2010 News Archive
2010-12-21 AWA News Release: Water License Change Threatens Bow River
AWA and others are challenging a recent Eastern Irrigation District (EID) water license change that would let the EID act as a water broker and supplier without accountability for the region's aquatic ecosystem health.
2010-12-10 Moving Forward from Bill 29, the Draft Alberta Parks Act
Letter from AWA to Cindy Ady, Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation.
2010-12 Vol. 18 No. 6 Wild Lands Advocate
Wild Ecosystems and Climate Change – the Seminal Work of Dr. Camille Parmesan | Alberta’s Climate Change Future is Here Already | Climate Change and Water in Alberta: Are we Dammed? | Climate Change and Biodiversity on Alberta’s Southern Eastern Slopes | Point/Counterpoint: Population Growth and the Future of Wilderness | ‘Potatogate’ Victory: People Power Does Work!
2010-11-25 Alberta Wilderness & Wildlife Defenders: Bill 29 Stopped!
Good news!! Bill 29, the deeply flawed Alberta Parks Act proposal, was suspended today! This is the second win in a very short time, that we know had a lot to do with folks like you taking time to write letters and let elected officials know what is important to Albertans.
2010-11-24 AWA News Release: Perfect Storm for Alberta’s Caribou: Bill 29, Tar Sands, and Another Worthless Caribou Policy
A new Alberta Caribou ‘policy’, which does nothing to protect severely threatened woodland caribou, is one more nail in the coffin for this beleaguered species. An open-door policy on tar sands development, and proposed changes to protected areas legislation in Bill 29 guarantee doom for woodland caribou in north-eastern Alberta.
2010-11-22 AWA News Release: Is Tar Sands Development Driving Weaker Parks Legislation?
Albertans have been struggling to understand the reasoning behind Bill 29, the Alberta Parks Act, which is proposing to substantially weaken protection of Alberta’s network of provincial parks and protected areas. Alberta Wilderness Association (AWA) believes that tar sands development is a key driver for the Government of Alberta to pass Bill 29 as swiftly as possible.
2010-11-12 Alberta Wilderness & Wildlife Defenders - Bill 29, Alberta Parks Act
Draft legislation, currently passing through the Alberta Legislature, is set to make huge changes to Alberta’s parks and protected areas. AWA believes that, if this legislation goes through, it could be the biggest set‐back in parks management in Alberta in a decade.
2010-11-10 Alberta Parks Under Threat
AWA letter to Minister Ady, concerning Bill 29, the proposed Alberta Parks Act
2010-11-04 Alberta Wilderness & Wildlife Defenders - Wetlands
The Alberta government has just proposed a vague, weak provincial wetland policy rather than adopting the widely supported no-net-loss policy recommended by its own advisory group. Wetlands are key to Alberta’s water supply, water quality and wildlife. We ask you to please e-mail key decision makers soon to let them know that Alberta needs a clear no net loss wetland policy.
2010-11-03 AWA News Release: “Potatogate” Deal is Dead: Now it is Time to Fix the Real Problem
“Potatogate”, the shady Alberta government deal to sell off 16,000 acres of public land – scarce native grassland and endangered species habitat – has finally been shelved, following an unprecedented public outcry. But while this particular piece of land has received a temporary reprieve, the system which allows for secretive backroom deals to sell off public land, and with no public input, is still very much in place.
2010-10-29 AWA News Release: Weakened policy risks destroying thousands of hectares of Alberta wetlands
After years of delays, the Alberta government has dismissed the no-net-loss recommendation of its own advisory group and is proposing a complex wetland policy direction that risks the permanent loss of thousands of hectares of wetlands.
2010-10-25 AWA News Release: “Potatogate” Continued: What We Have Here is a Failure to Communicate
There appears to have been a major failure to communicate within Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (AB SRD). A new report Canadian Biodiversity: Ecosystem Status and Trends 2010 was released by the federal, provincial and territorial governments last week. And yet the same Alberta government department (AB SRD) involved in this report is currently mired in the ‘Potatogate’ saga: the potential sale of public grasslands of continental conservation significance in the Bow Island area to grow potatoes.
2010-10-21 AWA News Release: "Potatogate" Irreplaceable Public Land to be Sold to Make Potato Chips
In a shocking insult to all Albertans, the provincial government is set to sell off a huge swathe of public land – our land – to a private company, to grow potatoes. Despite the fact that the 16,000-acre parcel of land near Bow Island is valuable native prairie, known to be habitat for a number of endangered species, the sale looks set to go ahead this week with no opportunity for public input. The priceless piece of prairie will be ploughed up to grow potatoes.
2010-10 Vol. 18 No. 5 Wild Lands Advocate
The Illusion of Integrity | What is Happening With the New Provincial Parks Legislation? | Do Mountain Bikes Belong in the Backcountry? Absolutely. | A Sordid Affair: Mountain Biking in Canada's National Parks | The Willmore: Stronger Management... What's So Evil About World Heritage Status? | Potatogate: Turning Endangered Species Habitat into Potato Chips
2010-09-15 AWA News Release: Alberta for Sale? Premier Asked to Clarify Government’s ‘Prairies to Potatoes’ Position
AWA is asking for the Premier to clarify a statement made to the media by Minister of Sustainable Resource Development, Mel Knight, about funds generated by the proposed sale of native prairie Public Lands near Bow Island, Alberta. Sale and conversion of this land would destroy vital habitat for a number of endangered species
2010-09-10 Imminent Destruction of Endangered Species Habitat to Grow Potatoes
AWA letter to Premier Stelmach, requesting emergency measures to halt sale of 100 quarters of public land, habitat for numerous endangered species.
2010-09-08 ENGO News Release: Environmental Groups Name Feds in Filing for Caribou Protection
Groups Demand Minister of Environment Issue Emergency Protection Order, Halt Industrial and Oilsands Development in Habitat Areas. Ecojustice, on behalf of the Alberta Wilderness Association and the Pembina Institute, filed an application this morning for a federal judicial review, which asks the court to order Environment Minister Jim Prentice to issue emergency protections for seven caribou herds in northeastern Alberta.
2010-09-03 AWA Comments on Public Lands Act Regulations consultation
AWA letter, September 3 2010 to Alberta Ministry of Sustainable Resource Development, providing AWA's official comments on draft changes to the regulations for the Public Lands Act.
2010-09-01 National Wildlife Area Missing from Proposed Endangered Owl Habitat Designation
A proposal by the federal government that would limit habitat protection for the endangered Burrowing Owl has raised alarm among conservation groups. In a letter sent to Environment Minister Jim Prentice today, members of the Suffield Coalition voiced concern that his department’s apparently selective identification of critical habitat overlooks burrowing owls in the Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Suffield National Wildlife Area.
2010-08-17 Environmental Groups Echo First Nations Call for Caribou Protection.
Joint News Release, August 17, 2010, from Alberta EcoJustice, on behalf of Alberta wilderness Association, Pembina Institute and Sierra Club, Prairie Chapter. The groups file an application for emergency protection, and call for suspension of industrial activity in critical habitat areas.
