BULLDOZING OF NOPIMING PROVINCIAL PARK, MANITOBA, CANADA, CONTINUES (VIDEO)

Pallister's petrifying parks privatization plan.(Video)

The Manitoba Wilderness Committee

Demolition of Mount Agassiz Underway

Manitoba Co-Operator

Parks Canada is seeking public feedback in efforts to determine the future of the former Riding Mountain ski hill in Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba.  Story here.

One Step Forward, Two Back for Canada’s Parks: CPAWS’ 2013 State of Canada’s Parks Report.

Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society (CPAWS)

In the run-up to Canada's Parks Day on the 3rd Saturday in July, the CPAWS is releasing is 5th annual report on how Canada's parks are faring. Full story here.

A magnificent vista in Jasper National Park, 

Alberta, Canada. PLT photo.

Manitoba Bans Peat Mining In Parks

as well as the site nominated for the UNESCO world heritage site.

Government of Manitoba.

No New Peat Licences in the Province Until Peatland Stewardship Strategy in Place

Manitoba is banning peat mining in provincial parks and in the nominated UNESCO World Heritage Site on the east side of Lake Winnipeg as one of several new peatland protection initiatives through TomorrowNow - Manitoba's Green Plan, Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister Gord Mackintosh announced today.

Peat bogs (r.) provide habitat for rare plants. 
They also store vast amounts of carbon, which 
helps mitigate the impacts of climate change. 
Source: Wilderness Committee.  

"I am proud of our record on parks and protected areas.  Seven million hectares of land, which amounts to almost 11 per cent of the province, are already fully protected and we will continue our work on reducing industrial developments in parks," said Mackintosh.  "While I recognize the value of more jobs and continued economic growth in Manitoba, there will never be a peat mine in a provincial park."

The Green Party of Manitoba Calls for a Moratorium on Mining in Provincial Parks

GRANDVIEW:  The Green Party of Manitoba condemns the NDP government for allowing the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting company to start construction of a mine in Grass River Provincial Park without approval or public consultation. “If allowed to proceed, the Reed Lake Mine will destroy the woodland Caribou herd which the Park was intended to protect,” says Kate Storey, Green Party councillor and former researcher of the Reed Lake woodland caribou herd.

Kate uses radio telemetry to track movements 

of woodland caribou at  Reed Lake

Grass River Provincial Park is a small park surrounding Reed Lake. This park is a rare area of ideal woodland caribou habitat. Woodland caribou depend on the islands of Reed Lake for protection of their young calves from wolves. Every spring the caribou mothers leave their wintering grounds in old growth forest and swim out to the many islands on Reed Lake where their calves are born in safety.

Kate examines a caribou calf. 

Spruce Point Minesite Mess - a Black Eye for Manitoba (Video)

Wilderness Committee

Please also read: Mine Proposed in a Manitoba Provincial Park.

Happy 100th Birthday Parks Canada!

Nature Canada - The Parks Canada Agency, the World's oldest parks service, is reaching an important milestone: 100 yrs. of overseeing one of the most extensive, best-managed & highly-respected parks systems in the world. Details here.

In or near Jasper National Park. 
All photos by PLT.