 |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
||||
|
News ArchiveConservation groups meet to review “Bill 11”December 8, 2005 On November 24, 2005 Ontario Nature, other conservation groups, academics and additional interested stakeholders met to review the McGuinty government’s proposed Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act (Bill 11). The Act received its first reading in the Ontario legislature on October 25, 2005 – a second reading is anticipated in the spring of 2006. With several months to go before the Act is finalized, there is a remaining window of opportunity for the McGuinty government to refine and strengthen this important framework for the conservation of Ontario’s protected areas system before it is enshrined in law. Led by CPAWS-Wildlands League staff and Sierra Legal Defence Fund lawyers, the meeting provided a legal perspective on Bill 11, a discussion of the Ontario Parks Board of Directors recommendations to government, a perspective on Algonquin Park in the context of the Act as well as an analysis of how the parks management planning process will change through this legislation. Participants used the round table forum to bring a diversity of perspectives and expertise regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed Act to the forefront. The group agreed that while the new legislation represented significant improvements from the 1954 Provincial Parks Act, there were outstanding areas of concern. Below is a summary of the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed Act. Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Ontario Nature will continue to promote improvements to the draft legislation and encourages our members to stay involved. While the province’s formal public consultation period for the legislation has now closed, we urge to communicate any concerns you have about the protection of Ontario’s parks before it’s too late. At any time, comments can be directed to the following people. Hon. David Ramsay Copy to: Your Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Gordon Miller Town considering dump site beside provincial parkSeptember 16, 2005 Located along the famous Lake Superior Circle Tour Route, the town of Marathon is considering the expansion of an existing landfill beside a provincial park. According to an August 30th report by Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal reporter Carl Clutchey, the town council voted unanimously to begin the environmental approval process for the provincially owned site located less than a kilometre from the entrance to Neys Provincial Park. The proposed landfill, about 25 kilometres west of Marathon, would replace the town’s existing garbage dump, which is anticipated to reach capacity by 2009. According to the report, local campground operator Tammy Gillespie is concerned that a municipal landfill so close to her business will contaminate her water supply. Mayor Dave Bell says the town is considering the Neys site because it is bound by a legal agreement with Pic River First Nation that prevents the municipality from building a garbage dump east of the town near the band’s watershed. Logging Roads Proposed for Lake Superior Provincial ParkAugust 11, 2005 The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is entertaining a proposal from Clergue Forest Management Inc. in Wawa, Ontario to redevelop two logging roads (Sand River and Frater Roads) through Lake Superior Provincial Park. In 2002, the park superintendent rejected the reopening of the Sand River Road to accommodate a logging company with timber holdings on private lands east of the park. The company successfully challenged that decision in Court, opening the way for the logging trucks to run through the park. However, the Government of Ontario launched an appeal in the Ontario Court of Appeal. In its final decision, the Court of Appeal ultimately agreed with the government and closed the road to the company. However, the 1995 park management plan included commitments to allow the roads to be used for accessing timber on Crown (as opposed to private) lands east of the park. Consequently, MNR has asked the company to prepare an Environmental Study Report that investigates the impacts of road use on the surrounding park ecology. Examples such as this provide further evidence to support the need for strengthened protected areas legislation for Ontario. Only legislation that provides meaningful protection for our provincial parks and conservation reserves can ensure that non-conforming industrial uses are excluded from Ontario’s protected areas in future. Third Strike and It’s Out – Mellon Lake Quarry RejectedMay 27, 2005 Aggregate Permit Denied, Large Wilderness Area Protected from MiningIn much-welcomed news, Minister of Natural Resources David Ramsay has turned down a third application for the long-debated granite and gravel quarry proposed for the Mellon Lake Conservation Reserve northeast of Belleville on Highway 41. "Ontario Nature is pleased with the Minister's decision as it protects one of the last intact wilderness areas in southern Ontario." said Linda Pim, Ontario Nature’s Director of Conservation and Science. At over 8,000 hectares, the Mellon Lake Conservation Reserve has long been known for its outstanding natural features and rare species. In 1983, it was designated an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest by the Ministry of Natural Resources. It contains several provincially and regionally significant species including the little prickly pear cactus (provincially rare) and the five-lined skink (Ontario's only lizard), which is designated as a vulnerable species (species of special concern) in Canada. "This is a great day for the Mellon Lake environment. We can now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that this Conservation Reserve is finally protected," said Lyn Sparling of No Quarry @ Mellon Lake, a local group that has fought consistently over several years to stop the quarry development. The Conservation Reserve has been threatened by mining activity since it was first designated under the Lands for Life process in 1999. The Minister's decision signals a new approach under the Aggregate Resources Act whereby environmental protection is considered part of the public interest. Appeals denied – Falconbridge Ltd. gets green light to discharge mine effluent into Groundhog RiverNovember 4, 2003 The Environmental Review Tribunal ruled on Friday to deny three appeals that questioned a decision by the Ministry of Environment (MOE) to approve the discharge of mine effluent into the Groundhog River near Timmins, Ontario. The effluent, which will contain heavy metals including copper, arsenic, cadmium, ammonia as well as other toxins, will be discharged just upstream of a significant lake sturgeon spawning bed. Sturgeon are listed by the Natural Heritage Information Centre as a globally vulnerable and provincially rare to uncommon species. Based on information obtained through a Freedom of Information Request to government, it was discovered that provincial fisheries staff at the Ministry of Natural Resources had expressed significant concern regarding the effects of the project on one of the last remaining healthy sturgeon populations in Ontario. In light of the uncertainty surrounding the environmental impacts of the project and the precedent it would set for mining and parks across the province, Ontario Nature took part in submitting a detailed application under the Environmental Bill of Rights asking the Tribunal to re-examine the MOE approval. Ontario Nature is concerned that the decision simply does not fit with the information provided both within the government and by outside experts about the potential impacts of this project. It is also out of step with the concern expressed by the people of Ontario about the need to safeguard water sources. Meanwhile, work at the Montcalm site continues in an attempt to get the new mine operational as quickly as possible. The new Minister should act immediately to review this approval and to ensure that Ontario has effective standards for protecting waterways and wildlife in the province. To send a message about the importance of keeping mining activities out of important natural areas, contact your new government and express your concerns. Be sure to tell both the Premier and the Minister of Environment that the Certificate of Approval to discharge effluent into the Groundhog River must be immediately reviewed. Ask the Minister to demonstrate her government’s commitment to ensuring the protection of water sources and water quality in Ontario. Hon. Leona Dombrowsky AND Premier Dalton McGuinty St. Williams Conservation Reserve EBR CommentsJuly 2, 2003 Re: EBR Registry No. PB03E3003 – Proposed St. Williams Conservation Reserve The Partnership for Public Lands (PPL; comprising Ontario Nature, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society-Wildlands League chapter and World Wildlife Fund Canada) is writing to express its support for the designation of the St. Williams Crown Lands as a new Conservation Reserve. As such, the PPL supports the proposed amendment to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ (OMNR) Simcoe District Land Use Guidelines to designate the 1308 hectares St. Williams Crown Lands as a Conservation Reserve under the province’s parks and protected areas policies. The Partnership for Public Lands recognizes the former St. Williams Provincial Forestry Station/ Crown Lands as the cornerstone of the largest forest complex left in southwestern Ontario. St. Williams has been recognized as a core area in Carolinian Canada for the conservation of biodiversity, and for its potential to restore biological processes, habitats and species-at-risk populations. St. Williams also represents a significant opportunity to protect nature and natural habitats in the Ministry of Natural Resources’ south-central region, and the PPL commends the Government of Ontario and the Ministry for proceeding with the proposed amendment to the District Land Use Guidelines. The outstanding and unique natural features and natural systems of St. Williams have been known since the founder of the Provincial Forestry Station, Dr. Zavitz of the University of Toronto, identified the distribution of keystone prairie species, such as Wild Lupine and Dwarf Chinquapin Oak, in the early 1900’s. St. Williams is an International Biological Program site (1970s), Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (1984), Carolinian Canada site (1990), significant prairie and savannah (1993), part of the UNESCO-designated Long Point World Biosphere Reserve (1986), and a core part of the Norfolk Forest Complex Important Bird Area (2001). It is known internationally for its rare species of plants, animals, invertebrates, and numerous species-at-risk, and for its globally-imperiled Black Oak savannas. Six species-at-risk recovery teams work there. In terms of rare forest breeding birds, St. Williams ranks among the highest in Ontario and, in terms of prairie and savannah species, it ranks fourth. The Partnership for Public Lands supports in principle the recommendations of the St. Williams Crown Lands Technical Advisory Group (TAG), and commends that group for its dedication and hard work in developing its report. In particular, the PPL embraces the vision brought forward for the proposed St. Williams Conservation Reserve:
The Partnership for Public Lands urges the Ministry to develop as soon as possible a management plan that ensures the long-term protection and restoration of the ecologically significant St. Williams lands. Much of the work in support of a management plan has already been completed through the report of the TAG, and in the preparation of the approved St. Williams Crown Forest Life Science Inventory. The PPL believes firmly that the protection of ecological integrity of the proposed St. Williams Conservation Reserve should be recognized as the overriding priority in the management, enforcement and administration of this new conservation reserve, thereby preserving, protecting and enhancing the natural composition and abundance of native species, biological communities and ecological processes. The PPL supports the vision and goals brought forward by the Technical Advisory Group in its January 2003 report to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. The PPL also supports in principle the specific objectives proposed by the TAG under the goals of Conservation of Biological Diversity, Cultural Heritage, Research, Education and Administration, and many of the objectives identified under the goal of Recreation. With respect to Goal Five, Recreation, the PPL acknowledges the concerns of the TAG regarding the ecological impacts of several types of conveyances (e.g. all-terrain vehicles, mountain bikes, motorcycles, snow machines, motorized vehicles and horseback riding) and the need to confine, restrict and if necessary prohibit recreational activities which are having a negative impact. The PPL does not believe, however, that it would be appropriate to regulate a portion of the conservation reserve as a designated compound for motorized conveyances (e.g. all-terrain vehicles, motorbikes, etc.). The PPL agrees with the other objectives of the TAG regarding conveyance use at St. Williams under the Recreation goal. If the Ministry proceeds with the concept of such a compound for motorized conveyances, the PPL would recommend that such a parcel of land not be regulated as a conservation reserve, rather remain as adjoining crown land. The PPL recognizes that finding ecologically-appropriate locations for certain recreational activities can be a challenge. Nonetheless, the PPL urges the Ministry to work with the various stakeholder groups to identify practical solutions and alternate locations, and to uphold the vision and goals for St. Williams developed by the Technical Advisory Group. The PPL urges the Government of Ontario to recognize the significance of the St. Williams site by committing the necessary funds to support the protection and restoration of this internationally-significant site. These funds will be necessary for the development and implementation of a management plan, to ensure long-term protection and enforcement of the site, and to support restoration, stewardship and outreach activities. The St. Williams Crown Lands, publicly owned and managed by the Ministry of Natural Resources, require strong and creative stewardship. This stewardship must involve a full range of partners working together to protect and restore the local and provincial values of these lands and associated wildlife communities and natural processes. The Partnership for Public Lands encourages the Ministry to proceed with the proposed amendment to the Simcoe District Land Use Guidelines to designate the St. Williams Crown Lands as a conservation reserve, to maintain the current interim protection measures, to develop as quickly as possible a management plan that identifies ecological integrity as the overriding management and stewardship principles, and to commit sufficient funding to oversee the long-term protection and stewardship of this site. Thank you very much for this opportunity to comment on the proposed designation of the St. Williams Crown Lands as a Conservation Reserve. If you have any questions regarding our submission, please feel free to contact us. KAWARTHA HIGHLANDS SIGNATURE SITES GETS PARK DESIGNATION June 18, 2003 The Ontario government’s decision to make the Kawartha Highlands Signature Site a fully operational Provincial Park represents a significant improvement over the earlier proposal of a Recreation Reserve. A Recreation Reserve would have opened this ecologically sensitive area to increased motorized access and commercial development. The legislation introduced on June 17, 2003 recognizes the unique nature of Kawartha, an area that includes more than 2,000 cottages, 65 hunt camps and a long history of recreational use, while also putting the protection of the new park’s ecological integrity first and foremost. The legislation’s commitment to protecting ecological integrity through management planning is a major step forward for park protection in Ontario. Highlights of the legislation: In the purpose section of the proposed legislation, protecting ecological integrity is given overriding priority in the management and administration of the park. This makes this legislation the first in Ontario to set ecological integrity as the prime mandate for managing a protected area and sets a great example for what should be done to reform our outdated Parks Act.
The Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park will be the largest protected area in Ontario south of Algonquin. But its geographic location on the northern edge of the developed southern Ontario landscape also means that it has a long history of human use. These circumstances required the site-specific accommodation of existing users in order for the area to move toward protection. The result is conditions that balance some recreational and other uses with the overall objective of ecological protection.
Overall, we believe the new Kawartha legislation will give park managers the tools they need to properly control use of the area and to protect its sensitive environment. While the legislation contains some compromises, it is a significant improvement from the Recreation Reserve Act. Mine waste to be discharged into Provincial Park June 03, 2003 The Province of Ontario is considering a plan by Noranda Inc. – Falconbridge Ltd. to discharge treated mine effluent into the Groundhog River Provincial Park. Designated under Ontario's Living Legacy as a Waterway-class Provincial Park, the Groundhog was established to protect one of Ontario's last healthy sturgeon fisheries and for its unique landscape features, including 22 different landform combinations. Despite these significant natural values, the province is seriously considering two options:
The government has not asked the mining companies for an alternative that would keep the mine waste out of the park and the river. Instead, it has put forward a plan to remove an area from the park to facilitate the construction of the open ditch. "The government should not even be entertaining inappropriate proposals like these which could pose a serious risk to the river's aquatic ecosystems, including its sturgeon spawning beds. But instead they are asking us to choose between two equally bad options. Neither is acceptable," says Riki Burkhardt, protected areas coordinator with Ontario Nature. Equally disturbing is the precedent this action would set for Ontario's hundreds of other protected areas, points out Dr. Anne Bell, executive director of CPAWS-Wildlands League. "This proposal says that it is open season on parks. If you want to dump mine waste, just change the boundaries. Frankly, this is a betrayal of the government's commitment to the people of Ontario to permanently protect these special areas." Situated northwest of Timmins, the Groundhog River falls within the traditional territories of several First Nations and flows north into the arctic watershed. It was designated as a park because it has one of Ontario's last healthy sturgeon fisheries, it possesses over 20 different landforms, and is a popular canoeing river. "This proposal is completely contrary to the spirit and intent of Ontario's protected areas system," Burkhardt continues. "The mining industry in Ontario has access to over 90% of Crown land, while only 9% is protected. The concept of 'protected areas' becomes meaningless when you permit mining activities in a Provincial Park." "These special places need to have strong legislative guarantees that put conservation and biodiversity before industrial development", adds Bell. "We are urging the Premier to deny this proposal and to truly protect the Groundhog River Provincial Park." For more information and copies of the Partnership's official submissions on this issue, please visit www.wildontario.org/groundhogppl.html. Company Takes A Third Try at Mellon Lake March 12, 2003 For the third time in three years, a Toronto-area company is seeking a permit to develop an open-pit granite and gravel quarry at the Mellon Lake Conservation Reserve. Palu-Corbelli Corporation once again wants to remove gravel and granite from the area despite failing to obtain a permit twice before. They began "sampling" work in the reserve in 2000, building a road and extracting blocks before their permit for full production was turned down in January 2001. Last summer, the Ministry of Natural Resources, despite the protests of local residents, cottagers, conservation groups and citizens from across Ontario, told the company it could have a permit to quarry half the area it had applied for. Palu-Corbelli chose to walk away, refusing to meet the restrictions MNR wanted to impose on its operations. Mellon Lake has long been known for its outstanding natural features and rare species. In 1983 it was designated by the MNR as an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI). It contains several provincially and regionally significant species including the little prickly pear cactus and the five-lined skink. It was a candidate for protection from early on in the Lands for Life land-use planning process. In spite of this, Palu-Corbelli chose to stake a claim in the area - virtually on the eve of the announcement giving Mellon Lake formal protection. Now the company is back with an almost identical proposal. Under the provincial Aggregate Resources Act, the company can reapply as many times as it likes. It's time Palu-Corbelli was told to stop wasting taxpayer's money and citizen's time. Mining does not belong at Mellon Lake nor in any of Ontario's protected areas – not now, not ever. Comments are due by April 2nd, 2003. Help us send a clear message that "no" means "no". Send a message today through www.wildontario.org Planning must ensure healthy communities and a healthy future for vast undeveloped northern forests, groups say December 12, 2002 Toronto - A commitment to ensure protected areas planning and the interests of First Nations precede development is one of the key outcomes of the Ontario Government's recently released Northern Boreal Initiative (NBI) framework document in the view of two major Ontario conservation groups. "Ontario's northern boreal forests are globally significant. This area contains some of the world's largest, most intact forests that are also the homelands of First Nations. We must be visionary in our approach to how we manage these forests," says Anna Baggio, Director, Northern Boreal Program, CPAWS-Wildlands League. The NBI sets out a framework that can be used to guide the development in these forest areas, which have previously been off-limits to development including logging. "We support the view of Aboriginal people that it cannot be business as usual in this ecologically and culturally important area," says Gregor Beck, Director, Conservation and Science, Ontario Nature. A key principle of NBI is the commitment that planning for protected areas must be completed prior to introducing any form of industrial uses into areas that are intact and that have been previously out of reach of these activities. Ontario Nature and CPAWS-Wildlands League believe that the community led land use planning processes in the northern boreal and NBI's Protected Areas Working Group have the potential to result in an integrated network of protection that can play a key role in sustaining the area's wild character as well as provide opportunities for economic development for First Nations. We must also look at the big picture, particularly the impacts of a variety of overlapping developments, such as roads, forestry, energy development and mines and we must ensure that we make these initiatives fit with ecosystem protection rather than vice versa," adds Beck. We have an opportunity to do things right the first time in the northern boreal," notes Dr. Anne Bell, Acting Executive Director, CPAWS-Wildlands League. "There is a lot at stake, socially, environmentally, and economically with this initiative and we must proceed with real caution and great care," she adds. December 11, 2002 As many of you are aware, since 1999, the provincial government has been working on completing the 378 new protected areas that are part of Ontario's Living Legacy. Like a number of you, the Partnership for Public Lands (PPL -Ontario Nature, Wildlands League, World Wildlife Fund Canada) has been engaged in the public process to have these sites regulated. For over 2 years, we have been grappling more and more with the issue of mineral exploration in these protected areas. Research done by the PPL aimed at producing a clearer picture of where pre-existing mining rights or tenures overlapped with the new protected areas led to the finding that the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines and the Ministry of Natural Resources had distinctly different information available about the new protected areas and their boundaries. This in turn led to discussions with both ministries about why this discrepancy existed and what could be done to fix it. Recently, the PPL has participated in meetings organized by the two ministries (and also attended by the Ontario Prospectors Association) to address inconsistencies in their mapping systems, which led to this problem. The early result of these efforts is that we are starting to get a clearer picture of the true extent of the mining problem. MNR and MNDM have now been able for the first time to co-produce maps that accurately represent both mining tenure (claims, patents and leases) and the areas withdrawn for protection. This work has made it clear that in some instances, mining issues do not occur within the proposed protected area. Others could potentially be dealt with through minor boundary adjustments with appropriate First Nation, stakeholder and public involvement. As with all boundary adjustments, the Partnership's position is that there should be no loss of size, ecological integrity or representation for the proposed protected area. In other areas, there are extensive conflicts between mining tenure and the proposed protected area and it will be a more complex task to come up with a solution. Whatever the solution arrived at, all of these sites will also still need to go through a full public consultation process before being regulated. Now that we have clearer information outlining 113 sites with varying degrees of potential mining tenure, our hope is that we will be able to resolve the problems presented by mining interests in new protected areas and move forward more effectively with getting the new sites regulated. We will be posting information about our site regulation efforts on our searchable OLL database found at www.wildontario.org. Help Protect Mattawa Provincial Park November 5, 2002 We need your help to protect the Mattawa Provincial Park Addition The Ontario Government is planning to approve the conversion of an existing snowmobile trail through a new Provincial Park east of North Bay into a permanent road. Serving a single property owner with private land holdings adjacent to the park area, this precedent could open up hundreds of kilometres of snowmobile trails that travel through parks for road construction. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is proposing park boundary changes to the Mattawa River Provincial Park Additions that would permit the construction of a road. The change would also include the removal of a 9-hectare section of park area south of the proposed road. This leaves the area vulnerable to further development and would create a situation that contradicts the commitment to the protection of identified park values. While the snowmobile trail was a pre-existing permitted use in the park, its existence has opened the door for MNR to allow its upgrade into a road. Approval of road proposals is inconsistent with the promise of interim protection for new parks and protected areas made by the government in the 1999 Living Legacy Land Use Strategy and Ontario Forest Accord. Your action is needed by November 15, 2002. Please take action Please write in support of maintaining protection for new parks and urge the Ministry of Natural Resources to act in manner consistent with the promises made in the 1999 Living Legacy Land Use Strategy and Ontario Forest Accord. Tell the government that new road construction in Provincial Parks is not appropriate under any circumstance. Tell them that special exceptions such as this are contrary to the public interest for the protection of Crown Lands through the establishment of parks and protected areas. Send your letter to: Sally Renwick, District Planner Deadline for comments November 15, 2002. Please reference Mattawa River Provincial Park Addition, Boundary Refinement in Lot 33, Concession 4, Mattawa Township. Background On July 16, 1999, the Ontario Government released the Ontario’s Living Legacy Land Use Strategy to guide the planning and management of Crown Lands in central and parts of northern Ontario. A major part of the Ontario’s Living Legacy Land Use Strategy was a government intent to establish 378 new protected areas. The Land Use Strategy was based on the Ontario Forest Accord which identified 2.4 million hectares of new protected areas and guaranteed that these areas would permanently exclude logging, mining and hydro-electric development. This commitment marks the biggest expansion of provincial parks and conservation reserves in Ontario’s history. The proposed Mattawa River Additions are located adjacent to the Mattawa River Provincial Park which is west of the Ottawa River and is within the geographic townships of Widdifield, Phelps, Olrig, Mattawa, Papineau, Calvin, Bonfield and East Ferris. Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Needs Your Help October 17, 2002 The Kawartha Highlands Signature Site (KHSS) is the largest protected area south of Algonquin Park in Ontario. Its 35,000 hectares cover one of the most intact wild areas in the more developed southern part of province and therefore have tremendous natural heritage value. For this reason alone, we should ensure this area receives the best possible protection as a fully functioning provincial park. The KHSS straddles the southern edge of the Canadian Shield. The site reaches from this typically northern environment of bare granite knobs and thin soils into more southerly climes and richer growing conditions. This intersection of climatic, soil and vegetation zones leads to a wealth of biological diversity seen in few other places in Ontario. Many of the species here are at either the northern or southern limits of their natural ranges. As well as granite uplands, the area is rich in wetlands, ranging from open bogs to treed swamps. Along the shores of some of the many lakes that dot the area are plant species more commonly found along the Atlantic coast. Scattered throughout the area are mature stands of white pine, eastern hemlock, sugar maples and red oak. The Kawartha Highlands Signature Site is home to a number of Species at Risk, including bald eagle, red-shouldered hawk, Blanding's turtle, five-lined skink (Ontario's only lizard) and 15 provincially rare plants. The site also contains a provincially significant alvar, an open rock plain dominated by prairie species that can tolerate the harsh and often very dry conditions found in this globally rare type of ecosystem. The Kawartha Highlands have been used for cottaging, boating, fishing, hiking, canoeing and camping for many decades. Under a provincial park designation, these uses will continue, but will be better managed to protect the many important ecological attributes of this special area. No private lands will be incorporated into the park. A local and diverse stakeholders group has put together extensive and well thought out recommendations for management of this important site. Their key recommendation is that the area be given full provincial park status and the resources and legal protections that go with it. Some interest groups, including off-road vehicle users and people who want more access roads, have opposed this recommendation. We must encourage the government to follow the recommendations of the local stakeholders and not give way to these narrow interests. There is too much at stake in Kawartha to water down protection of this area! Help us secure strong protection for this important area. Please write a letter supporting the recommendations of the local stakeholders committee and in particular the recommendation to make the site a fully operational provincial park. EBR Registry Number: PB00E3003 Written submissions may be made between September 24, 2002 and October 31, 2002 Send your letter to: Nancy Wilson, Project Co-ordinator, ext. 255 Send a letter today! Ontario's Forests Need Your Help October 09, 2002 Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) wants to put in place timber quotas for forests, which will lead directly to the elimination of many of the environmental protections conservation organizations have spent years fighting for. These mandatory targets for timber production can only be met by removing environmental safeguards, such as those for sensitive habitat areas and by removing buffers that surround lakes and the nest sites of birds of prey. They will also mean MNR can continue to ignore important environmental requirements, like protecting old growth forests and large roadless areas. This move is part of MNR’s overall proposal to significantly loosen or even discard many of the rules governing forestry practices in Ontario. It is also part of its application for a renewal of the environmental assessment approval for timber management that applies to public lands. If MNR gets its way, there could be a bleak future in store for threatened species like woodland caribou that does not survive in heavily logged areas. Background In April 1994, after more than four years of hearings and thousands of pages of submissions by people from across Ontario, the Timber Class Environmental Assessment (EA) for Crown Lands in Ontario became the legally binding rule for forest management. Now, eight years later, the Timber EA approval, along with its 115 Terms and Conditions, is set to expire on April 1, 2003, and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is seeking re-authorization of its forest management activities under the Environmental Assessment Act. MNR’s current proposal threatens to erode public accountability for forestry operations. Among other things, it would guarantee industry a wood supply that is unsustainable by overriding environmental considerations, and it would weaken requirements for monitoring the impact of forestry on our forests. Among many other issues, conservation organizations have identified the following concerns: The establishment of provincial volume targets for timber production at the expense of environmental and social values; MNR’s ‘consolidation’ of the 1994 Terms and Conditions undermine its legal obligation to deliver certain monitoring programs and other forestry oversights; No explicit requirements for continued policy development in areas that have not been addressed under the existing Terms and Conditions (e.g. old growth, northern wetlands, growth and yield, roadless wilderness, spatial planning). You can help oppose this proposal by letting the Minstry of the Environment (MOE) know that MNR’s proposal to gut Ontario’s forestry rules is unacceptable. Please write Ontario’s Environment Minister and let him know that you oppose MNR’s environmentally unsound proposal. Please urge the government to implement ecologically sensible alternatives. Please take action Write to Environment Minister Chris Stockwell, and tell him not to approve MNR’s proposal to impose timber quotas. Tell him that you oppose MNR’s proposal because it will lead to the elimination of environmental protection safeguards. Write to: The Hon. Chris Stockwell Deadline for comment: October 16, 2002 August 8, 2002 Local citizens and park proponents ecstatic The Partnership for Public Lands (Ontario Nature, CPAWS-Wildlands League, World Wildlife Fund Canada) has just confirmed that the Ministry of Natural Resources has denied a permit to establish a granite quarry at the Mellon Lake Conservation Reserve. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) has informed the Partnership for Public Lands that the quarry proponent has been sent a letter denying the application. Quarry proponent Joseph Palu had until August 6, 2002 to satisfy the OMNR that his firm could meet a series of terms and conditions required for the permit. The request for a permit had been previously denied to Mr. Palu in January 2001, however the Aggregate Resources Act allows him to keep reapplying, as he did in this most recent instance. Located in eastern Ontario (northeast of Belleville on Hwy 41), Mellon Lake has long been known for its outstanding natural features and rare species. In 1983 it was designated as an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest by OMNR. It contains several provincially and regionally significant species including the Little Prickly Pear Cactus (provincially rare) and the Five-Lined Skink (Ontario’s only lizard), which is designated as vulnerable/special concern in Canada. “Today’s announcement is good news. We support the government’s decision to stop the quarry at the Mellon Lake Conservation Reserve,” said Paul Leadbitter, Parks and Protected Areas Manager for Ontario Nature. “This issue is of great concern because of its potential to set a poor precedent regarding mining in protected areas. We still have concerns that under the Aggregate Resources Act the proponent can re-apply indefinitely until a permit is granted; we would like to see a better permit system developed." “We are pleased that the Government has done the right thing and denied the permit to mine at Mellon Lake. OMNR should have denied this application long ago and got on with the business of protecting the province’s parks and reserves, rather than considering opening them up to industrial activity,” said Lyn Sparling, a local resident and founding member of No Quarry at Mellon Lake, one of the groups most active in fighting the proposed quarry. “This is a victory for nature", said Tim Gray, Executive Director of CPAWS-Wildlands League "Unfortunately this type of problem is likely to be repeated again and again unless Ontario passes a law to protect its parks," he concluded. Ontario Nature would like to thank the efforts of all the people and groups involved in this victory including the Sierra Legal Defence Fund, who provided legal assistance to the Partnership for Public Lands and No Quarry @ Mellon Lake in their strong local opposition to the mine proposal. Mining may get green light at Mellon Lake July 3, 2002 The Government of Ontario has given the citizens of Ontario a highly unwelcome Canada Day gift. On the Friday before the long weekend, the government announced that it is about to approve a permit to allow mining at the Mellon Lake Conservation Reserve near Kingston. The proposal to develop a granite and gravel mining operation in the Conservation Reserve has been widely opposed by local citizens, cottagers, municipalities, conservation organizations and concerned citizens. During public consultations, a huge majority of submissions opposed blasting the Reserve’s sensitive rock barrens to produce granite countertops and construction gravel. On Friday, June 28th, however, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources sent mining company Palu-Corbelli Corporation a letter indicating that it is ready to issue a permit to allow mining in the reserve. Palu-Corbelli's initial application for a permit to mine in Mellon Lake was turned down by the Ministry of Natural Resources in 2001. But under the provincial Aggregate Resources Act, the mining company can continue to reapply for a permit as many times as it likes. “Mining does not belong in protected areas,” added Paul Leadbitter, Manager of Parks and Protected Areas with Ontario Nature. “This is the wrong decision for nature, and many rare species, including the five-lined skink and prickly pear cactus will be affected. This area should be protected and not used for gravel extraction and kitchen counter-tops.” This decision flies in the face of ecology and smart planning,” says Evan Ferrari, Parks Program director for CPAWS-Wildlands League. “Letting companies re-apply indefinitely underscores the need for a law that protects our parks.” Conservation Groups Support First Nations' Protected Areas Initiative in Boreal Forest Ontario Nature and CPAWS-Wildlands League welcomed the news that four First Nations in Ontario and Manitoba will take a leadership role in establishing protected areas in their trans-provincial traditional territories. On May 28, 2002 at a signing ceremony in Winnipeg, the Pikangikum First Nation from Ontario signed on to an Accord that will guide the cooperative relationship between itself and three First Nation communities from Manitoba. Through this Accord, Pikangikum will join Poplar River, Paungassi and the Little Grand Rapids First Nations to manage and protect their traditional territories through community-based planning and local First Nation stewardship. Land-use planning is the process where the best uses of the land are determined before development starts. Ecological science and experience indicates that protecting key forest ecosystems before starting logging, road building or mining is the most effective way to ensure the long-term health of landscapes. In addition, all land-use planning in northern Ontario and Manitoba must address the issue of economic and social benefits and control over resource management for First Nation communities. All three Manitoba First Nations have already identified significant protected lands within their traditional territories and Poplar River has obtained interim protection for a park reserve that is greater than 800,000 hectares in size. "We welcome the news of this new working partnership," says Tim Gray, Executive Director, CPAWS-Wildlands League. "It is critical that local First Nation communities take the lead in community based land-use planning." Gregor Beck, Director, Conservation and Science, for Ontario Nature, states, "All of these First Nation communities are to be commended for this initiative. The boreal forest of northwestern Ontario and northeastern Manitoba are ecologically unique and connected, and joint planning among the people who make it their home makes good sense". CPAWS-Wildlands League, Ontario Nature and other conservation groups are dedicated to working cooperatively with First Nations, government and industry to ensure that proper land-use planning occurs in the northern boreal forest. Kahshe Lake Road Permit Denied April 20, 2002 The long-awaited decision regarding the fate of the Kahshe Lake road proposal has been announced. In a letter dated April 2, 2002, Parry Sound MNR District Manager Bob Griffiths informed the proponent that a work permit to build the road would not be issued. The letter sates that MNR is concerned that "the road would fragment the site by reducing the over-all size of continuous undisturbed interior habitat and increasing the edge effect." In 1999 a group of cottagers with property near to the protected area applied to the MNR for a permit to build a road. These property owners currently have boat access to their cottages, but are interested in building a road so they can access their properties by car. PPL staff have been following this issue for 2 years and we are pleased by the positive news. PPL would like to congratulate Bob Griffiths and MNR staff in the Parry Sound and Bracebridge offices for making a decision that is clearly in the best long term ecological interests of the Kahshe Lake Barrens conservation reserve. This is an important decision as it demonstrates MNRs commitment to keeping Kahshe Barrens relatively roadless and intact. The decision also sets an important precedent by restricting new cottage road in protected areas. PPL would like to also thank all the people who phoned and wrote letters about this important road issue. While the announcement is good news, under the Public Lands act the proponent has the right to appeal the decision and has done so. No New Mining or Prospecting In OLL Protected Areas March 25, 2002 We are pleased to inform our supporters, fellow conservationists and members of the Ontario public that the provincial government has taken action on this issue. In a jointly signed letter dated March 15, 2002, the Ministers of Natural Resources (MNR) and Northern Development and Mines (MNDM) have indicated that: No further mineral exploration will be permitted within parks and conservation reserves. A process to address issues related to mineral tenures that pre-date the establishment of the OLL parks and conservation reserves will be established (in which PPL will participate). MNDM and the mining industry will participate in future land-use planning through the identification of significant mineral potential areas using a new framework. This means that our new parks and conservation reserves will continue to be protected into the future, as promised through the Ontario Forest Accord (which led to the creation of 378 new protected areas in 1999). It also means that the provincial government is committed to resolving outstanding mining tenure issues so that these sites can proceed to be regulated as full-status protected areas. Lastly, and also significantly, land-use planning processes will be able to use a new tool to identify important mineral areas when considering appropriate land designations. We are pleased that this issue has now been addressed and that it is clear that our parks and conservation reserves will be free of further conflicts with mining. A letter of support has been sent to Ministers Snobelen and Newman who worked with the partnership to bring this good news about. |
|
|||
|
JobsSearchSite MapLinksPrivacy 366 Adelaide Street West, Suite 201, Toronto, ON M5V 1R9 Copyright © 2000-2006 Ontario Nature - Federation of Ontario Naturalists |
