Connect with Nature: Take a Winter Wildlife Walk

Johnston Canyon Nature Walk
Photo by Sangudo via Flickr

Gifts have been unwrapped. Holiday meals have been eaten. The spirit of the season has been shared with friends and family. What better way to relax after the festivities and reconnect with nature than with a winter wildlife walk?

You don't have to go far at this time of year to notice the beauty of the natural world. It can be as simple as walking through familiar areas and noticing how different they are in the winter. Wander along a favourite route and see if you can identify the trees without their leaves. Look for animal tracks in the snow, matching the prints with the creature that made them. And, of course, indulge in some winter birdwatching, noticing how active nature is even at this time of year.

This is also a great opportunity to find a new nature walk, remembering to explore it throughout the coming year as the seasons unfold to reveal its unique details.

When you're heading out, remember to bring:

• Warm clothes and footwear - walking through a winter wonderland can get chilly, so make sure you're prepared;
• Camera - even in winter it's important to leave nature as we find it, so capture your memories with your camera;
• Binoculars - helping you to get a close-up look at some of the winter sights around you;
• Notebook and pencil - write down your observations from your walk and update your journal as the seasons change.

Enjoy your winter walk, and share your sightings with us in the comments!

Season's Greetings

As 2010 comes to an end, Nature Canada would like to thank you all for your continuous support and dedication - we could not have done it without you.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and may 2011 bring you all many opportunities to enjoy and conserve nature.

All the best!

Photo: Pantanal Jaguar by Jean-François Dionne

Media Advisory: Holiday Announcement Watch

Friday, December 24, 2010

Tis the season for government announcements that just might go unnoticed, so in the spirit of the season we are offering our own hand-crafted gift to the wise men and women of the press. We’ve made our list, we’ve checked it twice. Here then is Nature Canada’s top three government announcements to watch for between December 24 and January 2:

Mackenzie Valley Pipeline
In the wake of the National Energy Board approval of the Mackenzie Gas Project, the federal Cabinet must now decide whether or not to approve the project. Cabinet must also decide if it will put public money into financing the private consortium’s venture, and how much.

Edehzhie
Indian and Northern Affairs Minister John Duncan in November unilaterally removed interim protection that had been keeping mining out of a highly valued area in the northwest territories. The affected Dene people and the government of Canada had been in discussions about establishing a National Wildlife Area to permanently protect the sacred land. Pressure has been mounting on the Government of Canada to reverse Minister Duncan’s action and reinstate protection for the area.

Canadian Forces Base Suffield National Wildlife Area
The Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the government of Canada, must respond to a proposal to drill over 1,200 gas wells inside the CFB Suffield National Wildlife Area. An environmental assessment panel found that the project would interfere with the area’s mandate to conserve wildlife. The panel made 27 recommendations in its final report in January 2009. The government has yet to respond.

Fear not, holiday denizens of the newsroom! Should any of these or other stories related to wildlife and nature break during the holidays, Nature Canada will be available to help you get your quote shopping done early with handy gift-wrapped responses.

In the event of such announcement(s) please contact:

Jean Langlois, MSc, MBA
Strategic Relations Advisor
cell: 613-266-5326


About Nature Canada
Nature Canada is a national non-profit whose mandate is to protect and conserve wildlife and habitats in Canada by engaging people and advocating on behalf of nature. We are the Canadian co-partner, with Bird Studies Canada, in BirdLife International.

Avis aux médias: Veille aux annonces durant le temps des fêtes

vendredi, 24 décembre 2010

C’est la saison où le gouvernement pourrait essayer de faire passer certaines annonces inaperçues, si donc, dans l’esprit du temps des fêtes, nous vous offrons notre propre cadeau aux sages hommes et femmes des médias. Nous avons établit notre liste, nous l’avons vérifié à deux reprise. Alors voici les trois sujets d’annonces prioritaires dont Nature Canada vous suggère de vous garder aux aguets entre le 24 décembre et le 2 janvier.

Pipelinier de la Vallée Mackenzie
À la suite, de l’approbation du projet gazier Mackenzie par l’Office national de l’énergie, le Cabinet fédéral doit maintenant décider s’il approuvera le projet. De plus, le Cabinet doit aussi décider s’il investira financièrement dans le projet privé avec des fonds public, et si oui, de combien?

Edehzhie
Le mois dernier, Ministre des Affaires indiennes et du Nord Canada, John Duncan, a unilatéralement éliminé la protection intérimaire qui empêchait l’exploitation minière d’avoir lieu dans une région de grande valeur située dans les territoires du nord-ouest. Le peuple Dene et le Gouvernement du Canada étaient en discussion concernant l’établissement d’une Réserve nationale de faune afin de protéger cette terre sacrée de façon permanente. Les pressions s’intensifient, implorant le Gouvernement du Canada de révoquer les actions du Ministre Duncan et de rétablir la protection de ce trésor d’habitat faunique.

Réserve nationale de faune de la Base des forces canadiennes de Suffield
Le ministre de la défense nationale, au titre du Gouvernement du Canada, doit répondre à une proposition demandant l’approbation pour forage intercalaire pour plus de 1,200 puits de gaz à l’intérieur de la Réserve nationale de faune de la BFC de Suffield. La commission d’évaluation environnementale a conclut que le projet est à l’encontre du mandat de l’aire de conservation la faune. En janvier 2009, la commission a soumis 27 recommandations dans un rapport final; aucune réponse de la part du gouvernement n’a été soumise jusqu’à présent.

N’ayez aucune crainte, chers collègues de la salle des nouvelles. Dans le cas d’une annonce relié à la nature ou la faune pendant le temps des fêtes, Nature Canada sera disponible afin de vous offrir une réaction bien garnie.

Dans le cas ou une ou plusieurs annonces auront lieu veuillez communiquer avec :

Jean Langlois, MSc, MBA
Conseiller en relations stratégiques
Cél : 613-266-5326

Nature Canada en bref
Nature Canada est un organisme national de conservation de la nature sans but lucratif. Notre mission est de protéger et conserver la faune et ses habitats naturels au Canada en mobilisant les gens et en se portant à la défense de la nature. Nous sommes le co-partenaire canadien, avec Études d’oiseaux Canada, de BirdLife International.

The EnCana Trial That Wasn't

In 2007, EnCana (now Cenovus) was charged with violating the Canada Wildlife Act by building a section of a pipeline without a permit within CFB Suffield National Wildlife Area.

The trial was postponed numerous times -coincidentally, as EnCana's proposed project to drill more than 1,200 wells in the Suffield National Wildlife Area was undergoing an environmental assessment review. A year ago, the case was stayed temporarily. Now, it turns out that legally speaking it never happened.

The government has yet to make a decision on whether the Cenovus project will be approved and, if so, under what conditions.

Given that the panel that conducted the environmental assessment concluded the project would interfere with the conservation of wildlife, and set a very high bar for any approval, one could speculate that the "disappearance" of those charges are one less thing for the government, and Cenovus, to worry about.

Of course those of us concerned about the enforcement of wildlife conservation laws and the integrity of Suffield National Wildlife Area, have one more thing to worry about. Canadians need to have confidence that their government will uphold and enforce the rules intended to protect this irreplaceable wildlife habitat, including environmental assessment conditions.

NEB approves Mackenzie Gas Project with over 200 conditions

The National Energy Board (NEB) has approved the Mackenzie Gas Project, with over 200 conditions. The Board finds that the project, with the conditions, is in the public interest.

Nature Canada was an intervener in the Environmental Assessment of the Mackenzie Gas Project because there was so much at stake. The Mackenzie River is Canada’s wildest big river flowing unfettered for 1,800 kilometres through globally important forests and tundra teeming with wildlife, and important breeding and staging areas for millions of geese, tundra swans and other migratory birds. This mega-project would trigger the transformation of the Mackenzie Valley from largely intact wilderness to a petro-industrial landscape.

Nature Canada will be studying the NEB decision in detail to assess whether or not the 200 conditions are sufficient to meet our concerns.

The NEB says it has accepted all of the Environmental Assessment Panel recommendations directed at the NEB (about 60 or so we think), as modified and agreed to by both Panel and NEB.

We remain deeply concerned that the governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories have already rejected in practice many of the Panel recommendations in their final response on November 15.

• The Environmental Assessment Panel who studied the project extensively warned against approving the project without implementing all of its recommendations. The panel said: “In that event, the opportunity for the Project to provide a foundation for a sustainable northern future would be lost.”
• The governments of Canada and the Northwest territories accepted fewer than 10% of the Panel’s recommendations to government (11 of 115).
• Nature Canada advised the NEB that the project could not be in the public interest if it were unsustainable because of the governments’ refusal to commit to the Panel’s conditions.

The process behind this decision underscores the value that Environmental Assessment can add to making sensible decisions, if recommendations are followed.

• The Environmental Assessment and NEB processes were the only opportunity for public input into this monumental public policy decision.
• Both the Environmental Assessment Panel and the National Energy Board did a good job of providing an opportunity for public input. In contrast the Governments’ tried to make deals behind closed doors.
• The EA Panel also did a great job incorporating public input into its recommendations. We are now studying the NEB report to see whether the same can be said of the NEB.

Stay tuned for more analysis from Nature Canada as we comb through all the details in the NEB'S 50 megabyte report.

Connect with Nature: Join a Christmas Bird Count

The Christmas Bird Count is a wonderful holiday tradition that allows nature lovers to spend an entire day outdoors, in the company of other naturalists and bird enthusiasts, gathering important information on the birds in their neighbourhood. The 111th edition of this citizen science intiative is taking place now, through January 5, 2011.

Christmas Bird Counts take place in a set circle 24 kilometres in diameter during a single day. Depending on your location, you may even be able to count the birds at your backyard feeder and report them to the group leader. Each count then feeds into a larger tally and scientists use the collection of data to better understand how birds and the environment are faring - both areas that need to improve, and conservation success stories.

The great thing about this particular program is that every bird you see counts - whether it's a common backyard bird or an exotic visitor who found their way to your neighbourhood! It's also a great way for beginning birdwatchers to learn more about the species that can be found in their area.

Find a count near you and discover the Christmas Bird Count's history with our BirdLife Canada co-partner Bird Studies Canada, who administers the program in Canada.

Piping Plover Art Exhibition Update

This past fall, nine year old Annie Buckton, fearful for the Piping Plover’s survival after learning that it would be passing through the oil-stricken Gulf of Mexico during its annual migration, raised funds through an art exhibition to support clean-up efforts in the affected areas. The Piping Plover is a small endangered shorebird that nests at Sauble Beach where Annie spends summers with her family at their cottage. Over the years, Annie watched as each season a dedicated group of volunteer guardians safeguarded the birds’ nests at the beach.

Here are few highlights of the exhibition:

• Number of artwork featured in the exhibition: 34
• Number of artists who participated in the exhibition: 21
• Money raised through artwork sales: $580 (9 pieces)
• Money raised through cash donations $55.00

In addition, Lake Huron Shoreline Coastal Conservation based out of Goderich, moved and inspired by Annie’s story, led a fundraising campaign with local businesses which raised approximately $1,000 for Annie’s Piping Plover cause.

Artists who contributed art pieces to the Piping Plover Art Exhibition are:

Mike Schwan Owen Sound, ON

Grant Murray/ Karen Murray Lion’s Head, ON

Dianne Sutter Shallow Lake, ON

Susan Gunter Hamilton, ON

Sharon Barfoot Sauble Beach, ON

Susan Enzensberger/ Glen Urquhart Kincardine, ON

Linda Bester Shallow Lake, ON

Cyndi Burgess Southampton, ON

Don Cavin Sutton West, ON

Jo Ann Strugeon Southampton, ON

Anna Nicholson Brantford, ON

Lynda Wills Southampton, ON

Carol Schmidt New Market, ON

Kate Kilty New Market, ON

Hannah Weaver New Market, ON

Michelle Van Nee New Market, ON

Steurat Scott Public School New Market, ON

Rhonda Uppington New Market, ON

Annie Buckton, New Market, ON

The proceeds from this exhibit and sale will go to Nature Canada to be directed to the National Audubon Society of the United States to support clean-up and recovery efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. Nature Canada and the Audubon Society are both members of BirdLife International, a global partnership of conservation organizations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources. A special thank you to all contributed or helped raise funds for the Piping Plovers.

Photos were provided by the Southampton Art Gallery

The Cancún Agreement

Last week saw the conclusion of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Cancún, Mexico. The resulting Cancún Agreement is not legally binding, but it is more than most expected. The signatories (all negotiating parties except Bolivia, who considers the agreement ecocide) agreed to keep talking; promised to keep global temperature rise below 2 °C (without saying how); and pledged to establish a Green Climate Fund (with the World Bank as the trustee) where developed countries are expected to contribute $100 billion per year by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries, as well as approximately $30 billion for 2010-2012 as a fast-start finance mechanism.

Two other positive advances in the climate negotiations are: 1) an agreement on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), in which developing countries are encouraged to, and compensated for, protecting their forests.; and 2) the establishment of the Cancún Adaptation Framework, with the ‘objective of enhancing action on adaptation’.

The unresolved question is whether to extend the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which contains binding emissions reduction targets for developed countries. The debate is postponed to COP17 to be held in Durban, South Africa in 2011, or in 2012, the year the Protocol expires. Unlike many countries that were willing to compromise, Canada, Japan and Russia strongly oppossed an extension of Kyoto. Canada has argued only an agreement including all countries would be effective and fair–the US has not ratified the Protocol, and India and China are exempted from cutting their emissions until 2012. Some Canadians, however, would prefer to be leaders in cutting emissions.

For many, the Cancún Agreement has revitalized the UN body regulating climate change, especially after the failure of COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009. Expectations were extremely low, so most have applauded the outcomes. Yet the most urgent outcome-a plan to reduce emissions and keep the global temperature rise below catastrophic levels-will have to wait until South Africa.

Government to Ratify Amendments to Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants, Protecting Canadians and their Environment

In the past, we’ve blogged about the effects of persistent organohalogen contaminants (OHCs), a form of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), on Arctic wildlife - such as the weakening of kidney and liver functioning in polar bears, which decreases their ability to adapt to extreme environments like the Arctic. Yesterday, the Ministers of Environment and Foreign Affairs announced that they would be ratifying amendments to the Protocol on POPs, under the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP). The amendments will add five additional substances to the Protocol’s list of 16 susbtances, which include DDT and PCBs. All substances listed under the Protocol are either banned or restricted in their use and production.

POPs are defined by Environment Canada as:

Toxic substances released into the environment through a variety of human activities. They have adverse effects on the health of ecosystems, wildlife and people. POPs tend to concentrate in colder climates such as Canada’s North, as well as in the Great Lakes Basin and St. Lawrence River.As chemical compounds, POPs are very stable and consequently can last in the environment for years or decades. POPs are also bio-accumulative, meaning they can concentrate in living organisms and accumulate up the food chain through fish, predatory birds, mammals and humans. POPs can enter the human system through traditional foods such as beluga muktuk (skin) and seal blubber. Aboriginal peoples, who rely heavily on such country foods, are particularly affected. Some POPs can be passed on from mother to child across the placenta, or through breast milk.POPs can travel great distances around the globe through the atmosphere. Touching down on oceans and freshwater bodies, they then evaporate into the atmosphere once again, and travel further to touch down in another spot until they ultimately gather in the colder climates. This is known as the grasshopper effect.

Additionally, the government has agreed to changes in the Protocol’s annex aimed at facilitating compliance. Canada’s Environmental Protection Act is the main piece of legislation that deals with POPs. Other legislation includes the Pest Control Products Act, the Fisheries Act and the Hazardous Products Act.

What Does Biodiversity Mean to You?

Last month, we asked our readers to tell us what biodiversity means to them. This quick poll question was prompted partly by a story that indicated that a worrying number of people thought biodiversity was a brand of washing powder. Well, we are happy to report that Nature Canada’s readers did not think biodiversity was a cleaning product and for the most part understood its true meaning. To check out the survey results and responses please click here.

While several similar definitions exist, biodiversity is generally known as the variety of life forms on Earth – the genes, species and ecosystems that make up this planet we inhabit. The biodiversity we see today is the result of billions of years of evolutionary history, shaped by different combinations of life forms, their interactions with each other and their environment. Researchers and scientists use biodiversity as one measure to evaluate and monitor the health of ecosystems. Today, there are many millions of distinct biological species on Earth, almost all of which are increasingly altered by human activity, in ways that are lasting and difficult to predict.

What is becoming clear is that human activity is the main cause of biodiversity loss. Direct threats include changes in land use, the introduction or removal of species, pollution, resource consumption and climate change.

Biodiversity loss is significant because life on Earth depends on biodiversity. It is the source of food, fuel and water. It provides life-giving and irreplaceable services such as nutrient cycling, photosynthesis, water purification, climate regulation, pollination. Changes in biodiversity can therefore have profound effects on our health, livelihoods, culture and security.

In an effort to counteract the trends the United Nations declared 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB). One key message of International Year of Biodiversity campaign is biodiversity is “essential to sustain the living networks and systems that provide us with health, wealth, food, fuel and the vital services our lives depend on,” as stated by the Convention on Biological Diversity, the international legal and binding treaty.

Nature Canada joined Countdown 2010 [an initiative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)], and pledged our commitment to help reduce biodiversity loss and ensure that all levels of government and society take action together to reduce biodiversity loss by 2010. With your help we gathered 1,840 signatures for the IYB petition/personal pledge that was sent last month to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Environment Minister John Baird and the environment critics from each of the opposition parties, urging them to take the following five actions:

• Protect at least 50 per cent of Canada's Boreal Forest;

• Protect Canada's endangered wildlife by effectively implementing the Species at Risk Act;

• Save one of Canada's greatest grasslands treasures and the wildlife that live there. Close the door on further industrial development within Alberta's Suffield National Wildlife Area;

• Declare a moratorium on new tar sands expansion until environmental and human health
  issues have been fully addressed;

• Commit to environmentally sustainable development in Canada's North. Demand that the Mackenzie Gas Project proceed only if it does not negatively impact the region's people and
  wildlife.

As the International year of Biodiversity comes to a close, consider the words of famed Harvard University biologist—also referred to as the “father of biodiversity”—Edward O. Wilson who once said, "It is reckless to suppose that biodiversity can be diminished indefinitely without threatening humanity itself."

Sources:

http://www.naturecanada.ca/biodiversity.asp

http://www.cbd.int/2010/biodiversity/

http://biodiversity.ca.gov/Biodiversity/biodiv_definition.html

http://supporter.naturecanada.ca/site/Survey?ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_VIEW_REPORT&SURVEY_ID=3440

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversity

Science Pages, October 2010, page 1.

Nature Canada Former Board Secretary Receives Saskatchewan Order of Merit

Dr. Douglas Schmeiser (S.O.M., Q.C.), Nature Canada’s former Board Secretary, recently received the Saskatchewan Order of Merit. The Saskatchewan Order of Merit, established in 1985, is the province’s highest and most prestigious recognition of excellence. It recognizes contributions to the social, cultural and economic well being of the province and its residents.

In his announcement speech, Saskatchewan Lieutenant Governor Gordon Barnhart proclaimed this year's recipients as “an extraordinary group of individuals, who exemplified excellence, determination and passion, and we are all the beneficiaries of their outstanding contributions."

Dr. Douglas Schmeiser will join His Royal Highness Prince of Wales, the Honourable T. C. Douglas and national broadcaster, Pamela Walin, amongst other past recipients.

Douglas Schmeiser is an outstanding legal scholar, educator and naturalist. During his tenure with Nature Canada (2006-2010) he fought hard for a broad based national organization representing the naturalist communities across Canada.

Dr. Schmeiser served as Dean and Professor of Law at the University of Saskatchewan where he stressed not only the highest competence from his students, but also the importance of respect for the legal system, personal ethics and community involvement within the practice of law. Dr. Schmeiser has served in many advisory roles in federal-provincial conferences, including the negotiations and drafting of the Constitution Act, 1982, and the Meech Lake and Charlottetown Accords. His work with the community has led him to extensive volunteer work with the Saskatchewan First Nations Community, including advice on governance and financial issues, and lecturing in the Aboriginal Women of Tomorrow program.

Driven by his passion for education and the rule of law, Dr. Schmeiser has participated in many international projects, including drafting a new constitution for the Republic of the Maldives on behalf of the United Nations. He has also headed a C.I.D.A. project to provide legal assistance to the University of Khartoum, Sudan, advised the Komi Republic on relations with the central government in Moscow, consulted with the Commonwealth Office on constitutional reform in Zimbabwe, and worked on law reform in Tanzania and on judicial reform in Ethiopia.

Congratulations Doug! Nature Canada is very proud of your accomplishments and feels truly fortunate to have had you serve on our Board.

House Passes Motion to Ban Tankers in the northern BC coast

On Tuesday, the House of Commons passed a motion to ban tanker traffic off the B.C. coast. The motion was introduced by Nathan Cullen of the NDP and was supported by the Liberals and the Bloc Quebecois. It calls on the Harper government to come up with legislation banning oil-tanker traffic in B.C.'s north coast - namely, Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound. A ban would clarify the questions around the exiting moratorium on tanker traffic, which the government claims is voluntary. And more importantly, a ban on tanker traffic would protect the ecosystems and coastal communities of northern BC from a potential oil spill.

Enbridge's Northern Gateway Pipeline Project proposes to build pipelines from Alberta to B.C.'s Kitimat port to ship oil from the tar sands to markets in Asia. This would 1) contribute to the projected increase in tanker traffic on the B.C. coast (about 225 per year to begin with), 2) increase the likelihood of another Exxon Valdez disaster, and 3) give the Canadian tar sands (the largest carbon emitting industry in Canada) more reason to exist.

A ban on tanker traffic would stop this dangerous and unsustainable proposal.

On the same day the motion passed, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Scott Vaughan, unveiled his alarming conclusions on Canada's readiness to respond to offshore oil spills, including that:

- The government lacks the readiness needed to respond to a major oil spill;
- Both Transport Canada (the regulatory agency responsible for preparing spill responses) and the Canadian Coast Guard (the federal body that would manage the spill on-site) have incomplete or outdated knowledge on the risks of spills;- The Canadian Coast Guard hasn't evaluated its capacity to respond to spills since 2000, and doesn't have a system in place to track spills!

Have you ever wondered how many oil spills take place in Canadian waters? Well, apparently between 2007-2009 there were 4, 160. Vessels, such as oil tanker and fishing boats, were involved in 2, 000 of them.

Now that the motion has passed, what happens next?

What should happen, is that a bill is introduced and new legislation is put in place to ban oil-tanker traffic. But there isn't much reason to hope the government will act on a motion they didn't support, even if it is the will of Parliament. After all, they continue to ignore a motion they did support.

What am I talking about? 

In May this year, following the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the House unanimously passed NDP MP Linda Duncan's motion to take hard look at Canada's preparedness and fix any weaknesses. The motion read:

"That this House notes the horror with which Canadians observe the ecological disaster unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico and their call for action to prevent such an event in Canada, and therefore calls on the government immediately to conduct a thorough review and revision of all relevant federal laws, regulations and policies regarding the development of unconventional sources of oil and gas, including oil sands, deepwater oil and gas recovery, and shale gas, through a transparent process and the broadest possible consultation with all interested stakeholders to ensure Canada has the strongest environmental and safety rules in the world, and to report to the House for appropriate action".

In the long-term interests of coastal wildlife and the communities that exist along Canada's west coast, the government should take the opportunity to implement BOTH motions and move us closer to preventing a major oil spill in Canada.

Proposed Boundaries Announced for Lancaster Sound National Marine Conservation Area

Source: Parks Canada

On Monday, the Ministers of Environment, Health, Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Natural Resources announced a potential boundary for the long-awaited Lancaster Sound National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA) in Nunavut. We are looking forward to engaging in the consultation process to ensure that the final boundaries safeguard this area's rich biodiversity, and Important Bird Areas (IBA).

In the past we blogged about the Government of Canada's decision to go ahead with seismic testing in Lancaster Sound (a process known as the Mineral Energy and Resources Assessment (MERA) in which non-renewable resources are identified), despite strong opposition from High Arctic communities, Oceans North Canada, the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, and more than 11,000 Canadians. However, a few weeks later a Nunavut court granted an injunction to block the seismic testing, given the negative impacts it would have on the area's sensitive wildlife and ecosystems and the communities that depend on it.

We are pleased to know that the government has respected the views of the Inuit, and is carrying out an assessment based on already existing information - this means there will be no field studies done, and negative impacts avoided. Under the NMCA Act it is not a requirement to undertake a MERA. However, before an amendment is made to Schedule 1 (where NMCAs are listed or their descriptions changed) of the NMCA Act, results of any assessments for mineral and energy resources that have been undertaken (as per Section 7 (1) (C)) should be included in the report for the proposed marine conservation area or reserve. According to Parks Canada "work is underway to update an ecological overview of Lancaster Sound and an assessment of non-renewable resource potential, using existing information, but enough is known presently to enable announcing a federal position that will lead to discussions with the Government of Nunavut and consultations with local communities to proceed".

Interim withdrawal of lands beneath the seafloor of the proposed NMCA was the other significant part of the government’s announcement on Monday. During the consultation process "no exploration or development of petroleum resources will occur within the proposed boundaries. Once approved as a designated National Marine Conservation Area, the region will remain protected from industrial development, regardless of the resource potential” said Natural Resources Minister Christian Paradis.

Lancaster Sound is located between Devon Island and Baffin Island in Nunavut, Canada and is home to a large variety of wildlife such as beluga, bowhead whales and harp seals. The region around Lancaster Sound includes bays, inlets and ice fields surrounded by high cliffs and spectacular fjords that stretch from Ellesmere Island to the Gulf of Boothia in the south, to the waters surrounding Cornwallis Island to the west.

This area has one of the highest concentrations of polar bears in the Canadian Arctic. Twenty IBAs are found inside or adjacent to the proposed protected area, providing key high arctic breeding habitat for large colonies of snow geese, ivory gulls, arctic terns and thick-billed murres. Protected areas like the one proposed at Lancaster Sound conserve some of our most important natural spaces, providing Canada and the world with clean air and water, abundant wildlife populations, and healthy communities and ecosystems.

Time to Say NO to the Mackenzie Gas Project

The time has come for the National Energy Board (NEB) to reject the proposed Mackenzie Gas Project (MGP). A decision by the NEB on the proposed $16 billion megaproject is expected in the coming weeks.

The Joint Review Panel (JRP) that exhaustively reviewed the social and environmental impacts of the proposed project made 176 recommendations for approving the project so that it could provide a foundation for the sustainable development of the North.

The Governments of Canada and Northwest Territories, even as they claim to accept the majority of the JRP’s recommendations, are in fact rejecting the JRP’s framework for implementing the project sustainably. In their final response, the Governments’ have only accepted 11 of the 115 recommendations directed to them by the JRP and in most cases, they have not addressed the JRP’s objections to the Governments’ proposal for changing the JRP recommendations. (Actually, despite a JRP call for transparency, the interim governments’ response was never made public and the Panel’s response to it was only available on Environment Canada’s website for a limited period of time before being taken down.)

The Panel concluded that “in the absence of implementation of its Recommendations, and in particular those Recommendations directed to the Governments, the adverse impacts of the Project could be significant and its contribution towards sustainability could be negative. In that event, the opportunity for the Project to provide a foundation for a sustainable northern future would be lost.” (Emphasis in the original.)

As we said to the NEB in our 22 November 2010 letter, proceeding with the project without implementing the recommendations of the JRP would compromise a sustainable future for the North. Therefore the project is not in the public interest and the NEB must reject it.

On December 1, 2010 Nature Canada wrote again to the NEB to bring to their attention a recent event that illuminates what the governments’ claims to accept “the intent” of a recommendation might actually mean:

Panel recommendation 11-2 calls for providing areas identified as of high conservation value through the NWT Protected Areas Strategy with interim protection until permanent protection is achieved. The governments accepted “the intent” of this recommendation. How is the Canadian government following through? On October 28, 2010 the government failed to renew crucial interim subsurface protections that had been in place for over eight years on the land beneath Edéhzhíe, leaving the area open to mining claims. Edéhzhíe is one of the most revered sites of the Dehcho and Tłicho Dene communities around western Great Slave Lake, and a candidate National Wildlife Area identified through the NWT Protected Areas Strategy (Step 5) and sponsored by the Canadian Wildlife Service.

This is one of 77 important recommendations for which the governments claim to “accept the intent”. Ten recommendations that are key for the sustainability of the project were rejected.

Sustainability should be the guiding principle for this basin-opening project. It won't be. The NEB should reject the MGP.

Nature Canada attends reception for 'Thaidene Nene - the Land of the Ancestors'

Yesterday evening Nature Canada staff had the pleasure of attending a reception for a new national park proposed in the Northwest Territories. The proposed park, called Thaidene Nene and formerly known by the moniker East Arm of Great Slave Lake, covers approximately 33,000 square-kilometres and has been a topic of discussion - and a source of controversy - between the Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation and Parks Canada for almost 40 years.

The Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation and Parks Canada have "recently initiated a dialogue to jointly protect lands and waters" of Thaidene Nene, the "Land of the Ancestors." A framework agreement for this dialogue was signed in April of this year, committing the Government of Canada and the Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation to work as partners toward a Thaidene Nene Establishment Agreement. With a projected two-year timeline on formal discussions (began in September), boundary studies and negotiations, this Establishment Agreement will lay the groundwork for Parliament to officially decide on a national park designation.

The goal of last evening's reception was simply to "introduce and explain this great Canadian landscape" to various audiences here in Ottawa. Representatives from the NGO sector, the mining sector and various federal government departments were invited to the event, which was hosted by the Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation and Member of Parliament for Western Arctic, Dennis Bevington.

We were grateful for this opportunity to hear about the cultural, ecological and spiritual significance of Thaidene Nene directly from Lutsel K'e Dene Elders and community members. Each presenter spoke of the need to protect Tsan’kui Theda, the Lady behind of the waterfall, and the lands around her to ensure that the land would always be there to provide for the people, just like it always has. Lutsel K'e Dene Councillor Terri Enzoe, who spoke at the event, shared that "[o]ur elders and the leadership have long maintained that we have a responsibility to protect Thaidene Nene to ensure that our way of life can persist into the future. Given the progress we have made over the past year, we hope that this dream can soon become a reality, and that all Canadians can be inspired by this great place."

You can read more about Thaidene Nene in presentations by Steven Ellis of the Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation and in research led by geographer Nathan Bennett. Also, stay tuned to Nature Canada's blog and our e-newsletter to learn more about how you can participate in public consultations around the creation of this new national park.



Photo 1: Larry Innes, Executive Director of the Canadian Boreal Initiative, at the 2007 NWT land withdrawal ceremony, which focused on withdrawals for both proposed Thaidene Nene National Park and the proposed Ramparts River and Wetlands National Wildlife Area.

Photo 2: Wolverine, one of Canada's intrepid northern mammals that calls Thaidene Nene home.

Connect with Nature: Prepare Your Yard for Winter Birds

Chickadee by Lynn Pady

Birdwatching is a wonderful way to connect with nature, and winter offers us many opportunities to watch our feathered friends. Get your yard or balcony ready for birds this winter, and enjoy the show!

Provide cover. Birds need shelter from harsh weather conditions, and vegetation in your yard will help to furnish it. Don’t prune back dead vegetation like vines and stalks – these provide both valuable winter cover and nesting material for birds in the spring.

Add habitat in your backyard in the form of a brush pile, which may attract foraging birds and mammals, and even over-wintering reptiles, amphibians and insects.

Balconies have a special opportunity to attract nesting birds as they provide great shelter.

Think food. Feeders provide an extra energy source for birds that stay in the area during winter. Provide a number of feeder styles and types of feed (sunflower, thistle, unsalted peanuts, sliced fruit, seed scattered on stamped down snow) to attract many different birds to your yard. Place feeders where they are sheltered from predators and weather, and clean your feeders regularly.

Small space? No problem! Some feeders are available with a suction cup attachment that can be stuck right to the window!

If you choose to welcome birds to your yard, remember to keep pets indoors or on a leash well away from any bird feeders or shelter. For more tips on preparing backyards and balconies for birds this winter, check out our website.

Don't forget to keep a field guide and your camera close at hand to identify the birds that visit your yard and capture some great wildlife photos!