderness and the completion of 15 Ottawa Proposes a Sandhill Crane Hunt a protected areas network, Alberta Events Wilderness Association is a voice for 17 A Right to Roam the environment. Since 1965, AWA has inspired communities to care for 20 Louise and Richard Guy 31 Adventures for Wilderness Alberta’s wild spaces through awareness Poetry Corner and action. With a provincial office and library in Calgary, AWA has active members, volunteers, and sponsors Cover Photo throughout Alberta and beyond. AWA Lindsey Wallis took this photo of her daugh- is a non-profit, federally registered, ter, Karina Eustace Wallis, along the South charitable society. Donations and Saskatchewan River—inspired perhaps by financial support are greatly appreciated, a photo taken a generation ago when Lind- please call 403 283-2025 or contribute sey’s dad photographed her on a rock along online at AlbertaWilderness.ca another prairie river—the Red Deer. Pre- Wild Lands Advocate is published cious. PHOTO © L. WALLIS four times a year, by Alberta Wilderness Association. The opinions expressed by the authors in this publication are not necessarily those of AWA. The editor reserves the right to edit, reject or withdraw articles and letters submitted. Please direct questions and comments to: 403-283-2025 • [email protected] Featured Art Subscriptions to the WLA are $30 per Brownie, aka Anne Beverly Brown of Bragg Creek, began her creative life as a singer/ year. To subscribe, call 403-283-2025 songwriter producing two recordings of original music before home-schooling her or see AlbertaWilderness.ca. children for 14 years. Now in her next phase of life Brownie paints, something she had been doing intermittently for years. Having worked with acrylic, oil, and watercolour on canvases of many sizes, Brownie is presently enjoying watercolour pens and a touch of ink, a medium that best suits working small (4 x 6” to 9 x 12”). Each painting is inspired by her love of the land and a desire to communicate that love, pure and simple. 455-12 ST NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1Y9 Please visit: annebeverlybrown.com 403-283-2025 www.AlbertaWilderness.ca [email protected] Charitable Registration Number: AWA respects the privacy of members. Lists are not sold or traded in any manner. AWA is a federally registered charity 118781251RR0001 and functions through member and donor support. Tax-deductible donations may be made to AWA at 455-12 ST NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1Y9. Ph: 403-283-2025 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.AlbertaWilderness.ca ISSN 1192-6287 A Fork in the Road Will history judge February 23, 2020 as a label arguably fits some investors as well, resources, ensuring a sustainable future watershed moment in Alberta? Then, Teck the investors who are turning their backs for our oil and gas industries, and restor- Resources stunned boosters and detractors on the oil sands sector and denying com- ing Canada’s reputation as a reliable place of oil sands exploitation alike. With the panies capital – their lifeblood. to do business.” (my emphasis) federal cabinet poised to decide the imme- The managers of Norway’s $1 trillion gov- So far, there’s no indication the Teck de- diate fate of Teck’s Frontier Oil Sands Proj- ernment pension fund decided last fall to cision will push the Premier to reconsider ect within a few days, the company pulled sell the fund’s holdings in four key oil sands whether, in order to attract more of the oil its application. players: Cenovus, Husky, Imperial Oil, and sands investment he craves, his govern- Not surprisingly, the Alberta government Suncor. Hundreds of railway blockad- ment must take seriously the need to take condemned what Teck did. But, Premier ers didn’t lead them to that decision. Or, the right fork and cut greenhouse gas emis- Kenney didn’t fault the company for not what about Royal Dutch Shell and Conoco sions from the oil sands sector. waiting several days for the federal deci- Phillips – companies that recently aban- Instead, the provincial government has sion. Instead, his news release rounded up doned their longstanding positions in the offered a long list of decisions that only his usual suspects. Environmentalists and oil sands? Or, what about BP’s decision to focus on deregulating oil and gas and im- aboriginal opponents to the Coastal Gas- dissociate itself from three U.S. petroleum proving corporate bottom lines in the short Link natural gas pipeline were to blame. So lobby groups? Climate change and the term. They include: was Ottawa…but just Liberal Ottawa. Con- need to take it seriously offer more compel- - cutting the budget of the Alberta Ener- veniently ignored is the fact that the Harp- ling explanations for those decisions than gy Regulator (AER) by more than $150 er government, in which Premier Kenney the Premier’s preferred narrative. million over four years; served in cabinet, was the obstacle to ful- Teck’s decision highlights that Alberta is - cutting staff at the AER by 22 percent in filling Teck’s hope for a regulatory decision at a fork in the road. To the right, is a route 2019/20; by 2014. that takes climate change seriously and re- - ordering rural municipalities to cut taxes One phrase from Teck’s project withdraw- quires policies that will make significant on shallow gas producers by 35 percent; al letter received much press attention. It reductions in GHG emissions in Alberta, - refusing to force oil/gas companies to read: “However, global capital markets are in Canada, and in all major industrialized pay the $173 million they owe rural changing rapidly and investors and cus- and industrializing nations. Alberta’s gov- municipalities in unpaid property taxes; tomers are increasingly looking for juris- ernments – Progressive Conservative, New - cutting corporate income taxes. dictions to have a framework in place that Democrat, and United Conservative – have Instead of doubling down on the way reconciles resource development and cli- never taken that road. government/industry relations have been mate change…” (my emphasis) The fork to the left keeps us on a famil- conducted historically in Alberta I think it’s Does Alberta accept Teck’s premise? I iar route. It’s the road where the Premier time for the province to recognize a “mili- don’t think so. When the Premier vilified “a declares his government’s deepened “re- tant minority” of investors who are looking militant minority” in response to Teck’s de- solve to use every tool available to fight for for government to take a new route that cision, I suspect his target was all oil sands greater control and autonomy for Alberta recognizes new realities. opponents, those who use legal as well as within Canada, including reinforcing our - Ian Urquhart illegal means. But, the “militant minority” constitutional right to develop our natural The Trout: An Elk Creek Provincial Recreation Area Tale By Ian Urquhart railer relocation, not fish- a snake-like trail through the valley. It’s edge of the bank, this was a perfect place ing, was the main reason my not a very wide creek – I’m pretty sure for a trout to take up residence and let T friend Michael and I found my younger self would have been able to the creek’s current deliver its meals. ourselves at the Elk Creek Provincial Rec- jump across it at more than a few places. What happened next was the most reation Area years ago. I had inherited an Its many bends and curves suggest it isn’t extraordinary sight I’ve ever seen while old Scamper trailer I needed to pull to in much of a rush to join the Clearwater. fishing in the foothills. Either in person the Clearwater Trading Company camp- Willows and other sun-loving shrubs jos- or on video you may have seen a whale ground just west of Caroline. Michael, tle for position along the creek’s banks. “spyhop.” This is when a cetacean, such who always was looking for an excuse to Like those shrubs, the creek avoids dense as one of the orcas that frequent Rob- spend time in the foothills, thought I re- forest. Instead, it slaloms through open son Bight on Vancouver Island, vertical- ally needed a navigator. So we hitched up meadows interspersed with shrubs and ly pokes its head and some of its body the trailer onto the Explorer and headed patches of white spruce. As the shadows straight out of the water. That’s what my southwest, first to Shunda Creek near lengthened, we enjoyed our beers, lis- trout did at Elk Creek. In the soft light Nordegg and then south on the Forestry tened to the creek gurgle, and breathed just before sunset, a brown trout rose Trunk Road. in the aroma of the forest behind us. Yes, vertically out of the water within inches I can’t tell you much about the trip be- it was tranquil. of the undercut bank and slipped silently fore we stopped at the Elk Creek camp- “The Trout” broke that tranquility.